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Old Birdbrain
Black Raven Brewing Co.
- From:
- Black Raven Brewing Co.
- Washington, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
Ranked #27 - ABV:
- 11.5%
- Score:
- 95
Ranked #1,689 - Avg:
- 4.3 | pDev: 8.14%
- Reviews:
- 23
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sep 24, 2023
- Added:
- Mar 07, 2010
- Wants:
- 76
- Gots:
- 16
This robust strong ale features pale malts and generous hop additions. After primary fermentation, several American rye whiskey barrels are filled and cellared to age. The remaining beer is then cellared in a stainless steel tank. After many months of aging, the barrels are then blended into the remaining batch aged in the stainless steel tank.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Sanderson:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Bosoxfan20 from Missouri
4/5 rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle. 2012
Not overpowering barrel notes. Hops still kicking up a a bit of a fuss despite the age. Toffee, charred caramel, and decent about of fruit.
Jul 24, 2015Not overpowering barrel notes. Hops still kicking up a a bit of a fuss despite the age. Toffee, charred caramel, and decent about of fruit.
Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts
3.79/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Received as an extra in a trade long ago. 2012 vintage.
A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a...well...this looks like a glass of caramel sauce. Little bit of head fades quickly to leave thin wisps and a light halo.
S - Aromas of caramel, little bit of dirt, old hops, little bit of sweet malts, super faint barrel notes, maybe a little vegetative.
T - Taste is similar to the nose. Caramel, sweeter malts, old hops, really faint whiskey notes. Awfully vegetative. Little bit of cardboard, slightly dirty. Ehh
M - Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, little bright, not really syrupy. Booze hidden nicely.
O - Overall I feel like this just sat in my cellar a year too long. Clearly has hints of a really good beer, however, it's really a shell of that now which is greatly unfortunate.
Serving Type: Bottle
Jun 25, 2015A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a...well...this looks like a glass of caramel sauce. Little bit of head fades quickly to leave thin wisps and a light halo.
S - Aromas of caramel, little bit of dirt, old hops, little bit of sweet malts, super faint barrel notes, maybe a little vegetative.
T - Taste is similar to the nose. Caramel, sweeter malts, old hops, really faint whiskey notes. Awfully vegetative. Little bit of cardboard, slightly dirty. Ehh
M - Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, little bright, not really syrupy. Booze hidden nicely.
O - Overall I feel like this just sat in my cellar a year too long. Clearly has hints of a really good beer, however, it's really a shell of that now which is greatly unfortunate.
Serving Type: Bottle
Reviewed by mabermud from Washington
4.04/5 rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had this on tap at Elizabeth Station in Bellingham.
Look: Muted ruby amber with a thin white head.
Smell: Hard candy and sweetness.
Taste: Maple syrup, toffee, caramel, vanilla, and sugar.
Feel: Thick and semi-syrupy.
Overall - Not bad. For me, drink-ability is hindered by overall sweetness. I would like to have this again in the future as my first beer. I would definitely have this again.
May 15, 2015Look: Muted ruby amber with a thin white head.
Smell: Hard candy and sweetness.
Taste: Maple syrup, toffee, caramel, vanilla, and sugar.
Feel: Thick and semi-syrupy.
Overall - Not bad. For me, drink-ability is hindered by overall sweetness. I would like to have this again in the future as my first beer. I would definitely have this again.
Reviewed by Moose90 from Washington
3.85/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.85/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Served On-Tap
A – Pours a deep ruby amber, highly viscous, initially tall tan colored head forms, but resides to a thin layered cap and leaves behind very nice lacing.
S – Smells slightly sweet, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, sugar, caramel, very nice.
T – Exceedingly malty, begging for more of the sweet and spicy notes from the nose.
M – Full bodied, rich, thick, long lasting finish.
O – Overall a nice beer, smells nice and has a nice and rich flavor profile.
May 12, 2015A – Pours a deep ruby amber, highly viscous, initially tall tan colored head forms, but resides to a thin layered cap and leaves behind very nice lacing.
S – Smells slightly sweet, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, pepper, sugar, caramel, very nice.
T – Exceedingly malty, begging for more of the sweet and spicy notes from the nose.
M – Full bodied, rich, thick, long lasting finish.
O – Overall a nice beer, smells nice and has a nice and rich flavor profile.
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania
4.41/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.41/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
In review is a 2011 vintage.
A - Pours a dark chestnut brown, burgundy color with a very thin lacing ring at the top.
S - Roasted toffee/caramel, whiskey/bourbon, oak, faint vanilla.
T - Blended superbly throughout with not one thing overpowering the other. Roasted caramel/toffee, whiskey/bourbon, vanilla, oak, there's also some orange the surfaces midway through and carries out until the end. There's also a delicate pine bitterness that rounds things out. Alcohol warming is very little to undetectable.
M - Full body, thick, slippery, lip smacking sticky, velvety.
O - This is a superb example of the style, IMO. Seek it out.
Feb 24, 2015A - Pours a dark chestnut brown, burgundy color with a very thin lacing ring at the top.
S - Roasted toffee/caramel, whiskey/bourbon, oak, faint vanilla.
T - Blended superbly throughout with not one thing overpowering the other. Roasted caramel/toffee, whiskey/bourbon, vanilla, oak, there's also some orange the surfaces midway through and carries out until the end. There's also a delicate pine bitterness that rounds things out. Alcohol warming is very little to undetectable.
M - Full body, thick, slippery, lip smacking sticky, velvety.
O - This is a superb example of the style, IMO. Seek it out.
Old Birdbrain from Black Raven Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
95 out of
100 with
105 ratings
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