Before The Dawn
Steel Toe Brewing

Before The DawnBefore The Dawn
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From:
Steel Toe Brewing
 
Minnesota, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
13.7%
Score:
96
Avg:
4.35 | pDev: 7.13%
Reviews:
37
Ratings:
212
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 26, 2020
Added:
Jun 29, 2012
Wants:
  101
Gots:
  41
Black Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels. Before the Dawn is a fusion of a Barleywine and a Russian Imperial Stout. Layer upon layer of complex malt character is what makes this beer so special. Caramel and toffee give way to molasses, coco and roasted malt. This rich and warming beer underwent a lengthy aging process in bourbon barrels which lends a wonderful oak and vanilla character followed by moderate tannin in the finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Dave2234:
Photo of Dave2234
Rated by Dave2234 from Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +9.2%

Apr 06, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of AllOfTheCats
Rated by AllOfTheCats from Wisconsin

4.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Thick and dark.
Sep 26, 2020
 
Rated: 4.49 by Burgy from Minnesota

Apr 09, 2020
Photo of Buck89
Reviewed by Buck89 from Tennessee

4.51/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured into a tulip glass. It looks like a Barleywine/RIS hybrid, with a color slightly lighter that a typical stout. A normal pour produced a small tan head that retreated but left nice wisps throughout the drink. The aroma was fantastic: bright and complex with toffee, caramel, faint coffee, vanilla, and bourbon. Taste did not disappoint. All the malty notes in the aroma were there on the palate, and met with a prominent floral bitter hop presence. The barrel was really well done and complimented the flavors well. Feel was far from pastry-like but also not too thin, especially for a 13+% beer. Warming on the finish but not boozy. Outstanding!
Jan 12, 2020
Photo of Harrison8
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours black with a finger of khaki foam. Head retention is good. Aroma is roasty, toasty, caramely, earthy malts with notes of stone, basement, and whiskey. Big brew with a little heat. Flavor profile is roasty, toasty, earthy, caramely malts with herbal and earthy hops. It starts off with the sweetness of malts, as they mingle with notes of toffee and molasses. Hops join just a little while after, ushering in a better balance. Whiskey and barrel character sweep in at the finale, rinsing the tongue of sugary notes and adding a touch of heat. Mouth feel is medium-thick with a slim, lightly grainy texture. Overall, dynamics between malts and barrel are great here, keeping this brew well within balance.

Served in a 15.5oz Spiegalau tulip from a 750mL bottle.
Jul 06, 2019
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
750ml bottle. 2016 vintage.
Black colored body, with no light showing through, even at the edges. One finger of tan head, which steadily fizzed away, leaving a very thin ring. Any lacing spots slide back down into the body.
Aroma of dark fruits, caramel, and bourbon barrel.
Taste of dark chocolate malts, dark fruit, and bourbon barrel. There is caramel and vanilla, but the end is so dry.
Velvety, thicker mouth feel. Very smooth texture. Low carbonation.
The beer has aged close to a chocolate port quality, as it merges the barleywine and stout of its origin, with the very low carbonation. The beer is so smooth that it sits in the mouth without coating it, but then slides easily through the throat. This is a beer that expresses as something else, but is still very good. The combining of chocolate and dark fruit as a flavor component is an added bonus.
Jun 15, 2019
 
Rated: 4.59 by ian_graf from Minnesota

Jan 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4.27 by crobinso from Colorado

Jan 01, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by Stinger80OH from Ohio

Dec 31, 2018
 
Rated: 4.55 by jmh21 from Minnesota

Dec 31, 2018
Photo of gatornation
Reviewed by gatornation from Arizona

4.29/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a black color with a dark rusty colored head. Smell has chocolate and dark fruits with roasted malts wood and bourbon. Taste has a roasted malt and dark fruit taste with chocolate and bourbon mixed well the barrel very present on this. A thick mouth feel with all of the above a nice whiskey taste a well done stout....err barleywine.
Sep 23, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by Eziel from Ohio

Jun 18, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by Kevinpitts from Illinois

Feb 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.21 by Shafaegalo from Texas

Jan 01, 2018
Photo of Vidblain
Reviewed by Vidblain from Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Curious - I wouldn't have identified Before the Dawn as a barleywine in a blind taste test. As it warms, it has a curious cherry sweetness and taste in the finish. Otherwise, it's quite malty and seems to identify more readily as a strong ale (seems like blended barleywine and barrel-aged stout) or as a barrel-aged stout.

It's quite good. Just mixed up about it's own identity.
Dec 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.44 by CSO from Illinois

Sep 22, 2017
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: pitch black pour supporting a 1" dark tan cap with a very fine bead and poor to fair retention

S: whiskey, dark dried fruit, light roast, chocolate, coffee, caramel and a suggestion of sherry or port

T: dark malts, coke, chocolate, dark dried fruit, molasses, caramel and then a nice whiskey burn as a prelude to a bitter, roasty finish with some licorice, prune, vanilla and some oaky astringent drying

F: very creamy, silky, velvety thick and chewy. Carbonation is medium high but very soft and not prickly

O: very rich, big bold, intense beer that builds a warm glow as you drink
Sep 06, 2017
 
Rated: 4.15 by EdFed from Illinois

Aug 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4.64 by jenrhart from Minnesota

Jul 08, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by tvenne from Minnesota

May 09, 2017
Before The Dawn from Steel Toe Brewing
Beer rating: 96 out of 100 with 212 ratings