Woolly Bugger

Bottle: Poured a deep cloudy copper color ale with a rather large foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of dry caramelized sugars with light grainy cereal notes. Taste is dominated by load of dry caramelized residual sugars notes with some grainy cereal notes. Body is quite full with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Interesting take on the English-style barleywine but sadly feels a bit short on the complexity front.

2013 edition at the LCBO with 10.5% ABV. Pours a clean copper colour with a great beige head, thick and creamy, great retention and loads of sticky lace. Oh wow... this is quite smooth. No burning and a nice slick mouthfeel. Aromas of dark fruit, very malty but with some decent hops. Dark fruit flavours with a toffee base and the hop a little stronger in the finish, creating a beautiful grassy bitterness. Quite a delicious barleywine that I would buy more.

This ale poured a medium red colour with a nice, big, tan coloured, foamy head. Scents include ripe fruit, caramel, dough, alcohol and malt. First swig was smooth with a medium sweetness and a low carbonation. Flavours of caramel, ripe fruit, hopps and roasted malts. Finish is slightly bitter with a malty finish.

Dec 18, 2023: poured from the tap (2018 vintage) @ Howe Sound Squamish. Clear mahogany brown with small beige head. Nice dark fruits, some booze, touch of wood. Same rating. Jan 16, 2014 (8/4/7/3/15=3.7): Poured from 375mL bottle (2013 release). Mahogany brown with tan head. Chocolate, leather, molasses, dark red fruits, sweet malt aroma. Burnt brown sugar flavour with some alcohol and mild bitter finish. Medium body.

Bottle from the LCBO. Pours a deep hazy reddish brown with a generous tan head that leaves a bit of lace. Nose is sweet malts, vanilla and dark fruits. Taste is much the same with some brown sugar and caramel. Hops appear in the long finish. Body is medium-full and sticky. Alcohol is apparent but not overpowering.

Bottle - Vintage 2012 - Caramel malts, red wine and raisin. Cloudy brown with a rich brown head. Very sweet caramel, sherry and some rich dark fruit. A little on the sweet side, but if you like caramel malts you will love this.

Nothing at first which isn't normal but brown sugar, and caramel come finally. No complexity or depth, light flavor.

Bottle, 2012 vintage thanks to 5000. Shimmering amber pour with ruby tones, small beige head. The malt bill swirls through the air, with caramel and chocolate malts being the dominant force. Light citrus and floral notes too. Deep flavor profile is chocolate, caramel, citrus, and toffee. Lightly cloying. Wonderful body... silky smooth, but has a good weight to it. Very fine stuff.

2013 edition - nice burgundy-brown body and large head when poured at room temperature. Strong hoppy aroma with a hint of wood. Lots of hazelnut in the flavour, smooth drinking without a heavy alcohol presence. Much more subdued than the earlier edition. Much more drinkable. 7/5/7/4/13 = 3.6 December 2012 edition, 341ml capped bottle found in the mighty Surrey, British Columbia. Pours with a solid head on top and a deep amber body, looks like a brown ale rather than a barley wine. Heavy fusel and alcohol notes on the nose with hints of grain and malt buried in the back end. Flavour is a strong mix of caramel and wood, good barley notes, with a dry finish. The heavy alcohol on this one doesn’t come through at all. Not the best looking or smelling barley wine, but it tastes pretty good. 5/3/7/3/12 = 3.0