Ol' Fog Burner
Garrison Brewing Company

Ol' Fog BurnerOl' Fog Burner
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From:
Garrison Brewing Company
 
Nova Scotia, Canada
Style:
English Barleywine
Ranked #160
ABV:
11.3%
Score:
88
Ranked #13,788
Avg:
3.94 | pDev: 10.41%
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
60
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 22, 2022
Added:
Apr 24, 2009
Wants:
  12
Gots:
  9
The biggest of all beers, "Ol' Fog Burner" Barley Wine is an exceptionally mellow and complex ale. It's tawny copper colour and subtle sweet spiciness transcend boundaries and expectations. Suitable for cellaring.

60 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by papat444:
Photo of papat444
Reviewed by papat444 from Canada (QC)

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
***2010 Vintage (bottled Feb. 17)***

Thanks to cjbmcdon for this one.

Poured from a 500ml. bottle, batch #'s 1788/1789/1790 on the label.

Appearance: A deep brown body with muddy red tints, like dark honey. Thick, frothy head (light tan) and thick coats of lacing.

Smell: Pungent aroma of raisins, cinnamon, caramel and spices.

Taste: Caramel, spicy, brown sugar, dash of cinnamon, some dried fruits and as it warms, leans towards a wood/leather flavor. Good but i found the spices got a bit in the way.

Mouthfeel: Bitterness plays a part, especially as it warms which makes it a bit harsh. Low carbonation and smooth but the heat is felt a bit.

Overall: Rich and pleasant at first but as it goes on, it gets to be a bit of a chore. I'm torn because it is good but also heavy. I've had higher ABV beers that drank easier. A 341ml. bottle would have been enough.
Feb 08, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.14 by Tmappin from Canada (NS)

Aug 22, 2022
Photo of thehyperduck
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)

4.03/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bomber purchased at the LCBO more than a year ago; dated 03/10/2019 and listed at 10.1%. Served barely chilled.

Pours a clear copper-amber colour, crowned with nearly two fingers of foamy, lumpy, buff-tinged head that gradually wilts within five minutes or so. A full curtain of lace has been imprinted onto the glass, with a fat, creamy collar of suds just underneath - it looks downright gorgeous, and the nose is more or less what I'd expect of a barleywine. Moderately to strongly boozy, with caramelized malts, toasted bread, raisins and dates, as well as a surprisingly robust hop presence - especially for a bottle that has been sitting in the cellar for over a year. Earthy, spicy and herbal, with lots of pine resin and suggestions of licorice.

A big beer in practically every sense - very malty, quite hoppy, undeniably boozy, and full-bodied. Toasted bread/biscuit, caramelized sugars and toffee at the forefront, with hints of raisin, date and wood not far behind. Earthy, resiny bitterness and spicy, herbal hops assert themselves nearer the finish, which also features a touch of citrus peel and a wallop of booziness; the sip concludes with a boozy, earthy, resiny aftertaste that tenaciously clings to the palate. The alcohol has a slight numbing effect, nothing out of the ordinary for the style. Full in body, with fairly low carbonation that softly brushes against the tongue, resulting in a smooth, fluffy sort of texture that feels pleasing in the mouth. I'd recommend splitting the bottle with someone else, but one person should be able to polish this off by the end of the night.

Final Grade: 4.03, an A-. Garrison's Ol' Fog Burner is a fine barleywine that I'm glad I had the chance to try. Its hop flavours are more robust than I'd expect from an English barleywine, but that's more of a comment rather than a complaint - I certainly didn't mind. I figure sitting on this bottle for 12-24 months before cracking it open is the best course of action, and will probably do the same thing once more if & when I come across this stuff again. Try it if you see it.
Jul 02, 2021
Photo of ewpass
Rated by ewpass from Canada (PE)

4.18/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Clear copper with a thick head. Complex, spicy caramel malt nose. Medium malt body with some alcohol strength. Worth sipping slowly and enjoying.
Dec 23, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by irishkyle21 from Canada (ON)

Feb 01, 2020
Photo of taxandbeerguy
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)

3.98/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2019 Vintage. Listed at 10.1% ABV. Purchase from LCBO for something around $10 CDN. Bottled 03/10/2019. Served at cellar temperature into a pint glass.

Appearance - Mostly clear dark amber color with honey brown and red hues. A finger of frothy white head with insanely good staying power and lots of lacing clings to the edges of the glass. Clear with quite a bit of visible carbonation.

Smell - Fresh bread, with a hint of honey and caramel sweetness. Some floral hops in the background but not a lot else. The freshness of the bready aromas more than compensates. Buttered hot crossed buns maybe? A little bit of raisins and spices after review too.

Taste - Some bread initially, transitioning to a bitter earthy flavor with some dark fruit like raisins and prunes thrown in. Boozy elements too. Earthy with some molasses shining through the booze really shows up towards the end.

Mouthfeel - Full bodied, sticky to the mouth but very dry and alcoholic on the tongue.

Overall - Ol' Fog Burner starts amazing, and slowly loses steam, but is still a well made Barleywine with plenty to enjoy. If it tasted as good as it smelled, this would probably be in my top 5 for the year, but alas there's still plenty to enjoy here. Worth a share with a friend or two. Also maybe a couple years of age might do some wonders.
Dec 11, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by NickThePyro from Washington

Oct 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4.15 by StormAles from Canada (ON)

Aug 23, 2018
Photo of Cramshawbar
Reviewed by Cramshawbar from Canada (ON)

2.75/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75
Please don't get me wrong. Clearly a lot of thought went into this beer. I know quality when I taste it. It's texture is lovely and it's nice and strong but mixing nutmeg with peppercorn just ruins it for me. It's too overbearing, so much so, that I can't concentrate on the rest this beer has to offer. I asked a friend to bring back a bottle of this from Nova Scotia, he brought back two and I can't wait to finish them. Not good.
Sep 19, 2016
 
Rated: 4.15 by PatGreer from Massachusetts

Aug 31, 2016
 
Rated: 4.04 by Erik-P from Canada (BC)

Aug 15, 2016
Photo of ChrisCage
Reviewed by ChrisCage from Canada (AB)

4.61/5  rDev +17%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A- This pours the aforementioned tawny/caramel coloration and after the pour it becomes much darker and robust looking! The head starts about two fingers thick and settles slowly into a thick film and ring around the tulip glass I have this in and is a gorgeous creamed brown sugar color. Carbonation is fine looking and the lacing is stunning with many small and large clumps of foam clinging to the side of the glass.....impressive!!

S- This is bold in burnt caramel and heavy toffee/molasses sweetness! There are plenty of rich aromas that follow including raisins, dark rum, chocolatey fudge, butterscotch, yeast/biscuit, assorted overripe berry, cognac, cinnamon and boozy although it is very well rounded on the nostrils!

T- Heavy malt, rum, cognac, subtle baking spices such as cinnamon, peppercorn and nutmeg, slight citrus peel, dark berries, caramel/toffee sweetness, a very well balanced, yet strong alcohol content, raisins & plums, Earth, and the finish has a clean, mild leafy & berry like bitterness/tartness that helps cleanse the richness of what just happened on my palate!

M/O- This is medium-full in body, and there is just a delicate richness that coats the palate from start to finish....the carbonation is velvety and as it bursts, it allows the fruitiness to be experienced! While this is superb and highly drinkable, this will most definitely go to your head and in short order....the alcohol is that well blended! A great beer contribution by this brewery!! Cheers!!
Mar 30, 2016
Photo of leaddog
Reviewed by leaddog from Canada (AB)

4.17/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2015 vintage 11.5%.

Appearance - Pours a copper red with two fingers of frothy off white head.

Smell - caramel malts, toffee, earthy and leafy hops, plum and raisin.

Taste - Caramel malts upfront followed by the toffee. The plum and raisin followed by the earthy and leafy hops help to round out the brew.

Mouthfeel - Medium to full bodied with low to moderate carbonation. Finishes smooth alongside a warming and malty sweetness.

Overall - A well executed brew that showcases the malts quite well. The hops act as a nice supporting cast to this complex brew. Quite drinkable considering the ABV.
Mar 13, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by goalie35 from Canada (AB)

Feb 15, 2016
 
Rated: 4.12 by sdm9465 from Canada (NS)

Jan 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4.26 by NGBeerGuy from Canada (NS)

Dec 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by SchoonerNS

Nov 28, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by groleau from Canada (QC)

Oct 29, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Jeffry-Mazerolle from Canada (NB)

Feb 27, 2014
Ol' Fog Burner from Garrison Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 60 ratings