Ridiculously deep dark brown body with a non-existent tan and oily head. Aroma of strong alcohol, nuts, earth, pit fruit, oak, vanilla and quite a bit of toffee - deep and very strong. Full-bodied; Pungent and showing a ton of alcohol and warmth with the roasted malt, chocolate, pit fruits and especially oak flavours really coming out. Aftertaste shows a nice earthiness with a super complex finish having the roasted malt, chocolate, alcohol, pit fruits, oak, toffee and nuts all a part of the mix. Overall, a super pungent and complex beer with a great flavour profile and even better richness throughout. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from Norm’s in Vienna, Virginia on 05-March-2011 sampled at home in Washington on the day of the closing ceremonies for the Olympics to celebrate Team USA in Sochi during the past four years. 2010 Vintage // Purchased in 2011 // Drank in 2014

Bottle received in trade. Thank you pushkinwow (iirc)! Pours murky dark reddish brown with a thin beige head that quickly dissipates without leaving much trace on the glass. Smell is sweet and malty with caramel, sweet dark bread, alcohol, resinous wood, dried orange peal, biscuits, toffee, pine needles, burnt sugar and molasses. Taste is sweet, heavy bitter and malty with biscuits, roasted malts, caramel, resinous wood, sesame seed cookies, moist soil, cocoa powder, mixed dried citrus peal, moist grass, pine needles, alcohol, dark bread, moist tobacco, raisins, molasses and liquorice root. Mouthfeel is round, soft, oily bitter and near full bodied. Finish is sweet, bitter and malty with biscuits, caramel, toffee, resinous wood, pine needles, moist soil, alcohol, toffee, tobacco, raisins and subtle hints of iron. Heavy heavy bitter but pretty close to balanced with the thick malt profile. Tasty if close to too extreme. An American barley wine indeed... --- Beer merged from original tick of Nemesis (2010) on 23 Jan 2014 at 02:21 - Score: 8