Typical barley wine ale with strong red wine notes on back and nose. Smooths out the barley wine. Not bad.

Some oaky astringency and lots of booze and boiled down caramel. Brown pour with ok head. Doesn’t come together super well. Tap at Rosslyn brewpub.

22 oz. bottle, 2012 vintage purchased at Georgios in Billerica, MA. Aroma is spot on for the style, prunes, raisin and sweet caramel, toffee.

Flavor is nice. Sweet without any booze, raisins, caramel dipped dates, sweet English malts, tones of yeast. The alcohol is not found at this point, the mouthfeel is lightly oily with a super sweet dried fruit finish. ABV is super smooth at this point, no oxidation found. Love how barely wines tastes at this point in the evolution. Solid sipper.

On draft at the Mad Fox Barley Wine Festival, Falls Church VA. Vintage 2010. Pours a clear dark amber with an off white head. Aroma of raisin and caramel. Same in the flavors with some tart cherry notes. Medium mouthfeel with soft carbonation. Smooth finish and not too boozy.

22 ounce bottle into snifter, Fall 2011 bottling. Pours slightly hazy reddish brown color with a 1 finger dense cream colored head with great retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of caramel, raisin, toast, brown sugar, light roast, brown bread, floral, light pine, and herbal earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance, strength, and complexity. Taste of caramel, toast, brown sugar, raisin, brown bread, light toffee, floral, light pine, light roast, and herbal earthiness. Minimal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, toast, brown bread, brown sugar, raisin, light roast, light toffee, floral, and herbal earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice flavor balance and complexity; though it is not as robust as I would expect for the style; with zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a fairly creamy and slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish; very smooth to sip on. Overall this is a very nice barelywine. Good balance and complexity; and very smooth to sip on. A very enjoyable offering.

2011 bomber from Bruisin Ales. Pours very dark and ruddy with a passing creamy beige head. Rich, warm malty aroma. A little alcohol. Not much else for me. Full bodied. Flavor is lots of malt, brown sugar, a little heat, and something like medium dark fruit. In the finish everything thins to mostly alcohol. Much like a fine cognac. Very laid back. Great sipper.

Mild walnut aroma with pineapple accents. Tea colored, thin head. Full bodied and tangy. Cherry flavor, a little boozy. Finishes malty. Decidedly not rustic, quite fruit forward.and sweet. Low hop presence

bottle - Pours mostly clear ruby with a small off-white head. There’s a malty, dark fruit enriched aroma. The flavor is sweet with caramel and dark fruit. The high abv is mostly buried by the sweetness. This full bodied brew is quite enjoyable.

Bottle. 2010 vintage. Pours a clear amber color with a small off-white head. Has a fruity malty caramel and dark fruit aroma. Fruity malty spicy caramel and dark fruit flavor. Has a fruity malty spicy dark fruit finish with caramel hints.

2010 vintage. Pours clear dark reddish brown color with tan head. Aromas of brown sugar and dark fruits. Sugary dark fruit flavors with some medicinal taste. Medium to full body with moderate carbonation.