Thor's Hammer Barley Wine
Central City Brewers + Distillers

Thor's Hammer Barley WineThor's Hammer Barley Wine
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From:
Central City Brewers + Distillers
 
British Columbia, Canada
Style:
English Barleywine
ABV:
11.5%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.1 | pDev: 8.54%
Reviews:
44
Ratings:
155
Status:
Active
Rated:
Apr 25, 2021
Added:
Sep 26, 2009
Wants:
  44
Gots:
  38
Matured for nearly a year, this award-winning barley wine is mahogany in colour and crafted from fine barley malt exuding deep, rich notes of dried fruit, plum and candy with a walnut ester.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jcubz:
Photo of jcubz
Rated by jcubz from Canada (SK)

4.63/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Dec 24, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of BPVandenbroek
Reviewed by BPVandenbroek from Canada (AB)

4.19/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Thor's Hammer pours out a slightly hazy leathery, nutty brown sort of a color. Head is dense, cream colored, and shows decent retention.
The aroma is rich and intense in its maltiness. Malt aroma starts off with rich, sweet caramel something like Toffifee. Somehow, tofifee doesn't do it justice. Picture tofifee combined with dates and other dark fruit combined with hints of leather and tobacco to round out the profile. All this and what smells like hazelnut and raisin, just enough to bring the whole affair together.
Thor's Hammer is full bodied, smooth, and has low carbonation. Malt flavors are definitely the star of the show. Flavors are full of rich tofifee caramel, dates, and a gentle sort of nuttiness. Somewhere beneath all this are hints of leather, tobacco, and rum soaked raisins. Alcoholic burn is minimal, impressive given the beer's 11.5% abv.
Delicious in its maltiness without being heavy or burdemsome.
Apr 25, 2021
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle cellared since 2016. Deep mahogany pour, initial fizzy head, fades to thin collar. Malt, malt, malt. Aroma is malt, wood and leather. Taste brings prune and raisins notes, minor sweetness and a lingering burn. Held up well, still have the BBA version.
Jan 03, 2020
Photo of flipper2gv
Reviewed by flipper2gv from Canada (QC)

4.01/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2015 bottling.

A: Pours a murky brown color with a beige colored head with very little lacing or retention.

S: Medium intensity smell. This is not what I expected. Smells quite a bit more like an old ale than a barleywine. You get a ton of leather, smoke, dried figs, dates, toffee, vanilla, cinnamon and pepper. Complex, but the leather and smoke dominates the smell.

T: Medium to strong intensity. Very strong dried figs and prunes taste with a lot of tobacco and leather. A lot of vanilla, dates, toffee, vanilla, cinnamon and quite a bit of pepper too. Intense and long aftertaste and only a little amount of alcohol burn.

M: Heavy body with a slick feel but quite a bit sticky.

O: This is a weird one. It's more of an old ale to me than anything else. It's also too much hopped to be a British Barleywine. The long long tamed hops still give quite a bit of fruit notes. Complex and different.
Nov 17, 2019
Photo of quadmad
Reviewed by quadmad from Canada (ON)

4.19/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From notes;
Bottle from the LCBO $10.00 Dec, 2016. Shared with a friend Jun 2019. No sign of 85 IBU's. Very smooth with no sign of 10 % alcohol. Not much carbonation. How long to wait for its twin in the cellar?
Nov 10, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by VaporDome from New York

Oct 13, 2019
Photo of TheDoctor
Reviewed by TheDoctor from Canada (QC)

4.09/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Serving: Bottle
Bottled: 2015

A:
Pours a relatively cloudy maple syrup color with a small beige head that is short-lived. Meh retention; specks of lacing. (3.75)

S:
Red fruits, whiff of tartness/oxidation, caramel, well-done toast, milk chocolate. (4)

T:
Caramelized sugar, dark bread, rich medium roast malt flavor, mellow nutty caramel-alcohol finish. (4.25)

M:
Sticky and full-bodied, meek carbonation with a lasting sticky, boozy finish. (4)

O:
Tasty barleywine.
Not as layered as some of the greats (but it has aged a bit so who knows). It is nice and rich. A little bit easier on the toffee than I expected with some nice fruity brightness that adds some depth. A nice beer that I'd have again. (4)
Dec 15, 2018
Photo of Zorro
Reviewed by Zorro from California

3.97/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2014 vintage bottle.

Chill hazed brown ale with near no head.

Smells very fruity. Lots of berry scent. Strong scent of raspberry and tannin. Bottle says it should have a walnut scent and I could agree with that. Mild sweet scent but mostly I smell berries.

Starts out and malty with caramel and berries. Mildly bitter with a clear walnut taste. Pretty much it is walnuts and berries in malt syrup.

Mouthfeel is thick.

Overall interesting, but not all that. Just don't spend much more than $10 for the bottle.
Nov 22, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by COBEERHUNTER from Colorado

Sep 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

May 31, 2018
Photo of Clutch28
Reviewed by Clutch28 from Canada (SK)

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Look: Deep mahogany with a tannish head that disappears quickly.

Aroma: Vannila, oak, caramel, hint of cinnamon, figs.

Taste: Carmel covered walnuts, vaniila, cinnamon spiced dates maple syrup. Sweetness is very evident but can get cloying.

Mouthfeel: Little to no carbonation on the tongue for me, beer sits heavy.

I can see why this is a raved beer but for me while very good, it lacks balance and the sweetness can get cloying quickly. A sipping beer with a cigar or pair it with cheese or something and take your time.
Apr 26, 2018
Photo of MAB
Reviewed by MAB from Canada (AB)

4.62/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Wow; this is outstanding.

Beautifully dark, unlike most barley wine. Nice head and good head retention.
Tastes of malt and even more malt. Slight roasted flavor. A touch of bitterness for balance.
Carbonation and mouthfeel is near perfect. Great alcohol buzz but not as much burn as I would have thought.
Apr 16, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by StormAles from Canada (ON)

Apr 16, 2018
Photo of darktronica
Reviewed by darktronica from Indiana

4.16/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Cracked open a 2014 bomber, knocking out a big Want I've had on my list for a long time. Black cherries, vanilla, tobacco, and assam tea on the nose. Oxidized tea dominates the palate, with molasses, saltwater taffy, and walnut oil.
Feb 27, 2018
Photo of LampertLand
Reviewed by LampertLand from Canada (BC)

4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Central City Brewers 'Thors Hammer' @ 11.5% , on tap at GCBF'18 , and the 2014 vintage 650 ml bottle/silver wax , part of Brewer's Reserve Gift Pack
A-pour is a dirty brown from the tap/bottle to a mahogany in the glass with a dissapating thin beige head leaving a minimal lacing along the snifter
S-bottle conditioned (nice/enjoyable esters) versus barrel aged (too much bourbon)
T-complex start , (figs , plums & dried fruits) caramel malt finish , warming
MF-ok carbonation , big full bodied , good/great beer buzz
Ov-so nice to not be dissapointed in a beer you've wanted for so long , believe the hype , respect the awards , great beer
prost LampertLand
Jan 01, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by Corson from Canada (AB)

Oct 19, 2017
 
Rated: 3.94 by CraftFan5 from New Jersey

Sep 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4.92 by Reinmogard from Idaho

Aug 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by GoHabsGo from Canada (ON)

Aug 11, 2017
 
Rated: 4.14 by Muss42 from Michigan

Aug 05, 2017
Thor's Hammer Barley Wine from Central City Brewers + Distillers
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 155 ratings