Thanks to Eyedrinkale for sharing this at Brewtopia ’04! Very few "wants lists" remain intact when Mike comes around! Bottle #19. This pours black with a weak attempt at forming a head as expected. A complex aroma rises from the surface carrying notes of chocolate, whiskey alcohol, and roast malt. The flavor is very intense and complex as well, playing back and forth between the sweetness and the bitterness from the roast malt. There is a slight whiskey bitterness/sharpness present. The alcohol content is well hidden and the alcohol flavor is pleasant coming from the barrel, not the malt in the beer. Overall, a very nicely done Imperial Stout but somewhat over hyped. Just the same, I’d have another one if it were available. Bottle 84 Spring(ish) Tasting in Knoxville, TN on 3/10/2007. As good as before or better!

1999 vintage sampled June 2004. Thanks to Bob (herbjones) for coming through on these vintage AleSmiths. What a hell of a treat this was. My friend and I split this. He’s never tried barleywine, dosent even care that much about beer but he mentioned right away how good this was. Wonderful mahogany color, with burnished copper tones, light ambers and red swirls. Aroma has intense english toffee characteristics, old, soily hops, and a big funky yeastiness that blew me away. Due to the unfiltered/bottle conditioned nature of this beer, the flavors have developed wonderfully these 5 years. Wonderful caramel and toffee malt flavors, with a now subtle hops profile (soily, earthy, dusty, doughy). This thing had so much personality and my favorite part was the yeast. Somehow this thing reminded me of a belgian, I don’t know if it was all due to the yeast, or maybe just the interplay of the malt and oxidation, but wow was it unique. The flavor was as close to perfect as I can imagine. No harsh tones, low carbonation and a huge, full body. As much as I respect Old Horizontal, the low filtration on this beer puts this a notch above that one. This is why I love barleywines. MAN I LOVE THIS BREWERY!!! 10/5/10/5/20

2003 bottle thanks to EDA! This one is still obviously young. This beer takes time to mellow out. Bitter hops still apparent, but the flavor underneath the up-front hops is as good as it gets, IMHO. A mix of English and Belgian yeast flavors, light caramel and toffee traces, sticky and just full of flavor. I’ll have to cellar the 2003 another couple of years to see if it truly matches the elegance and craftsmanship of the 1999. Rerate 2003 bottle sampled in June 2005 at RBSG. Hmm, the hops still are front and center, but some sticky caramel malt peeks through nicely. Bitter and lightly astringent on the end. Seems not nearly as magical and unique as the 1999 and though it’s still a marvelously executed barleywine, it would have to make a lot of progress as far as yeast apparency (the 2003 has almost none) to really bring it up to the 1999 level. Or maybe my imagination has just gone running with the 1999. Fortunately I’m well stocked on all vintages so I will be well able to test my theories. 8/5/8/3/15
2005 vintage Sampled young on 10/29/05. Actually prefer this one young to even the 1 or 2 year old 03. The hops are not nearly as bitter, and while I still think the hops impart too much harshness, it’s only a minor problem for me. The malt is very well done, toffee and caramel with an almost candy-sugar like feel. Orange peel, raisins, grapefruit and a nice earthy, dry malt flavor on the finish.

2004 bomber. Pours a light yellow with some light grass/hay shades. Some darker golds upon settling, and mildly hazy. Tons of foamy white head. Aroma has a mixture of wet, mildly sweet malt, and dry floral hops, lightly sprucey and crisp. Flavor is mildly bitter (light citrus, mild hops) with a lightly sweet, almost creamy malt. Body is medium-light to light, slightly watery upon warming. Mouthfeel is soft and drinkable. Light zing of hops and carbonation on the finish. Altogether more balanced and lighter than most APAs. If I lived in San Diego, I would drink this stuff as a session ale religiously (this and Levitation ale).

There is a lot of alcohol in the aroma of this beer, but also coffee and prunes. The color is pitch black and it has a fine disappearing head. The flavor is lovely; coffee bitterness and hops on a sour background. It ends on a very dry hoppy note. Really a good beer.

Hazy amber coloured body with a thin but nice tan head. Aroma of many fruits, spicey flavours, alcohol and a strong malt. Medium to Full-bodied; Sweet flavour with fruit and malt the most noticeable, but not harsh in any way. Honey, caramel, oranges and hops are present in the aftertaste. Overall, a great barley wine, simply put: one of the best i've ever had! I got this beer in a trade back in September 2003 from Dave (Rodolito)...thanks again!

Bottle #67/115. John (hopsrus) was generous enough to share this beauty with Jeff (TAR) and myself. Perfect appearance, opaque and dark with a creamy light tan head. Wood and bourbon are strong in the aroma along with alcohol and underlying roasted dry chocolate. Flavor is also heavily influenced by the barrel aging, with bourbon and wood character finishing with a creamy, buttery coffee and roasted chocolate malt medley. Smooth and velvety palate; this is not a sticky Imperial, but it is smooth as silk. I can understand why this is currently the top-rated beer on the site, though I would be interested to taste this (2002) batch without the effect of barrel aging and the bourbon flavors aging imparts.