Pools of Reflection
Private Press Brewing in Santa Cruz, California, United States 🇺🇸
Barley Wine - Barley Regular|
Score
7.99
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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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8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle split at the farewell to Monica tasting, Watford, thanks to the Wingmane 20/09/24. Extremely dark mahogany brown topped with a beige cap that thins to the edge. Nose is fruit cake mix, rummy notes, booze, toffee, dark malts, molasses, toasted brown sugars. Taste comprises chocolate, spice, figs, toffee fudge, dark malts, bourbon, spice. Full bodied, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a balanced spike of alcohol. Solid quaffable barley wine ... sips easy whilst maintaining a good depth of flavour.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Sep 2024
at 13:50
8/10
Tried
on 20 Sep 2024
at 13:46
8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Bottle at Watford Tasting. From Dave. Sweet maple with sweetness taken off by a malty edge. Opaque brown. Foamy beige head. Fruity. A tang. Sweet maple throughout. Light-medium bodied. Oily. Soft-fizzy carbonation. Long dry astringent finish. Yum.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Sep 2024
at 13:46
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
20th September 2024
Bottleshare at Chez Frog. Thanks to Wingman for this beast. Near clear dark amber brown beer, small bubbly tan head. Airy palate, semi dry, good fine minerally carbonation. Rich creamy sweet malts, good caramel and toffee. Good fruity bourbon, alcohol spice. Modest and well integrated maple. Light finish. A very drinkable 14% BW.
Bottleshare at Chez Frog. Thanks to Wingman for this beast. Near clear dark amber brown beer, small bubbly tan head. Airy palate, semi dry, good fine minerally carbonation. Rich creamy sweet malts, good caramel and toffee. Good fruity bourbon, alcohol spice. Modest and well integrated maple. Light finish. A very drinkable 14% BW.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Sep 2024
at 13:42
8.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle at home. Pours deep ruby brown, nose is smoky, toffee, caramel, red berries, maple syrup, vanilla, taste is similar, warming and fruity up front, dry and smoky finish. --- Beer merged from original tick of Pools of Reflection (Batch 2) on 13 Sep 2024 at 08:42 - Score: 8
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Sep 2024
at 07:42
8.4/10
Smooth maple, big, some clear earthy hops up front. Pleasant roasty malt notes—brown raisin bread. Soft on the pull and warming but not boozy.
Tried
from Bottle
on 31 Aug 2024
at 01:54
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Poured from a 500 ml bottle. Aroma is malty with notes of toffee, dark caramel, and treacle. Lighter molasses and chocolate notes. Some toasted bread and hints of nuts. Medium light bourbon and light oak and alcohol notes. Pours a dark brown, almost black with a medium large, moderately thick, frothy, tan head that recedes quickly to a small film that lingers on the edges. No lacing and long legs. Flavor is somewhat sweet with lots of toffee and dark caramel. Lighter notes of chocolate, treacle and molasses. Hints of toasted bread. Low bitterness and medium low alcohol warmth. Moderately strong maple notes. Light bourbon and faint oak notes. Mouthfeel is full bodied with medium carbonation. Low astringency and medium low carbonation. Overall, a decent stout but it's overly carbonated and I'm worried that it's showing signs of a weird over fermentation. Maple syrup notes are nice but continuing to ferment out. Bourbon and oak are good and malt character is solid.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Jul 2024
at 05:40
8.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Sample during Blarney Wine Festival 2024 on 03/22/2024.
Tried
on 24 Mar 2024
at 17:24
8.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9.5
Bottle. Pours clear mahogany, small tan head, good lacing. Aroma is maple, fudge, bourbon, werthers. Flavor is medium sweet, light plus bitter. Kinda hot. Medium plus body. Nice maple expression. Grate. Brad, you are hitting on all cylinders.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Jan 2024
at 03:35
8/10
MBCC 2021
Tried
on 25 Oct 2021
at 17:26