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Pierre Ferrand Billionaire
Clown Shoes
- From:
- Clown Shoes
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- English Barleywine
- ABV:
- 12%
- Score:
- 93
- Avg:
- 4.19 | pDev: 7.4%
- Reviews:
- 75
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jul 07, 2023
- Added:
- Mar 29, 2015
- Wants:
- 22
- Gots:
- 91
What could be more distinguished than our Director of Operations, Matt Smith, gracing a billion dollar bill with a smirk and a neck beard? You! With this rich beer in your belly. The Billionaire is an English Style Barleywine Ale, aged for six months in 30 year old Cognac barrels we got from friends at Pierre Ferrand. Here's to rare beer wishes and caviar dreams!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by sohearn:
Rated by sohearn from Alabama
4.35/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Jun 14, 2015
4.35/5 rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Jun 14, 2015
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia
4.48/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.48/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
220z bottle poured into a snifter
Bottle from 2015-2016 range
A- pours a deep ruby amber color with a one-finger foamy off-white head that reduces to a ring
S- plenty of cognac barrel up front gives a distinct aroma of concord grape, followed by black cherry, raisins, cherry pipe tobacco, leather, peppery oak & a candy-like malty sweet candy aroma to close it out
T- rich dark fruit notes initially with figs, raisins and prunes up front. At the mid-palate, dark vinous grape kicks in, as well as sweet caramel & toffee, blackberry, barrel & burnt brown sugar. The finish gives more dark fruits, caramel and booze. Lingers of boozy dark fruits
M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that turns slightly creamy into a warming finish
O- the cognac influence works great with the base beer, providing a vinous dark grape note the compliment the malty caramel sweetness of the base beer
Jul 07, 2023Bottle from 2015-2016 range
A- pours a deep ruby amber color with a one-finger foamy off-white head that reduces to a ring
S- plenty of cognac barrel up front gives a distinct aroma of concord grape, followed by black cherry, raisins, cherry pipe tobacco, leather, peppery oak & a candy-like malty sweet candy aroma to close it out
T- rich dark fruit notes initially with figs, raisins and prunes up front. At the mid-palate, dark vinous grape kicks in, as well as sweet caramel & toffee, blackberry, barrel & burnt brown sugar. The finish gives more dark fruits, caramel and booze. Lingers of boozy dark fruits
M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that turns slightly creamy into a warming finish
O- the cognac influence works great with the base beer, providing a vinous dark grape note the compliment the malty caramel sweetness of the base beer
Reviewed by JohnnyHopps from Indiana
4.39/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.39/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Appearance - The beer poured a murky copper color with a white head crowning the glass.
Smell - The cognac really comes through in the nose with notes with boozy raisin malt notes.
Taste - Initially, I noted red grapes from the cognac with a slight alcohol heat. The sweetness from the barleywine was light, but detectable. The malts become more appraent as the beer warms. Then, this becomes a real nice sipper.
Mouthfeel - The aging may have thinned this beer out somewhat, but it had a great body.
Overall - Initially, I thought this beer was really good. As it warmed, it became excellent.
Aug 10, 2019Smell - The cognac really comes through in the nose with notes with boozy raisin malt notes.
Taste - Initially, I noted red grapes from the cognac with a slight alcohol heat. The sweetness from the barleywine was light, but detectable. The malts become more appraent as the beer warms. Then, this becomes a real nice sipper.
Mouthfeel - The aging may have thinned this beer out somewhat, but it had a great body.
Overall - Initially, I thought this beer was really good. As it warmed, it became excellent.
Reviewed by Eamonn-Cummings3 from New York
4.25/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 22oz bottle into a BA speiglau glass.
Look is a slightly hazy cola with little to no head.
Aroma is strong candi malt and a lot of dark fruits.
Taste matches aroma, dry with a candi sweetness and fig.
Feb 12, 2018Look is a slightly hazy cola with little to no head.
Aroma is strong candi malt and a lot of dark fruits.
Taste matches aroma, dry with a candi sweetness and fig.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.25/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottled 5/12/15; drank 2/9/18 @ the Yarchives.
Opaque orange/red/purple rust appearance; champagne bubbles throughout.
A rough pour yielded a small khaki head; frothy lace.
Apple cider, caramel & leather notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Apple cider, oak & mild caramel flavors up front; mild leather & faint cinnamon notes on the finish.
At over 2.5 years old, this is flavorful...but a bit thin. Not quite God-tier but worthy.
Feb 10, 2018Opaque orange/red/purple rust appearance; champagne bubbles throughout.
A rough pour yielded a small khaki head; frothy lace.
Apple cider, caramel & leather notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Apple cider, oak & mild caramel flavors up front; mild leather & faint cinnamon notes on the finish.
At over 2.5 years old, this is flavorful...but a bit thin. Not quite God-tier but worthy.
Reviewed by FLima from Brazil
3.74/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Murky brown color with a thin head.
Aroma with notes of molasses, oak, toffee, cognac and chocolate.
Flavor with notes of molasses, oak, cognac, vanilla, earthy hops and chocolate. Dry and bitter aftertaste.
Medium to full body with appropriate carbonation. Alcohol of 12% is incredibly well hidden.
Decent English Barley Wine with nice cognac and earthy notes.
Nov 21, 2017Aroma with notes of molasses, oak, toffee, cognac and chocolate.
Flavor with notes of molasses, oak, cognac, vanilla, earthy hops and chocolate. Dry and bitter aftertaste.
Medium to full body with appropriate carbonation. Alcohol of 12% is incredibly well hidden.
Decent English Barley Wine with nice cognac and earthy notes.
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut
4.08/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Very nice head production. Dark brown brew.
Woody, sweet aroma; the barrel influence is heavy and unavoidable. Brown sugar, toffee, and caramel tones from the malt.
Flavor follows: it's a malty brown brew, with a strong woody edge to it. The cognac adds an extra layer of sweetness to the malt base. It's thick, sweet, and a little hot, but the alcohol is quite restrained for the ABV.
At two years old, this brew is a touch oxidized, but it is clearly a very good beer. I don't recommend aging it more than a year.
Jul 01, 2017Woody, sweet aroma; the barrel influence is heavy and unavoidable. Brown sugar, toffee, and caramel tones from the malt.
Flavor follows: it's a malty brown brew, with a strong woody edge to it. The cognac adds an extra layer of sweetness to the malt base. It's thick, sweet, and a little hot, but the alcohol is quite restrained for the ABV.
At two years old, this brew is a touch oxidized, but it is clearly a very good beer. I don't recommend aging it more than a year.
Pierre Ferrand Billionaire from Clown Shoes
Beer rating:
93 out of
100 with
320 ratings
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