Old Godfather
Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

Old GodfatherOld Godfather
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From:
Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
 
California, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
9.5%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 11.32%
Reviews:
154
Ratings:
229
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 22, 2018
Added:
Feb 18, 2003
Wants:
  14
Gots:
  16
Re-emerging from the shadows, Old Godfather is the first of the Infamous. Old Godfather pours a light amber with a beige lacing. Aromas of fresh pine and citrus dominate, giving way to deep flavors of nutty maltiness and burnt caramel. A spicy hop bite of citrus peel rounds out the rich mouthfeel. Bittersweet English malts and cut-throat West Coast hops make Godfather a barley wine that is not to be taken lightly. This re-release of Old Godfather is the first vintage of its kind. As a brazenly robust brew, Old Godfather will benefit from years of cellaring, developing new refinements in character over time.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jondeelee:
Photo of jondeelee
Reviewed by jondeelee from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Smells of syrupy malts and caramels, heavy sugars with a hint of flowery hops.

On the tongue, there's an immediate explosion of floweriness, which expands quickly into a lovely grapefruit-bitterness, strongly reminiscent of a low- to medium-grade IPA. Then the malts hit, bringing in huge maple-syrupy flavors, along with dark fruits and chocolates. Some reviewers have said there's a deep tobacco flavor underneath; I'm not getting that, but I do get a hint of grains toasted to the point of blackness/burnt. Then, somehow, the hops kick back in, leaving the tongue slightly tingling after the beer has left the mouth.

Categorically, this is a barleywine, pure and simple. But it does have *notes* that are strongly reminiscent of IPAs, and I think those notes set this brew apart from the field, and make it worthy of discussion. Purists might not like the bitterness in here, but I find it charming.
Aug 13, 2011
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.75 by YeastEnthusiast from New Jersey

Apr 22, 2018
 
Rated: 4.21 by goopy from California

Mar 26, 2018
 
Rated: 3.54 by mltobin from Connecticut

Sep 29, 2017
Photo of Gajo74
Reviewed by Gajo74 from New York

3.93/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Old Godfather pours a dark, nearly brown, amber and ruby red color with a creamy tan/khaki head. It is a large head that retains well and leaves lots of lacing.
Holding it up to the nose there is an assortment of dark fruit, caramel malt, tiger, citrus and pine hops. What is most surprising is a subtle coffee and cocoa like aroma that is Porter like.
In the mouth it is medium to full, chewy and with a soft carbonation. Plump and juicy along with a syrupy caramel and toffee sweetness. An interesting finish that combines sharp pine, alcohol and coffee.
A pretty good barleywine that is on the sweeter side and has an interesting coffee kick.
Sep 23, 2017
 
Rated: 3.69 by Nrod from Argentina

Jul 14, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by bshefftz from California

Apr 27, 2017
 
Rated: 4.6 by Jps715 from New Jersey

Mar 27, 2017
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

3.83/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Properly cellared 3 year old bottle. Pours a medium orange amber with a half finger light khaki head with good retention and light lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, light stone fruit, figs, raisins, aged grassy hops. Flavor of light caramel and biscuit malt, light stone fruit, figs, raisins and grassy hops. Lingering, somewhat astringent grassy hop finish. Medium bodied with light creaminess. I regret not having had this barleywine fresh, to compare. At three years, it seems to have reached its peak. The malt leans more towards a biscuit than caramel profile, the fruit notes are attenuated and the hop bitterness is rather intense with little herbal flavors, which is to be expected at this age. Surprisingly little evidence of oxidation. Although this has survived aging with no overt flaws, I think the malt character is not robust enough to support the aging hops, leaving it a bit unbalanced. I would be happy to try this again to see what it is like fresh, but would probably not age another bottle. I took this out of the cellar for review due to the imminent closure of Speakeasy, but it is for the best as I don't think more years would improve it.
Mar 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.89 by evanwoertz from California

Nov 14, 2016
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.39/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Nice caramel and copper appearance, looks like one of those barleywines or imperial amber ales. Aroma is just concentrated sweetness and alcohol.

Taste is a rich barleywine as expected experience. Middle of the road hopping, guessing 80ibu territory, lots of crystal and maris otter malt in here I suspect. Not roasty, more sweet. All of the 10% abv is up in here.
Sep 23, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by Gkruszewski from New York

Jul 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Eziel from Ohio

Jun 11, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Rick778 from California

May 11, 2016
 
Rated: 3.89 by JMS1512 from New Jersey

May 05, 2016
Photo of anon
Reviewed by anon from California

3.99/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a gorgeous deep brown/burgundy/leatherish hue. Finger width of frothy, thick, creamy foam that sticks relentlessly to the glass. Smell is a hammering of dark fruits; plum, figs, grilled peach, along with fresh baked bread. A deep presence of earth that follows right through into the taste. Plum, fig, raisins, nectarine, caramel, toffee, pine, soil, grass, slight coffee roast and baked bread chewiness. Finishes borderline medium-full bodied with a lingering lick of sweetness and slight toastiness.

Seems this one might fall victim to inconsistency, but I thoroughly enjoyed this take on the style.
May 03, 2016
 
Rated: 4.17 by johlac66 from California

Mar 02, 2016
Photo of Nomstep
Reviewed by Nomstep from California

3.13/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
A - Thick dirty off white head. Absolutely gorgeous ruby red amber coloring. I could look at this beer all day!
S - Chocolate malt with a hint of vanilla, smell the syrup. Lightly toasted nut smell, almost hazelnut.
T - Subtle flavors. Lightly toasted vanilla. Malt forward.
M - A little syrupy for my taste, but nice thickness. Well carbonated.
O - I was expecting a little more from Speakeasy Brewery, but it is one of the more beautiful beers I've seen in awhile, with that bright amber. I'd put this in as a mid level barleywine. Not too sweet like many barleywines, a little too syrupy. I wish it was a little smokier to go with the vanilla/hazelnut tastes.
Feb 23, 2016
Photo of seedyone
Reviewed by seedyone from New York

3.15/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
On tap at Blind Tiger, NYC. To this point, I'd rarely met a barleywine I didn't like, but I I walked away from this one. There was the smell of a grain, not sure how much was barley or how much was malt but it lacked any roasty/toasty attributes at all. The texture was weak, near watery & the finish was a bitter burn.
Feb 11, 2016
Photo of Beerpope273
Reviewed by Beerpope273 from California

4.02/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Admittedly I am a big barleywine fan so this rating may be biased but it seriously was one of the best beers i have had recently. Pours a deep reddish-brown with a quickly disappearing white head and has floral and fruity aromas that doesn't overpower the senses. The taste for me is exactly what a barleywine should taste like, strong malty flavor with expressed dark fruit and sweet flavors. I am going to have to add this to my wants or make a quick trip up north to try and find some more.
Dec 29, 2015
Old Godfather from Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 229 ratings