Woolly Bugger
Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company

Woolly BuggerWoolly Bugger
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From:
Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
English Barleywine
ABV:
11%
Score:
90
Avg:
4.02 | pDev: 6.97%
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
103
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 28, 2019
Added:
Jan 03, 2012
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  19
Woolly Bugger Barley Wine , 11% ABV 50 IBU
Deep mahogany in colour – complex malt character, with hints of treacle, toffee, plums and raisins.

Canada Beer Cup 2021 - Barley Wine | SILVER | Woolly Bugger
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by liamt07:
Photo of liamt07
Rated by liamt07 from Canada (ON)

4/5  rDev -0.5%

Dec 15, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of TooManyGlasses
Reviewed by TooManyGlasses from Canada (AB)

4.21/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Cellar diving in early fall 2019 and coming up with a 375 ml bottle of 2014 vintage. Have had this a few years back.
Muddy red brown pour with scant tawny head drifting at edges of my glass.
Aroma of burnt caramel malt, mildly floral, brown sugar, sherry notes, and piney leafy hops.
Taste of boozy burnt caramel, , chocolate malt/dark chocolate, definite bourbon notes, sherry, on a back end of building weedy pine bitterness.
Full boozy mouthfeel with limited but persistent carbonation and a warming bitterness - very nice - as drinking found very reminiscent of Founders ‘ Dankwood which I love.
Sep 28, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by NickThePyro from Washington

Oct 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by BCborn from Canada (BC)

Dec 26, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by rodmanfor3 from Vermont

Oct 26, 2017
Photo of LampertLand
Reviewed by LampertLand from Canada (BC)

4.09/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Howe Sound Brewing 'Woolly Bugger' Barleywine @ 10.5% served from a 2014 vintage waxed 375 ml bottle , @ 10.7% 2015-17 vintage black waxed 750 ml bottle's , @ 11.0% 2018 vintage black waxed 650 ml bottle , @ 12.4% 2020 vintage teal waxed 650 ml bottle & @11.8% 2021 vintage 473 ml can's
A-pour is an caramel/amber brown from the waxed bottle/can to a burnt amber in the glass with a small size tan/beige head , dissipating quickly leaving a minimal fine spotty lace ring along the tulip
S-complex , malty , hints of caramel
T-big boozy start , so smooth , warms the inner's
MF-ok carbonation , big full body
Ov-good English barley wine , hard to cellar (I keep drinking it)
prost LampertLand
2014 vintage @ 10.5%-375 ml bottle , interesting English Barleywine , small bottle big beer
2015 vintage @ 10.7%-750 ml bottle , has the 'wow' factor with some cellar/age added to it
2018 vintage @ 11.0%-650 ml bottle ,
2020 vintage @ 12.4%-650 ml bottle ,
2021 vintage @ 11.8%-473 ml can , fresh , this beer has the wow factor already , needs to be cellared (if you can wait) to become world class , sampled (again) on Mar05/24 so worthy of the wait , tasty , bold , smooth
Dec 13, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by Electros from Canada (ON)

Oct 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by SmithyAlan from Canada (QC)

Sep 26, 2016
 
Rated: 4.06 by Jeremy7 from Canada (BC)

Jun 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by DamienI from Washington

Mar 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by shoegueuze from California

Dec 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.69 by Tmappin from Canada (NS)

Sep 22, 2015
Photo of kscaldef
Rated by kscaldef from Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2011 vintage. Nice aged barleywine. Raisins. Light oxidation.
Aug 03, 2015
Photo of Drknight
Rated by Drknight from Virginia

4.06/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
2014 Release...
Jul 29, 2015
Photo of DaveBar
Reviewed by DaveBar from Canada (ON)

3.72/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Purchased at the LCBO at a discounted $4.50 for a 375ml bottle. Served at 4deg C in a tulip. 2013 edition

A- Opens well and pours a 1" light brown head that lasts for a few minutes until it films out. Very dark gold/brown color. Somewhat filtered but not clear

S- Caramel and toffee. Very sweet.

T- Sweet and sickly. Toffee and caramel present. Lots of hops here. Rye flavored. A hint of oak barrel at the very end.

M- Creamy but tart. Medium carbonation which is just right for this barley wine. Thick and rich

O- Nice brew. Had it but won't buy more. Don't get me wrong it's a nice blend just too thick and rich for me but that is the style.

Food Pairing

This nice brew went well with..... Beef lasagna with lots of noodles and tomato sauce

Enjoy
May 12, 2015
 
Rated: 4.51 by Sanderson from Washington

Mar 26, 2015
Photo of mtomlins
Rated by mtomlins from Canada (ON)

3.98/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
A nice example of the style, but I found it to be a touch on the thin side. Overall though, a quality brew.
Mar 20, 2015
Photo of Bunman3
Reviewed by Bunman3 from Canada (AB)

3.99/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is a real winner in my books. First, it's named after one of my "go to" streamer flies. Second, the 2014 release bottle is extremely cool. Minimal head and lacing, but it is oh so rich in many other ways. There is lots of malt, dark fruit and a nice hoppy finish. The boozy afterglow kicks you happily in the cerebral cortex and make you dream of catching large trout from large rivers. It's a beautiful thing.
Mar 08, 2015
 
Rated: 4.17 by Beervana from Canada (BC)

Mar 08, 2015
 
Rated: 4.37 by Coronaeus from Canada (ON)

Feb 11, 2015
Woolly Bugger from Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Company
Beer rating: 90 out of 100 with 103 ratings