Bottle from Hoptimism. Floral and nutty aroma with underlying earthiness and a hint of the vinous. Cloudy pale toffee brown. Thick foamy off-white head. Light bitter followed by rich fruity sugary sweetness. The low key bitterness remains throughout. Some boozey warmth in the finish. Light-medium bodied. Slick to thin. Soft-fizzy carbonation. Long minimally astringent finish. Enjoyable. A good dose of sweetness but not overly flamboyant.

16th February 2019
Clear amber beer, no head. Smooth palate, mildly dry, modest fine carbonation. Decent brandy vibe on this one, very decent. Some spicy brany. Mild malt sweetness underpins. Some brandy soaked fruits on the finish. Light spicy linger. Nice, quite light but full of flavour and pretty brandy. Stylish!

2016 bottle 10.8% On tap at Hop Stuff Tap room Ashford. Sweetness on aroma. Nice and smooth good caramel. Then some hops on the finish. Good caramel hides abv well. Decent barley wine. Dry and sweet at same time. .Thanks to Drew from Boutilliers.

Review based on the BJCP2015 guidelines (style 17D). Bottle 33 cl - Batch 1 (BBF XMAS 2041). AROMA: medium-high lacqer/solvent with a slight yeasty background. meidum-low vinous faint sweet malt background with imperceptible notes. APPEARANCE: ambar color with material in suspension. very thin ivoy head with low retention. TASTE: similar to the aroma with medium-high solvent alcohol notes with slight vinous character. low yeast, slight dried grapes. medium-low bitterness with a dry and slightly bitter finish. PALATE: medium body with low carbonation. slightly harsh. OVERALL: a barleywine with harsh alcohol presence and yeast, maybe due to incorrect strain selection.