Benedictus
Durham Brewery Ltd

BenedictusBenedictus
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From:
Durham Brewery Ltd
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
8.4%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.7 | pDev: 8.65%
Reviews:
23
Ratings:
29
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 18, 2017
Added:
Mar 28, 2005
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by IronDjinn:
Photo of IronDjinn
Reviewed by IronDjinn from Canada (AB)

3.65/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From a 500 ml brown bottle. Pours out a deeply hazed marmalade hue, with a short loose-bubbled head.

Sweet orange esters on the nose (mostly canned mandarins), bready malt and a spongecake character, white raisins, fresh figs, pears, and papaya.

The flavour doesn't disappoint either. White grape skins and raisins, pears, green banana, mild bready malt, spicy, peppery notes, leafy herbal hops, drying, almost musty character from the yeast. There's something of a tannic character to it, it does live up to the name of Barleywine in that sense.

Medium-light bodied mouthfeel, a bit slick and slippery with the texture, low carbonation.

The only way I could pinpoint this as an American Barleywine per se is the more assertive hop presence, yet they are English hops at least. English Barleywine, yes. However when all is said and done this strikes me as what the lovechild would be if a Belgian Dubbel and a Belgian Tripel got it on and made sweet, sweet love down by the fire. A Tribbel? It can be a bit off-putting on its own, but this is a beer that is begging to be paired with food, not to tone it down, but to let it shine. Worth checking out at least once.
Jul 02, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.04 by TheCrowsEye from California

Dec 18, 2017
Photo of doktorhops
Reviewed by doktorhops from Australia

4.27/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Durham Brewery? Never heard of it. Nonetheless when there is a Barleywine in the offing (a style I unfortunately have little experience with) I jump at the, err... offering. The brewery itself is the oldest (according to its website) brewer in the Durham county, a former coal mining belt, bordering Northumberland, a part of Northumbria if you watch Vikings - and yes I equate everything in England now to its proximity to the kingdoms portrayed in the TV series Vikings.

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a Chimay chalice.

A: Presents a murky mix of orange and brown body with a thin white ring of lace around the glass.

S: Sweet toffee malts followed by a dark fruits, Christmas pudding and a touch of Marmalade. There is a hint of brandy on the nose as well but considering the 8.4% ABV the booze is fairly muted.

T: Rich toffee, buttery diacetyl, Marmalade and Christmas pudding make a solid base for this delightful Barleywine. Some mid-palate brandy booze intercedes before finishing with a light medicinal hop bitterness. The whole flavour profile is quite even-handed and gentle, not something you would expect from the ABV and style but most welcome all the same.

M: Medium bodied with a flat (English pub) carbonation, could probably do with a bit more heft here, I'm feeling the brevity of this brew.

D: Again I am no expert on the Barleywine style, or even a novice, but I quite enjoy Benedictus - it has a good deal of alcohol (it's right in the Dubbelzone that I love) and it has a smoothness that belies its boldness - like most English Ales. Durham Brewing Benedictus, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship...

Food match: Alright let's get the easy food comparison out of the way: Sticky toffee pudding, anything Christmas related, yep, done. Aside from this Benedictus would feel right at home with a cheese platter or a roast beef dinner, versatile no? Yes.
Jul 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Beer-Ed from Netherlands

Feb 10, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Ed37 from Netherlands

Feb 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Schmoog from Scotland

Jan 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Johnq1964 from England

Aug 25, 2013
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.77/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
American barlywine done by an English brewer, so understated hoppiness, and well balanced, nice. Good drinkability. Golden with only a faint head, faint lace. Pleasant malty aroma. The hops kick in on the finish here and its great. Caramel, malty and yet never too sweet. Medium mouth feel, smooth barleywine. A nice brewing job.Thanks Presario for hooking me up. I think sent about a year ago.
Sep 07, 2012
Photo of CrazyDavros
Reviewed by CrazyDavros from Australia

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Pours dark amber with a large, lasting white head.
Nose shows orange marmalade, caramel, grapes. Reminiscent of cognac slightly. Interesting.
Very sweet flavours, some grape notes, a bit of booze showing. Somewhat similar to a tripel, the flavours are rather lighter than most barleywines.
Carbonation is too high for these characters.
May 13, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by hockeybarbie from Canada (AB)

Jan 15, 2012
Photo of Converge
Reviewed by Converge from Canada (AB)

2.93/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5
500ml bottle poured into a 22oz snifter. This will be my first barley wine.

A - No head at all off the pour. Deep, hazy copper-amber colored beer. I'm baffled at the complete absence of a head, there was a little bubbles on-top right after I poured, but even five minutes into the review this beer has about as much character as juice.

S - Smells powerful and complex. Big juicy hop character with some toasty sweet malt floating around. Lots of caramel malt and toffee like aromas. Floral qualities are big as well. Overall, this has got me intrigued.

T - Odd. Some buttery caramel malt upfront with some leafy hops floating in the background. Floral qualities are there but muted. Alcohol heat is clear.

M - Bad. Almost terrible. Viscous, but it doesn't really feel "big", just too thick. I wouldn't mind the thickness here if it wasn't for one massive problem with this beer: it has the carbonation of a glass of tap-water. Feels hot, thick, flat and alcoholic with no redeeming qualities...

D - As mentioned, this is my introduction to barley wines, so I don't really have any reference point in terms of style. But looking at it from a general beer drinking standpoint I can say that this was thoroughly underwhelming.
Jan 14, 2012
Photo of MAB
Reviewed by MAB from Canada (AB)

3.55/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This one was disappointing, especially given that both Evensong and Temptation--two other brews from this same company--rated quite highly in my books.

It looked fine, after pouring it into a glass, but there was no head, whatsoever.
There was very little aroma. I was expecting some malty goodness, but no.
It tasted OK, but the low carbonation and the heavier mouthfeel didn't help the cause any.
Overall, there was just too much wrong with it to love it, but it was still an OK beer.
Nov 14, 2011
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.47/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
500ml bottle.

This beer pours a hazy pale amber hue, with one very skinny finger of soapy off-white head, which leaves a low ring of drooping lace around the glass as it quickly beats it outta town. It smells weirdly fruity, like over ripe orange and unfamiliar tropicals, caramel malt, booze, and musty, floral hops. The taste is sweet, kind of thin, bready malt, more moderately sweet fruit of the generic sort, mild, underwhelmingly bitter earthy hops, and astringent booze, rising up beyond its station, even for the purported 8.4 points on the label. The carbonation is quite sedate, the body medium weight, and adequately smooth, only a slight saccharine booze twinge indicating anything to the contrary. It finishes just a bit sweet, the malt having giving up the ghost, but not for adversarial reasons - the hops are just as yella, in the face of an increasing acrimonious booze factor.

A Yankee barleywine, maybe, if thinned and watered down (flavour, not booze, for the most part). This leaves the still prominent alcohol to run rampant, relatively speaking. Nothing offensive, but nothing near the style standard, and nothing else really good to say for it.
Oct 16, 2011
Photo of dgilks
Reviewed by dgilks from Australia

3.53/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Clearish golden amber colour with a big, fluffy, off-white head. Good head retention.

Bright spicy aroma with a light ester profile. Some light citrus plays on the nose but it is more of a yeast note than American hops.

Light malt with plenty of yeast phenols and a touch of earthy hops. Nice light esters from the yeast.

Medium-light body with moderate carbonation. Good.

This is not an American Barleywine. It is more of an English Strong ale combined with some Belgian yeast notes. An intriguing combination that sort of works but fails to excite.
Sep 27, 2011
Photo of BDTyre
Reviewed by BDTyre from Canada (BC)

3.62/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I can't see this as an American barleywine. Perhaps an English barleywine, even though the label simply says strong ale. 8.4% ABV is low for an American BW, but normal for an English BW.

Vewry light colour for any BW. Almost like a bitter or an American IPA. Pathetic excuse for a head - some white bubbles, not even like a soda. Very very thin and spares and it disappears to nothing but a thin white ring.

Sweet, creamy smell. A bite of brown sugar, malts, wine and fruit. Light hops and citrus. Definite alcohol scent. Sugary, grape-y taste. Toffee, bread and brown sugar on the tongue. A bit of wine, and some lemon from the hops. Very light alcohol, no burn to it.

Smooth body, a bit on the thin side, but not too much. The alcohol is quite well hidden, despite what the nose suggests.

I like this...its a very wierd BW, and if I were to judge a book by its cover, I wouldn't even bother with this. Looks can be deceiving...but this taste pleasant and is nice to drink.
Aug 08, 2011
Photo of wordemupg
Reviewed by wordemupg from Canada (AB)

3.12/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
500ml bottle poured into tulip 24/7/11

A clear amber with zero visible bubbles and a few tiny particles, not much for head or lace

S kinda smells like a fruit cup with heaps of caramel and booze

T some candied fruit with a little cough medicine, way too much booze for 8.4%, slightly sour lemon rind on the finish with some toffee

M flat and a little hot, it has some body but not much life to it

O too hot and it tastes pretty plain, nothing offensive but nothing that great either

I was hoping for more with this one, price tags a little high for what you get
Jul 25, 2011
Photo of shambeano
Reviewed by shambeano from Australia

3.77/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a tulip. shared with a mate.

A- Very little head, basically just a film, basically no bubbles in it. cloudy golden brown.

S- heavy and sweet caramaly malts, touch of raisin and dark fruit, alcohol is there, but in a good way. very nice and well integrated.

T- a whole bunch of malt upfront. biscuity but pretty sweet. malts dominate the flavour, but there are some dark dried fruits in there too, sultana and raisin. finish slightly bitter just rounding out the brew, no real hop profile, but it works anyway.

M- thick, creamy and pretty soft. finishes dry but with a nice length. the malt profile stays for a long while.

O- very nice strong ale, really good flavours, but just lacking a bit of complexity compared to other strong ales. but a very nice drinkable beer for what it is. tasty.
Jun 13, 2011
Photo of ADZA
Reviewed by ADZA from Australia

3.25/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
This brew pours a light copper hue with average carbonation that leaves behind a half finger head that quickly dissapates and leaves no lacing,the smell is pretty much a cross between boiled candy,caramel and alcohol,it has a light to medium bodied lightly carbonated mouthfeel and to be honest it doesnt have the full bodieness i expect from a nice barleywine and has tastes of caramelized pears,barley,toffee and finishes with a brown sugar sweetness,overall if you want a nice barleywine than this is not for you as it really doesnt come across as one to me and i wont revisit anytime soon.
Dec 16, 2010
Photo of brokensail
Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Thanks to Overlord for sharing this rather obscure bottle.

A: The pour is a golden color with some amber notes to it and a fluffy white foam on top.

S: An interesting smell to this. I had no idea what it should be classified as until BA told me it's a barleywine. A quite estery and yeasty nose with a distinct sweet fruit component (applesauce?).

T: The yeast character is again present in the nose with some definite sweetness and a mild spice quality. Sweet malts and fruits provide the bulk of the flavor.

M: The body is a bit on the full side with a mild carbonation and a lingering sweetness.

D: Quite a strange beverage. I did enjoy it, but I can't exactly articulate why.
May 24, 2010
Photo of Overlord
Reviewed by Overlord from California

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a golden color, tinged maybe lightly with some orange. Big white foam head.

Smells strangely spicy, with some surprisingly strong apple, pear, and ... I don't know, generic sweet, notes.

Kind of an interesting flavor. A barleywine, eh? I couldn't place the style. It looks like a Belgian pale, but it smells like a ... I don't know, a cider/pale ale blend? And it tastes more like a Belgian Strong Pale or Tripel. Spiced fruit notes, kind of a grain-y cereal background, bursting with sweetness. Alcohol noticeable.

Palatable. Refreshing. Doubt I'll see it again, but would like a chance to try it a second time.
May 24, 2010
Benedictus from Durham Brewery Ltd
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 29 ratings