8.5

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 8.5

Bourbon barrel aged dark barleywine, apparently a rare bottle as only 360 were made; mine, shared with Craftmember and Jo, was numbered 238. Gusher (at least in my sample) so be careful when opening. Medium thick, opening, tiny-bubbled, yellowish pale beige head on a misty bronze- to chocolate brown beer with nice copper-red glow. Complex bouquet of pronounced oak wood (vanillin!), pistachio nuts, biscuit, pecan, hard caramel, green broad bean touch, whiff of coffee, toasted brown bread, biltong, raw green peas, bourbon for sure but not overruling the rest at all, ground hazelnuts, ‘kramiek’, dark honey, dried orange peel, bitter chocolate notes, almond, port, ‘Haagse hopjes’. Sweet onset (dried figs and pear) with a slight sourish edge (blackberries), medium carbonated with full, bit vinous body – a touch syrupy due to residual sugariness, in fact, but nowhere too sweet. Caramelly, pecan- and pistachio-nutty maltiness, full and layered yet smooth, bittersweet with a tiny chocolatey edge as well as a touch of coffee; something vaguely green bean-like lingers along with a more outspoken dried orange peel-like aspect, connected with a firm dosage of spicy, peppery, leafy hop bitterness in the finish, reinforced by woody tannins and bittersweet, warming bourbon – the latter behaving very decent and adding warmth without astringency, flavour without excess. In all, this ale is indeed very balanced and refined, combining richness and a multi-layered structure with relatively easy drinkability – in fact, this is possibly the best Weird Beard product I had to date. One to carefully age in a cellar and ‘forget’ for a while – you will not be disappointed if you like this type of deep, rich barleywines; stylewise, it is indeed vinous, sweet and fruity enough to still quality as a barleywine in spite of the darker malts hinting at (imperial) porter, and there sure is enough hop bitterness in here to belong to the American side of barleywine as well, as pioneered by Anchor’s Old Foghorn back in the mid-seventies. A sophisticated ‘bière de dégustation’, in all, worth every penny.

7

Classic Barley Bitter Wine...

7.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Can ordered from Emsworth Brewhouse. Aroma is herby, alongside dark fruit and a hint of citrus. Then develops caramel. Dark. Opaque cola brown. Big fluffy foamy beige head. Light bitter. A sour citrus edge. Underlying dark dried fruits and burnt caramel. Quinine boozy bitterness gains strength into the finish. Medium bodied. Slick, creamy. Average-fizzy carbonation. Long astringent finish. Boozy fruity Barley Wine which also amps up the bitterness.

7.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Panda at home, thanks to Fergus, 08/05/21. Extremely dark mahogany brown with a light khaki cap that soon escapes edgeward. Nose is dried fruit esters, brown sugar melt, dark malts, spice, ashen tones, light smoke. Taste comprises fruit cake, light smoke, spice, cocoa sprinkle, figs, dark malts, brown bread, light booze. Medium bodied plus, fine carbonation, semi drying close with a balanced rising boost offered at the curtain call. First WB bier I have raked in some tim and this was a solid flavoursome 'This is Life' that came together and sipped well.

8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Can at home picked up from weird beard online. A clear amber copper brown . Aroma is semi sweet, nutty, toffee, light smoke, singed carael, jammy shortcake, pine nips. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, sticky pine, woody, bark, woody, jammy fruits, Victoria sponge, brawn malts, sticky. jammy fruits. Palate is semi sweet, medium moderate carbonation. Good.

6

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Can sample at a tasting at Yoav's place. Dark brown. Malt, caramel, some nuts, a bit of soy sauce, sweet and umami, alcohol, bitterish note.

7

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

330ml can. Pours very dark brown with a small head. Aroma is strong liquorice and root beer. Taste has root beer, cola and liquorice.