Barleywine by Jackie O’s, at Bar Beenhouwer. Thinnish and open, pale greyish white, dissolving head over a misty, deep amber-glowing ruddy-bronze beer, clouded with sediment. Aroma of pecan nut pie, almond paste, candied cherry, marzipan, strong vanilla-scenting oak wood, cognac, dried cranberries, sweet sherry to even white port, wet leather, nougat, fig jam. Sweet onset, candied fig and yellow raisin with some dried peach mixed in, softishly carbonated with rather thick-oily, vinous mouthfeel; toffeeish, pecan-nutty and peanutty maltiness with a thick layer of old brown honey- and nougat-like sweetness on top, acquiring soft herbal hoppy notes providing some balancing bitterness – but at no point does the whole become ‘American style’ bitter and sweetness remains dominant, so I guess this Prodigality comes closer to classic English barleywine than to typical postmodern American barleywine. Lovely retronasal vanilla effects from oak wood, marzipan and yellow raisin notes and warming cognac-like alcohol further grace a long, soothing, complex finish. Rich, sweet in a layered way (and perhaps a tad too sweet for some) but incredibly solid and ‘profound’. Great barleywine, but I was not expecting anything less from Jackie O’s.

Sample at the production facility as part of Ohio Brew Week on 07/11/2021.

Bottle shared by JStax, thanks Jeremy at the Omaha Ratebeer/ Untappd summer gathering. Full rich dark fruit (figs, prune juice, dates). The barrel treatment helps cut the sweetness and to my surprise, the 15% was pretty well hidden. Again, another awesome brew from Jackie O’s.