10th Anniversary Ale
Climax Brewing Company

10th Anniversary Ale10th Anniversary Ale
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From:
Climax Brewing Company
 
New Jersey, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
85
Avg:
3.74 | pDev: 11.23%
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
24
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 27, 2014
Added:
Mar 18, 2006
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
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Ratings by bonbini26:
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Rated by bonbini26 from New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +20.3%

Jan 11, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by Eric_Leon from New Jersey

Oct 27, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Varkias41 from New Jersey

Aug 22, 2013
Photo of Knapp85
Reviewed by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This was really nice, It poured out as a hazy dark orange color with a white foamy head on top. The smell of the beer was sweet and boozy, there was a light hop aroma in there also. The beer was served at room temp. which made the flavors really pop. The flavors were also sweet and had a little bit of hop bitterness in there to balance it out. I didn't find this barley wine to be overly hoppy at all. The mouthfeel was on the heavier side and was lighter in carbonation. Overall I thought this was impressive, I was glad I got to have some before it was gone.
Dec 07, 2011
Photo of Pencible
Reviewed by Pencible from Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Sampled on-tap at the Mad Fox Barleywine Festival on 2/26/11.

A: This poured clear dark gold with a bit of off-white head.
S: It smelled like musty dark fruit and caramel, with some oak and a little bready yeast.
T: It tasted like roasted barley and plumb, with some oak and bready yeast and a bit of copper hops. It had a mild bittersweet aftertaste.
M: It was fairly thick with a little carbonation. Great body!
D: I didn't realize this was 5 years old when I ordered it, but now it makes sense. A very smooth and tasty beer with very nice body and well hidden alcohol. This was definitely easy to drink, but I enjoyed taking my time with it. I'm guessing a bit of the vibrancy in the flavors has been lost (not just the hops, but the plumb and caramel were both a bit faded too). But this was still quite enjoyable.
Feb 28, 2011
Photo of BigMcLargeHuge
Reviewed by BigMcLargeHuge from Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Big thanks to matta, over on ratebeer, for whipping out this half liter blue glassed swing top. It pours copper / brown with tan head. The aroma is a nice musty maltiness blending into sweet dark fruitiness and a sense of heat at the end of the draw. The taste is sweet smooth and yummy with sweet sticky sludgy malts, prunes, sugary black berries, boysenberries and sweet over ripe huckleberries. This is smooth silky goodness that shows no signs of going down hill due to cellar time.
Feb 13, 2011
Photo of shamrock1343
Reviewed by shamrock1343 from New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I brought this at Red White and Brew in Mt Holly, NJ. It is in a 500 ml bottle with a Grolsch top

The appearance is a brownish red and clear poured withe a nice head.

You can smell malt and the sweetness.

It is very sweet in taste. Very little hops.They do not hide the alcohol.

It is drinkable but it is not a great Barleywine.
Jul 06, 2010
Photo of Tettonka
Reviewed by Tettonka from South Carolina

3.56/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Got to try this bottle at a group brew session after my friend had been sitting on it for 2 years. Poured a milky brown with little to no head as well as aroma. The palate was wet and malty with a coying sweetness that over time turned from caramel to more of a Hazelnut. The hop profile had definitely diminished over the 2 years to the point of almost non-recognition. The drink as a whole was quite pleasant with very little of the flavors or mouthfeel such as alcohol, chewiness, and what were not that overpowering as I normally find in barley wines. I wish I had a fresh version to compare to it the changes that took place through aging.
Dec 06, 2009
Photo of Bitterbill
Reviewed by Bitterbill from Wyoming

2.86/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Purchased online and shipped to me...sadly, the swingtop leaked and I lost from the base of the neck up.

I still got a huge pop when I opened the swingtop, it pours a clear copper colour with a good 1 finger head of foam with good lacing.

The smell has a big caramel malt sweetness but some hoppy notes move in with a bit of a vegetal smell and graininess that isn't all that appealing.

The taste has some caramel and candy sugar like sweetness, some piney hop bitterness, slightly fruity where the fruit doesn't have that fresh fruit taste...kind of hard to describe. Plenty of alcohol warming. The finish is a mix of pronounced sweetness and that fruit...hmm. Not the kind of BWSA I favour.

I find it is really thin, body wise, for the style with plenty of carbonation though not too much.

Drinkability? It's very warming and the flavours do not come together in harmony at all. I know BWSAs are known for being good aging beers but I see this has been retired so it has some age on it. The result is not good..
Sep 15, 2009
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
On tap. 2006 Vintage.

Poured a deeper orangish / amber color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of citrus, caramel, and a little earthy. Tastes of citrus, toffee, caramel, oranges, and some dark fruitiness.

I have some bottles and will crack them open soon to compare.

Notes from: 2/20/08
Feb 03, 2009
Photo of DrJay
Reviewed by DrJay from Texas

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Clear, burnt orange colour with a fine, beige head. Some spotty lacing. Malt and orange aromas dominated, ripe fruit and cider, still fairly hoppy. Soft, balanced bitterness with plenty of fruit and sweet citrus character (orange and tangerine). Caramel and apple followed, with fruitiness lingering in the finish. Medium to full bodied with mellow warmth and a decent texture. Easy drinking for a barleywine. Seemed to be sitting somewhere between the US and English styles when I sampled it.
Apr 26, 2008
Photo of lackenhauser
Reviewed by lackenhauser from Maryland

3.52/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Muddy, deep caramel sort of color. No real carbonation level to speak of-rather unlively. Malty sweet aroma-a lot of dried fruit in here-some figs and raisens. Deep resiny taste-not quite vinous but very winey. Very fruity. Sugary sweet aftertaste. None of the bitterness or hops I would expect from a US barleywine. Good, slick body-very full. Somewhat dissapointed. I have heard great things about Climax-especially being from NJ. They came out just after I moved. Lacks the umph it needs to be really good.
Apr 17, 2008
Photo of SPLITGRIN
Reviewed by SPLITGRIN from Kentucky

3.96/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours with a short off white head. Sits on top of a hazy orange amber body with different levels of murky tones. Nose carries many sweet fruity notes such as lemon lime, rasberry candy, and wheat laced energy drink. As the nose carries the sweetness into the first sip it quickly yeilds to a raw wheat bitter twords the middle of the palate. Nice mingling of candied richness and sour yeast gel well together. A little rough in some places but this also shows uniqueness and personality. Mouthfeel is appealing. Drinkable with nice hidden alchol.
Dec 03, 2007
Photo of blitheringidiot
Reviewed by blitheringidiot from Pennsylvania

3.32/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
$10 for a flip top cobalt blue 500mL bottle from Capone's. (Label has a typo: "a verty complex beer") Ha!

Pours with a dark russet amber yet clear hue topped with a scant layer of khaki ring.

Nose is a tad boozy and bright with some dark fruit aspects of plum, fig, black cherry and malt malt malts! Some Wheatena breakfast cereal scents really poke out.

First swigs: Raw gritty grain malt front with little hop balance. Slight aspects of orange peel and tangerine wedge. Middle is plain rye toast with a hint of honey and raisins.

Last swigs: Thin barleywine that just didn't cut it. Lacked a big balanc of hops with malt and seemed to resemble an easy version of an old ale.
Sep 11, 2007
Photo of Windowdog
Reviewed by Windowdog from New Jersey

4.01/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle made from blue glass with a ceramic stopper. Nice effect though I'm not sure if it's recyclable.

Pours an attractive amber/chestnut brown, little head that quickly dissipates. Smell was mostly sweetness and alcohol.

Taste is sweet, almost fruity in the beginning, with some char from the malt developing later, finally followed by small bite of hop bitterness at the backend. A rather complex taste that changes slightly with each sip. Mouth feel is syrupy, in a very pleasant way. Almost no carbonation is evident, reminds me of a pint poured via beer engine. It is actually somewhat watery, yet that doesn't detract from the overall effect.

Overall it is an above average brew that I could see myself enjoying drinking any part of the year. I hope Climax considers making it part of their regular rotation.
Jul 16, 2007
Photo of yinzer
Reviewed by yinzer from Pennsylvania

2.98/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Appearance – Big head w/foaming bottle. Light copper color.

Smell – Pretty neutral. No esters or citrus notes. Alcohol is present.

Taste – Nice pleasant taste. Some sugars but nothing complex. Seems like a session beer.

Mouthffel – Light but maybe to much carbonation. Every glass yields more foam.

Dinkablity – Not bad. Doesn’t seen to match up to either continents though.
May 06, 2007
Photo of Nutleybeer
Reviewed by Nutleybeer from New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Climax is rather hard to find, even here in NJ. I did come across it though, $10 for the bottle was a tad pricey, but that can be typical for stronger barleywines.

Pours with no real head..
Very limited lace
Sits and looks like a bourdon in my snifter glass.

The smell is ok, but the taste is actually very nice. Not overly strong flavored like some barleywines. The flavor is smooth, quite drinkable. Not the best barleywine I have ever had but definately pretty good.
Apr 02, 2007
Photo of RonfromJersey
Reviewed by RonfromJersey from New Jersey

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
It was what 60 or 70 degrees outside today ? Not typical "sipping barleywine before the fire" weather, but hey, drink them if you got them.

Love the blue bottle. Settles into the glass with a surprisingly red body - red like cherry jello. Moderately clear. Oil slick head is thicker at the edge, off-white, but not enough there that the color matters.Nice lacing though I've no clue where its coming from.

Aroma features some sweet licorice candy, some sweet but not necessarily citrusy fruits including cherry.

Solid malty center is caramel sweet but not cloyingly so, laying down a good base. Nice fruityness. Earthy hops sneak in all around and manage to conquer the malt eventually, but its not a romp. Balance is restored, and the hops eventually take the hill just before the swallow. Nice warm alcohol glow at the finish brightens without burning.

Pleasantly light mouthfeel for the style, not watery, but not syrupy. Flows nicely without exactly dancing.

Drinks well, sipping or even longer pulls.

While not a huge slow sipper, this is a nicely done barleywine. Happy Anniversary Dave.
Jan 07, 2007
Photo of OldSock
Reviewed by OldSock from District of Columbia

3.37/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Appearance – Despite my best efforts and a plastic seal on the swingtop a bit of the beer escaped while in my suitcase. Luckily the beer still opened with a solid pop. Pored from a Blue (come on, blue is pretty but a barleywine needs the protection that only a brown bottle can provide) 500 ml swingtop bottle into my Stone RIS tulip. The beer is a hazy medium brown with a nice light tan head that stays through most of the time beer is in my glass.

Smell – Big clean American hops, citrus and floral mainly. There is also an underlying clean maltiness, not toasted or sweet, just malty. It's an inviting aroma and is certainly not a cookie cutter American barleywine.

Taste – The flavor of the beer is a bit of a surprise. It's rather thin with mild bitterness and no abundance of flavor. The hop flavor is pretty good, particularly considering that this beer has a bit of age on it. However, the big chewy maltiness that is the hallmark of the style is missing. It is a well balanced beer without any harsh bitterness, but I just expect a bit more flavor variety and intensity in my barleywines.

Mouthfeel – A bit thin and highly carbonated for a barleywine, but still rather smooth.

Drinkability & Notes – For a barleywine this goes down pretty easy, but part of that is the lack of flavor depth.
Jan 01, 2007
Photo of jwc215
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

4.1/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured hazy burnt orange with virtually no head.
The smell was of some grassy/floral notes with a touch of caramel and plenty of alcohol.
It was very well-balanced. Some sweet malt and fruity hops intermingled to make a very tasty treat. The alcohol was noticeable, but not overwhelming.
The sweetness lingered a bit - but, was not cloying. Very smooth.
Despite the high abv, it was very drinkable. A good "sipping" treat.
Jul 27, 2006
10th Anniversary Ale from Climax Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 24 ratings