Lunker
Steel Toe Brewing

LunkerLunker
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Steel Toe Brewing
 
Minnesota, United States
Style:
English Barleywine
Ranked #63
ABV:
14.4%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,687
Avg:
4.28 | pDev: 8.18%
Reviews:
54
Ratings:
243
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 04, 2024
Added:
Apr 14, 2012
Wants:
  118
Gots:
  63
An English-style barleywine aged in Rye Whiskey barrels. Rye whiskey aromas followed by caramel, toffee, vanilla, oak char, and toasted bread notes. The rich full bodied character and sweetness of Lunker is tempered by the moderate bitterness. Comforting and warming, a perfect accompaniment to a fire and cool evening.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by MaseFace:
Photo of MaseFace
Rated by MaseFace from Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev -0.7%

Oct 18, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2014 Vintage
750ml bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours brown in color with a razor thin off-white head that reduces to leave nothing behind

S- aroma gives bold notes of toffee and caramel up front, followed by an array of dark fruits; figs, dates black cherry. Peppery rye pokes through with some oaky barrel, a hint of vanilla as well

T- flavor opens with bold caramel and toffee notes, complimented immediately with dark fruit notes of cherries, stewed figs & raisins. Mid-palate brings out the barrel, adding peppery rye and oak. The finish gives another wave of caramel and toffee, with dark fruits and rye on the linger

M- medium body with low carbonation leads to a silky mouthfeel that continues into a warming finish

O- a little oxidization has creeped in, but this is still a fantastic barleywine, caramel bomb
Feb 04, 2024
 
Rated: 5 by Can_if_you_can from Minnesota

Jan 15, 2024
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had on tap. No head atop this lighter brown somewhat murky body besides a tan ring. Smell is led powerfully by the rye whiskey barrel, toasty oak, old school rustic barley, and caramel with dried date all there. Taste has an element of oxidation, with big rustic barley, giant rye barrel with vanillins, heavily toasted caramel that gets more gooey on the finish as it warms, and rustic charred oak supporting. Let this warm up! Feel is old school bitter and warm yet smooth overall
Jun 01, 2023
 
Rated: 4.4 by AllOfTheCats from Wisconsin

Sep 26, 2020
Photo of Lucular
Reviewed by Lucular from Maryland

4.57/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
750 ml bottle split with my brother and cousin at the brewery. An insanely complex beer: caramel, vanilla, oak, whiskey, rye, dark fruit (raisin, fig), chocolate, coffee, toffee, and some citrusy hops. You can tell it's a big beer but it's not overly boozy, even at 14.4% abv. Great stuff.
Jul 14, 2020
Photo of Sammy
Rated by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.9/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
classic bw. barrelling rye. five years. good good mouth feel. good coconut barrel
.
May 05, 2020
 
Rated: 4.69 by crobinso from Colorado

Feb 16, 2020
Photo of eithne
Rated by eithne from Minnesota

4.19/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
20200213
Brewery Taproom - 8oz
Feb 14, 2020
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750ml bottle. 2016 vintage. Waxed and capped bottle.
Ruby brown colored body. Slight off white fizzy head, quickly fizzes away and leaves a partial bubble fed ring. No lacing.
Aroma of caramel and toffee, with oak barrel and vanilla.
Big whiskey barrel taste, with a malt base of caramel and toffee. Has a hint of chocolate and dark fruit, along with vanilla. Malt and whiskey trail off in the aftertaste. Has the punch of alcohol but no bitterness.
Medium, kind of a syrupy mouthfeel. Good carbonation.
High ABV% expresses more in the taste than in the vapors going to the nose. Solidly made barleywine that has aged quite well. This is a sipper because of the alcohol, but this allows for full savoring of the entire taste profile. The brewer's notes say this beer is aged in rye whiskey barrels, although the label just says "Whiskey Barrels". There is a sharp note in the taste that may signify the presence of rye. It is a very enjoyable experience to stick the nose into the glass while taking a sip; this more fully fills the senses.
May 03, 2019
 
Rated: 4.46 by ian_graf from Minnesota

Jan 21, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

Oct 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by edthehead from Maryland

Jun 23, 2018
 
Rated: 4.42 by jmh21 from Minnesota

Apr 08, 2018
Photo of LloydDobler
Reviewed by LloydDobler from Indiana

4.18/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
750ml bottle poured into large snifter - bottled on MAY 2015

I believe this is aged in Jack Daniels barrels for this batch. Thick and brittle wax falls away as I pry off the cap. The pour yeilds a tiny film of head. Garnet/Amber in color, almost like a cranberry juice and iced tea mix. Nose is straight boozy raisin. Taste is creamy vanilla and tons of sweet toffee with a mild nut flavor. Lighter mouthfeel. Not as syrupy and sticky as I remember. I feel the alcohol is a bit too hot here. This has broken down substantially from what I’ve tasted with more recent batches. Still good.
Feb 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4.35 by Kurmaraja from California

Dec 11, 2017
Photo of Jwale73
Reviewed by Jwale73 from Rhode Island

3.9/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours two shades shy of black with no head. Nose expresses dark fruits, toffee notes and a light, oxidized quality. Taste follows nose with the addition of a coffee character. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body with a mild, even carbonation and a slightly oily texture. Overall, solid but a bit past its prime.
Dec 01, 2017
 
Rated: 4.3 by CSO from Illinois

Oct 17, 2017
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4.74/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
L: brilliant brown pour permeated by leisurely rising bubbles under a 1/2" beige cap that quickly dissipates. Has thick legs.

S: smells like whiskey, alcohol, brown sugar, toffee, caramel, dark dried fruit, malt, toast, oak, and a hint of vanilla. Alcohol dominates

T: dark bread, port, dark sugars, whiskey, alcohol, vanilla, anise, toffee, and hints of cinnamon. Alcohol is the big flavor and tannins from the oak joined by a big bitter hop accent provide some balance to the beer's rich malty sweetness

F: Low levels of carbonation help accent the beer's chewiness. The alcohol is borderline hot.

O: a big boozy beer with a mixed drink intensity that calls out for a cold winter evening by the fire
Aug 26, 2017
 
Rated: 4.24 by EdFed from Illinois

Aug 04, 2017
Lunker from Steel Toe Brewing
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 243 ratings