Harvest Ale
(has 20 batches)
J.W. Lees in Middleton, Greater Manchester, England 🏴
Barley Wine - Barley Regular|
Score
7.61
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This fully fermented strong ale has been brewed by J.W. Lees as a celebration of the brewers art since 1985. Harvest Ale can be enjoyed now or laid down like a vintage wine for enjoyment in years to come.
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8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle from Cloudwater online store Manchester. An amber/brown coloured pour with a thin off white head on top. Very sweet, caramel, dark fruit, molasses, sherry, date aroma and taste. Really nice and complex but very sweet, I think I'll let the other bottles age further and see how they develop. Something to look forward to.
Earlier Rating: 6/20/2020 Total Score: 3.8
Bottle from Cloudwater online store Manchester. A dark golden/amber coloured pour with a medium off white head on top. Very sweet, caramel, dark fruit, molasses, slight honey aroma and taste. Very nice as expected but would certainly improve further with a few more years age on it.
Earlier Rating: 6/27/2009 Total Score: 4
2008 bottle from Booths off licence in Preston, Lancs. Deep amber pour with big beige head. Sweet, fruity, sherry like aroma. This barleywine is really SWEET but oh so drinkable. Caramel, sherry, port taste, dark fruits. Alcohol very well hidden indeed. A delight to drink.
Earlier Rating: 6/20/2020 Total Score: 3.8
Bottle from Cloudwater online store Manchester. A dark golden/amber coloured pour with a medium off white head on top. Very sweet, caramel, dark fruit, molasses, slight honey aroma and taste. Very nice as expected but would certainly improve further with a few more years age on it.
Earlier Rating: 6/27/2009 Total Score: 4
2008 bottle from Booths off licence in Preston, Lancs. Deep amber pour with big beige head. Sweet, fruity, sherry like aroma. This barleywine is really SWEET but oh so drinkable. Caramel, sherry, port taste, dark fruits. Alcohol very well hidden indeed. A delight to drink.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Jun 2020
at 11:12
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle. 2014 vintage, tried in June 2020. Hazy amber/brown body with a thin off-white head. Steady carbonation. Faint lacing. Aroma of banana bread, rum, raisin and toffee. Flavour of caramel and black pepper. Medium to full body with a slick texture. Soft fizz. Rich and complex. The aroma is particularly good. A triumph. 4 9 8 4 17 = 4.2 Bottle. 2017 vintage, tried May 2020. Hazy amber body with a thin white head that fades. Low carbonation. No lacing. Aroma of toffee, marmalade and burnt sugar. Flavour of hard candy and orange rind. Medium to full body with a slick texture. Soft fizz. A sublime, classy beer. 4 8 8 4 16 = 4.0
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 May 2020
at 08:48
7/10
Earlier Rating: 4/3/2020 Total Score: 3.6
Earlier Rating: 4/3/2020 Total Score: 3.7
Earlier Rating: 6/16/2016 Total Score: 3.9
Vertical at Chez Soapy. Big thanks to Scopey for the 20 different vintages. Pours toffee brown with somw thin head. A good mix with the 86 a little soupy but still has the aroma of fruit cake, a little honey. The 91 was a little marmite twiglet. Taste holds up pretty well with differences in sweetness across the range. Plenty of fruit cake action with honey and booze. The 2008 has a distinct spiciness to it. A good beer.
Earlier Rating: 4/3/2020 Total Score: 3.7
Earlier Rating: 6/16/2016 Total Score: 3.9
Vertical at Chez Soapy. Big thanks to Scopey for the 20 different vintages. Pours toffee brown with somw thin head. A good mix with the 86 a little soupy but still has the aroma of fruit cake, a little honey. The 91 was a little marmite twiglet. Taste holds up pretty well with differences in sweetness across the range. Plenty of fruit cake action with honey and booze. The 2008 has a distinct spiciness to it. A good beer.
Tried
on 03 Apr 2020
at 14:37
6.6/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
2007 vintage bottle shared at Novi November share. Thanks superspak! Pours a clear honey gold color with no head. Some dark splotches that are present and suspended in the gold colored beer. Not sure if they are proteins or what, but it doesn't look appealing. Nose is solid with honey, grain and lots of caramel notes. Smooth and effortless drinking on the palate. Booze does come out as it warms, but nothing out of line for the style. A bit thin and watery but still somewhat enjoyable. 12 years might a bit too old for this vintage to be honest.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Dec 2019
at 02:22
6.8/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 7
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7
2007 vintage bottle shared at Novi November share. Thanks superspak! Pours a clear honey gold color with no head. Some dark splotches that are present and suspended in the gold colored beer. Not sure if they are proteins or what, but it doesn't look appealing. Nose is solid with honey, grain and lots of caramel notes. Smooth and effortless drinking on the palate. Booze does come out as it warms, but nothing out of line for the style. A bit thin and watery but still somewhat enjoyable. 12 years might a bit too old for this vintage to be honest.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Nov 2019
at 04:21
7/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle shared in London - big thanks to Cloin. Pours clear honey-gold with a frothy, white head. The character is defined by sugary pale bread, honey, dried malts, alcohol. Full bodied, oily and chewy, with fine carbonation. Warming finish, sticky sweet, more sugary dark malts, mellow age. Very sweet, that's the key point here.
Earlier Rating: 9/17/2011 Total Score: 4
From a plastic jug, the 2004 vintage, shared by Ian, I believe it was, at CPK. Pours rich, red-brown with no head. Aroma hints at extreme sweetness. Flavor is, indeed, extremely sweet. All kinds of dark fruits, brown sugar, aged malts, syrup. Caramel, molasses, fig, toffee, leather. Full bodied with soft carbonation. Warm finish with lasting sugar. Excellent beer.
Earlier Rating: 11/13/2013 Total Score: 4.2
Bottle shared at Bruce’s in London - many thanks to Bruce. Pours mostly clear amber with some floaties and a frothy tan head. Nose suggests extremely sweet malts, some toffee, some golden raisins. Big sweet flavor with slightly syrupy sugars, loads of toffee, raisins, dates. Full bodied with soft carbonation. Sticky and lightly warming to finish, caramel and toffee, hints of smoke, more dried pale fruits. Delicious stuff. Outrageously rich and complex. Wonderful.
Earlier Rating: 9/17/2011 Total Score: 4
From a plastic jug, the 2004 vintage, shared by Ian, I believe it was, at CPK. Pours rich, red-brown with no head. Aroma hints at extreme sweetness. Flavor is, indeed, extremely sweet. All kinds of dark fruits, brown sugar, aged malts, syrup. Caramel, molasses, fig, toffee, leather. Full bodied with soft carbonation. Warm finish with lasting sugar. Excellent beer.
Earlier Rating: 11/13/2013 Total Score: 4.2
Bottle shared at Bruce’s in London - many thanks to Bruce. Pours mostly clear amber with some floaties and a frothy tan head. Nose suggests extremely sweet malts, some toffee, some golden raisins. Big sweet flavor with slightly syrupy sugars, loads of toffee, raisins, dates. Full bodied with soft carbonation. Sticky and lightly warming to finish, caramel and toffee, hints of smoke, more dried pale fruits. Delicious stuff. Outrageously rich and complex. Wonderful.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Oct 2019
at 21:48
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle shared at the columbus tasting 22/08/2019. Many thanks! A clear golden amber coloured pour with a halo of white head. Aroma si sweet sweaty honey, honey monster cereal, grassy. Flavour is composed of sherry, medium sweet, mead, sticky honey, cereal. Honey monster ceral. Paalte is medium sweet, sticky, earthy., moderate carboantion, oily, . Good.
Earlier Rating: 6/19/2016 Total Score: 3.7
Huge thanks to Paul for providing this vertical.
86: 537414 jammy oxidised paper, oily fruit burnt toffee
87: 637314 oily toffee, paper,
88: 637415 Dr pepper, cola toffee, caramel. Toffee
89: 537214 stale grains, oxidised soy, cola, dull palate
91: 638314 woody toffee apple jammy, earthy, strawberry cherry cola
92: 637414 oily burnt toffee mint paper, toffee, caramel
93: 534210 stale grains, toffee, oxidised, dull, lifeless, meh
94: 545312 airy old cardboard toffee, oxo, dull sweet palate.
01: 547314 oxidised burnt toffee, sweet, sticky really sweet sticky.
02: 635313 stale grains, toffee, apple dull, straw.
06: 527312 sticky toffee, brown sugars banana, chunky
07: 536411 chewy toffee,
09: 547415 tangy toffee orange, caramel, caramel, coconut
10: 638415 peanut coconut toffee, caramel, Good.
12: 647414 big toffee, burnt toffee oily, jammy sticky sweet
Earlier Rating: 6/19/2016 Total Score: 3.7
Huge thanks to Paul for providing this vertical.
86: 537414 jammy oxidised paper, oily fruit burnt toffee
87: 637314 oily toffee, paper,
88: 637415 Dr pepper, cola toffee, caramel. Toffee
89: 537214 stale grains, oxidised soy, cola, dull palate
91: 638314 woody toffee apple jammy, earthy, strawberry cherry cola
92: 637414 oily burnt toffee mint paper, toffee, caramel
93: 534210 stale grains, toffee, oxidised, dull, lifeless, meh
94: 545312 airy old cardboard toffee, oxo, dull sweet palate.
01: 547314 oxidised burnt toffee, sweet, sticky really sweet sticky.
02: 635313 stale grains, toffee, apple dull, straw.
06: 527312 sticky toffee, brown sugars banana, chunky
07: 536411 chewy toffee,
09: 547415 tangy toffee orange, caramel, caramel, coconut
10: 638415 peanut coconut toffee, caramel, Good.
12: 647414 big toffee, burnt toffee oily, jammy sticky sweet
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Sep 2019
at 20:07