Heavy Seas Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks
Heavy Seas Beer

Heavy Seas Bourbon Barrel Aged Below DecksHeavy Seas Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks
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From:
Heavy Seas Beer
 
Maryland, United States
Style:
English Barleywine
ABV:
10%
Score:
89
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 8.52%
Reviews:
109
Ratings:
305
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 31, 2019
Added:
May 18, 2010
Wants:
  33
Gots:
  54
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DruC4:
Photo of DruC4
Rated by DruC4 from Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -18.5%

Jun 25, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.83 by 7irondave from Massachusetts

Jan 31, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by brittanylicious from Indiana

Feb 12, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by heysuz from Indiana

Feb 12, 2018
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Another one that got lost in the beer cellar, 2010 vintage. Hopefully it's just as good as the cab version I had last night, but hopefully more barrel.

Pours a tiny fizzy head that fades instantly, dark murky molasses brown color, long legs

Nose is similar to the cab version from 2012 I had last night, sweet aged soft malts, lots of aged malts, some caramel less that the other one, a bit of toffee, less fruits than the other one as well, a bit of bourbon, touch of barrel oak, sweet syrupy candy.

Taste brings big candy as expected, some caramel, less than the last one, little toasty biscuity, toffee, this time some dark fruits fig raisin date thing, a touch of bourbon sweet cream like flavor, and faint vanilla barrel, plenty of soft aged malt effect again as well, chewy nougat caramel candy, a bit of alcohol but barely. Finishes a bit sticky, syrupy, more caramel and candy bar lingering.

Mouth is med to heavier bod, a bit creamy chewy caramel nougat but less than the last one, light on the carbonation but OK for the age, very little alcohol

overall dangerously drinkable like the previous one, less oxidation, but less barrel unfortunately. Need to try it fresher next time.
Feb 10, 2018
Photo of Phyl21ca
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)

3.75/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle: Poured a clear light copper color ale with a small foamy head with limited retention. Aroma of grainy malt with some bourbon notes and vanilla is pleasant enough. Taste is a nice mix between some woody notes with vanilla and bourbon and some grainy and caramelized malt notes. Body is a bit thin with good carbonation and some warming alcohol notes. Quite pleasant barleywine and very little oxidation for a 2011 vintage tasted in 2016.
Nov 25, 2016
 
Rated: 4.1 by BYOFB from Wisconsin

Apr 09, 2016
Photo of 3-Ball
Reviewed by 3-Ball from Georgia

4.16/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2012 bottle poured into an Olde Hickory Omega Point Snifter. Pours a dark amber, slight head that disappeared quickly.
Nose is of vanilla, bourbon, and a good bit of oak. Has that true "English Barleywine" smell
Tastes very nice, lots of bourbon and slight alcohol burn, vanilla, and caramel
Med body and mouthfeel with med carb
Overall, this is a very enjoyable BBA English Barleywine. Drinks a little bigger than the 10% IMO but I'm not complaining.
Jan 13, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by ShadyRigglesbee from Indiana

Jul 17, 2015
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.66/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
"This English style barleywine ale has been aged in American bourbon barrels. Enjoy now or cellar it "Below Decks" as it will become more complex as it ages." Brewed in the style of an English Barleywine ale. Released parallel to the Below Decks Barleywine standard ale in 2012, available in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to a snifter glass. Served above 56 degrees Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a frothed creamy head of an ecru tan color over a medium brown body with moderate sediment in tow, ample lively visible carbonation. Retention is below average and lacing is light and spotty. 3.25

(Smell) Faint caramel grain and bread, trace toffee character with a light impact of oak, trace vanilla and bourbon for a reserved sweetness. 3.5

(Taste) More bourbon impact up front in the flavor, lots of corn sweetness, drying toasted oak, hints of vanilla. Alongside the mellow Below Decks recipe, it is a dominating impact of flavor but a welcome one. 3.75

(Mouthfeel) Texture is slick, residual, lightly sticky, moderately dry. Carbonation is modest, generating a mild frothiness and a mildly crisp finish. Body is medium for the style, medium overall. Balance is slightly boozy and sweet over bitter. Alcohol presence is moderate and there are no off characters. 3.75

(Overall) The simplicity of Below Decks barleywine makes it a good enough candidate for Oak aging to create a significant impact of bourbon oak and bourbon flavor. It's not nearly the most complex of barrel aged beers from the barrel nor the base malt, but it's drinkable and generally enjoyable, and I favor this version over the standard Below Decks ale as it creates enough of a flavor profile to keep things interesting. 3.75

Heavy Seas Beer's
Below Decks Barleywine Aged in Bourbon Barrels
3.66/5.00
Jun 27, 2015
 
Rated: 4.2 by kwgduke from Pennsylvania

Jun 22, 2015
Photo of scotorum
Reviewed by scotorum from Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from the 22 oz. bomber into an English nonick pint.

a: Clear very dark ruby with a finger thick offwhite head which receded to very thin surface foam and spotty lacing.

s: Mild dark fruit,

t: Mild dark fruit and bourbon up front. Dry to a bit sweet finish. High ABV is well covered.

m: Medium, good body, some carbonation tingle.

o: A very nice BBA barleywine, at least with two years on it, haven't had it fresh.

UPDATE 2/1/16: Found another bottle of this no longer brewed BBA barleywine, a 2012 on sale for an irresistable price. Now that BBA brews are so popular, surprised to get this. More to the point, this is one of my favorite style variants, This bottle was everything I could have hoped for, although the extra aging did not seem to smooth it out any more, the bourbon flavor was dominant over the substantial dark ripe fruit malt base. Raising my ratings for taste and overall to 4.5 from 4.25.
May 05, 2015
 
Rated: 3.77 by Stinger80OH from Ohio

Apr 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by nathanmiller from New York

Apr 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.81 by sunofneurot from New York

Feb 06, 2015
Photo of MorganMessersmith
Rated by MorganMessersmith from Connecticut

4.44/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Not too harsh for a barley wine
Feb 06, 2015
 
Rated: 4.19 by misternebbie from Pennsylvania

Feb 01, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by aasher from Indiana

Dec 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by a77cj7 from South Dakota

Nov 19, 2014
 
Rated: 3.96 by harryhops from Delaware

Nov 19, 2014
Heavy Seas Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks from Heavy Seas Beer
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 305 ratings