Brandy Barrel Aged Barleywine
Coronado Brewing Company

Brandy Barrel Aged BarleywineBrandy Barrel Aged Barleywine
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From:
Coronado Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
11%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 12.47%
Reviews:
32
Ratings:
88
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 07, 2015
Added:
Aug 14, 2011
Wants:
  40
Gots:
  17
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by sulldaddy:
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

4.52/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I sampled this brew at the Stone brewery outdoor bar. Served at 8 oz in a tulip snifter on draft. The beer arrives a clear chestnut hue with some ruby highlights and almost no foam or head.
The aroma is rich and malty with some ripe fruit or apricot and caramel and toffee. Pretty sweet aroma with maybe just a little boozy hit. I dont get any real assertive hop notes which is a little surprising for a west coast barleywine.
The first sip reveals a slightly oily textured average to larger body with minimal, spacious carbonation. The beer is sticky on my lips after each sip and definitely coats my palate as I drink the beer.
Flavor is sweet and malty with toffee and caramel and again some fruitiness. I think apricot fits here as well. The booze is amazingly well hidden making this a sneaky beer that should be sipped, but wont force you to do so. Hops are not a focus here and I think I get a little bit of pine and general vegetal background, but nothing in your face hoppy.
Very easy to drink and very enjoyable for this malty beer guy. I would recommend this beer to folks that like big beers. I docked the appearance only for minimal if any head retention from the pour. Give it a shot.
Jan 17, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of JohnnyHopps
Reviewed by JohnnyHopps from Indiana

4.14/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance - The beer poured a hazy amber color with little noted head.

Smell - The nose was largely defined by grapes, leaning toward tart grapes.

Taste - My first impression of the beer was grapey. It is slightly hot, with light caramel, honey, and mild malts, In the aftertaste, there was a modest alcohol burn. Despite the aging, there is still a bit of heat here.

Mouthfeel - There is a slightly thick quality, which allows clinging to the tongue.

Overall - The base beer seems smothered by the brandy. Still, I found the beer enjoyable.
Dec 07, 2015
 
Rated: 2.28 by mportnoy from Pennsylvania

Dec 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by Btip1969 from Oregon

Jul 14, 2015
 
Rated: 3.64 by deNerval from California

Apr 01, 2015
 
Rated: 3.88 by greg4579 from Pennsylvania

Mar 05, 2015
 
Rated: 3.98 by wethorseblanket from California

Jan 09, 2015
 
Rated: 2 by nicole309 from Alaska

Dec 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by olradetbalder from Sweden

Dec 02, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by spycow from Illinois

Oct 11, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

May 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by AndyEdgar from Illinois

Mar 11, 2014
Photo of beagle75
Reviewed by beagle75 from Iowa

3.42/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bomber into a snifter.

A: Slightly hazy, dark amber color with no foam head. No lacing remains on the glass.

S: Immensely savory, due to combined efforts of honest layered dark crystal malts as well as umami that seems fermentation-affected. Boozy spirit and light smoke/roast work to edge out minor mixed stone fruit. Alcohol is plainly evident--spirituous aroma reaches out at arm's-length--but well-integrated.

T: Begins sweet, with dark mixed fruit and treacle. Acidity is high into the middle, which influences the fruitiness in a citrus direction. Moderate roast emerges as acidity fades, along with fruity spirit and minor diacetyl. Wet oak contributes its breath to the finish where acidity and treacle linger alongside mild bitterness.

M: Medium to thick viscosity, slightly acidic on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: Like most other strong ales tempered in a brandy barrel, this beer is a jumble of sensory qualities, favorable and not. The most off-putting of its characteristics--biting acidity--likely has nothing to do with the barrel it was aged in, however. Still, the oak and the brandy are well-represented against what would be a very appealing sweet brown barleywine--were it not for the overpowering tasted acidity.
Mar 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by HopsintheSack from California

Feb 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by BAsbill from California

Nov 10, 2013
Photo of MasterSki
Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I got this a while ago as an extra from Shane. Thanks dude! Served in a Cantillon tulip.

A - Tan foam settles to a thin cap, thick collar, and splotches of lacing. The body is a murky, turbid medium-dark brown body. Nice head, but ugly body.

S - Smells like a lot of brown malt, with milk chocolate, caramel, and nuttiness to it. Brandy and oak presence are on the lighter side of things, but impart a nebulous fruitiness to the caramel, honey, and cocoa malt bill.

T - Reminds me of malted milk balls, with notes of caramel, honey, and treacle, and fruitiness from both brandy and English ale yeast. Oak shows up in the finish a bit more.

M - Medium body that seems a tad undersized for 11%. Soft carbonation, creamy texture, and fairly low tannin presence for a barrel-aged beer. Fairly mellow for the ABV.

D - A pleasant beer in small doses. It's sweet, but not cloying although I can imagine it would start to fatigue after 6-8oz. Alcohol is well-hidden. I could have gone for a tiny bit more oak to balance the sweetness, as the flavor profile is more English than American. Best beer I've had from this brewery, so I hope they make it again.
Nov 01, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by atone315 from Wisconsin

Oct 05, 2013
Photo of Rutager
Reviewed by Rutager from Canada (BC)

3.86/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Big thank you to mrbubbler for this 2011, b1 bottle!!

Appearance. Pours a murky reddish brown with some orange-amber coming through at the edges.Topped with a half finger of pale khaki head.

Smell. Big brown sugar, orange rind and caramel, some woody booze and slightly vinous.

Taste. Sweet brown sugar and lightly tangy oranges complete with the rind, and a decent amount of brandy and old dank wood.

Mouthfeel. On the low side of full bodied, low+ carbonation.

Overall. A good barleywine but not as smooth as I like them. Big flavours for sure.
Oct 03, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Aug 22, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by Zbeetleman from California

Jul 07, 2013
Brandy Barrel Aged Barleywine from Coronado Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 88 ratings