Arête
Elevation Beer Co.

ArêteArête
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From:
Elevation Beer Co.
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
Ranked #135
ABV:
12.5%
Score:
89
Ranked #12,415
Avg:
3.97 | pDev: 7.3%
Reviews:
14
Ratings:
72
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 27, 2023
Added:
Sep 27, 2014
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  16
Arête is a blended barleywine, constructed over two separate batches (one of which was particular dry and high in ABV) that was then dry-hopped, the result being a significantly detailed American-style version with a tremendous amount of depth. This is 100% Centennial hops throughout, but it feels way more expansive than a single-hop beer should.

Pouring a deep amber-brown color, Arête offers an herbaceous, fresh-mown character, some deeper and subtle citrus notes, along with an engaging floral character. It's a one-hop wonder, but we'd have never guessed so. There's some dark-fruit, leathery complexity, soft brown sugar and caramel, with a soft, red-fruit alcohol note. Fine carbonation keeps things on point. Bitterness is just enough, while the interior notes of this beer build with warmth: chewy caramel, toffee, brown sugar.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by joelBfrasier:
Photo of joelBfrasier
Rated by joelBfrasier from Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Feb 04, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.99/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle from Tavour. Deep mahogany pour witb one finger foamy beige head. Malty aroma, some boizy notes. Taste gets sweet fast, malts, fruitcake, raisins. Alcohol heat is there from the get-go and stays through to the finish. Mildly swet and lots of heat.
Nov 27, 2023
Photo of BeerAndGasMasks
Reviewed by BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia

3.81/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From the recently rediscovered 2014 dated bottle (one of two), it pours a hazy brown color with virtually no head. In the nose, alcohol and dark fruit (raisins primarly). In the mouth, it isalcoholic and a bit raisiny sweet. A sipper!
Jun 01, 2020
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

4.52/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Yeah, I may be going down a real wrong road in advance of New Beer Sunday (NBS), opening at Midnight (EDT), but I am feeling a pull to drink some Barleywines this evening. This was another from Tavour that has sat, semi-forgotten since its arrival. 8=( My backlog is unreal!

From the Bottle: "Special Release"; "Black Series"; "Excellence"; "IBUs: 67"; "Hops: Centennial"; "Fermentables: Two Row, Crystal 120, Crystal 77, Carafoam"; "[Food Pairings:] Mimolette Cheese, Stilton Cheese, Boar Sausage".

Oooh, while I am unfamiliar with the former cheese, Stilton is really sharp & boar is gamey as heck! If those are the suggested pairings, then this has the potential to be a grave digger for me. 8=O

I Pop!ped the cap & began yet another slow, gentle C-Line pour into the awaiting glass. It was rather still & I debated on an in-glass swirl to attempt to raise some head, but what would be the ultimate point? I just let it lie as played. Color was a stunning Coppery-Brown (SRM = > 17, < 22) with NE-quality clarity & deep-amber highlights. 8=O Gorgeous! Nose was muted, with notes of leather, toffee, caramel & raisins at the forefront. Mmm. Mouthfeel was medium, lightly-carbonated, with a fusel alcohol heat opening up my tastebuds from the outset. The taste was very leathery with a caramel/toffee/raisin sweetness that was fading as it aged. Big reveal: my bottle was dated 09.21.16! I actually bought two, probably by design on their part, so the other is going into my cellar. This has unlimited gem potential! Mmm. Its age had already smoothed the sweetness & I can only imagine that it will improve further with increased age. This is the sort of thing that makes me eschew (especially) wine & (most) liquors - I would put this up against some whiskies. NOT Rye, though. This could only be improved with the inclusion of Rye malt. Phew, but this was dry! Man, I was reaching for some H2O as a chaser/back. I could feel my frontal lobes beginning to tingle & my R eye was getting that Popeye squint that used to send even the hardest engineers for the doors. I am usually a happy drunk, but "When Smilin' Jack is no longer smilin', it's time to go!" as my early LPO used to say of me. Finish was dry & mellow & I was even beginning to contemplate a cigar. Mmm. Man, but this was gooood & smooooth! That other bottle is getting set aside. YMMV.
Oct 13, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by Kolb from Montana

Apr 25, 2019
Photo of SouthCrescent
Reviewed by SouthCrescent from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottle date: 9-21-16
Sampled from a 12oz bottle purchased from Tavour in July 2018.

All of the descriptors given here on the brew’s BA listing are accurate, with a minor addition of raisin in the taste. This is an excellent example of the style, and certainly worth a try if you come across it. Very smooth, and its low booze characteristic in the drinkability was both enjoyable and unexpected.
Aug 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.06 by Furlinator from California

Jul 28, 2018
Photo of LeeryLeprechaun
Rated by LeeryLeprechaun from Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Well made. Would enjoy some more complexity.
Jan 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Dec 30, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by akolb from Colorado

Jul 27, 2017
 
Rated: 4.33 by DK454 from Arizona

Jul 23, 2017
Photo of eMucho
Reviewed by eMucho from Colorado

3.96/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Got a 4-pack from the Target in Denver on Colorado Blvd. Poured from bottle and it came out with a decent head that didn't last too long. Nice color and smell, and mouthfeel is good too. It's a complex one and I'm not super crazy about the taste. There's just too much going on, but it is still good. I probably wouldn't cop another one any time soon.
Nov 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4.05 by Spaceman_Jer from Colorado

Nov 26, 2016
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Rated by ControlVolume from Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Third barleywine, they're just too sweet and not my thing
Sep 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.56 by tommy5 from Michigan

Sep 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.16 by aaronyoung01 from New Mexico

Sep 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4.05 by needMIbeer from Virginia

Aug 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3.9 by jaydoc from Kansas

Aug 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by NickThePyro from Washington

Jun 13, 2016
Photo of VashonGuy
Reviewed by VashonGuy from Washington

4.25/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12 oz bottle, dated 9.10.15.

Arete is amber red, fairly clear, with a light head that doesn't last. This is an amazingly light barleywine in look, taste, and feel, with a phenomenal flavor. It doesn't seem like a BIG beer, and it's not obvious that it's 12.5%. It's just ethereal in its smoothness. Hoppy bitterness, some caramel, and the alcohol are all present, but nothing dominates. It's a great example of how to balance flavors in a wonderful blend. Great barleywine, almost like an English barleywine, but a little more hoppy.
May 25, 2016
Arête from Elevation Beer Co.
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 72 ratings