Pools of Reflection
(has 2 batches)
Private Press Brewing in Santa Cruz, California, United States 🇺🇸
Barley Wine - Barley Regular|
Score
8.00
|
|
Blend of barleywines brewed with maple syrup and aged in bourbon barrels.
Batch #1: 2021
Batch #2: 2023
Batch #1: 2021
Batch #2: 2023
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8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle thanks to my bro. It pours darkest brown to black with limited head. The aroma is sticky, dark roasted malt, bourbon soaked oak, vanilla, toffee, mars bar, maltesers, jammy fruits, toasted coconut, dried fruits, raisin, sultana, fruit cake, maple . syrup and cacao nibs. The taste is slick, thick, oily, sweet, sticky, chewy, toothy, loads of vanilla, vanilla cake frosting, toasted coconut, toffee, maple syrup, date, fruit cake, raisin, sultana, warming booze, cacao nibs, plenty of bourbon, bourbon soaked oak and a touch of spice, with a slick, vanilla bourbon finish. Fullsome body, fine carbonation and oily mouth feel. Works very well. Moreish not too sweet.
Tried
from Bottle
on 19 Jun 2026
at 15:23
8/10
Sweet, roasty and heavy with maple syrup, toffee, prunes, figs, raisins, caramel, hints of earthiness and oaky woodiness. A bit heavy and sweet but pretty nice
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Apr 2026
at 16:58
7.3/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7
Bottle shared by Joen. Brown color, average sized beige head. Aroma is malts, soy sauce. Flavor is malts, soy sauce, bitter, boozy. Heavy. Alright overall.
Tried
on 06 Dec 2025
at 17:08
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Thanks fonefan! (Pools of Reflection (Batch 2)). Close to black colour with a small off-white head. Aroma is chocolate, some sweet malts, mild coffee with some plummy and dried fruity tones to it. Flavour is chocolate, liquorice, coffee, vanilla, mild alcohol with some toffee, sweetness and mild fudgey tones. Almost stouty.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Jul 2025
at 15:10
7.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
Sample, thanks fonefan! Black, minimal head. Aroma of coffee and treacle. Sweet with full body and rounded mouthfeel. Dense, massive malt. Coffee, treacle and dates. Intensely warming mid bitter finish.
Tried
on 24 May 2025
at 13:59
8.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Bottle 1pt. 0.9 fl.oz. @ home - fonefan & Brugmansia House. 🏠🇩🇰 🍀☁️☂️ 💻👀 [ As Private Press Pools of Reflection (Batch 2) ]. ABV: 14.3%. [20250313]. 9/4/9/4/18
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Mar 2025
at 19:57
9/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Mar 2025
at 19:51
8/10
Magus, vanilje, röst, linnaseline, alkone, rosinane, puuviljane, kerge iiris. Hea.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Dec 2024
at 20:19
8.2/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 9
Tap at BeerTemple, Amsterdam, with Matthijs and Paul, 10th December 24. Pours a dark and murky brown. Aroma is intense, maple, caramel and toffee, alcoholic, earthy, sweet, complex, love it
Tried
from Draft
on 11 Dec 2024
at 16:39
7.8/10
Awesome beer, too quality, super easy to drink, robust clean, beautiful. Beer temple ams
Tried
on 22 Nov 2024
at 22:31