-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Thor's Hammer Barley Wine
Central City Brewers + Distillers
- 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:
- 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:
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
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:
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
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, 2021The 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.
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
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, 2020Reviewed by flipper2gv from Canada (QC)
4.01/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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, 2019A: 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.
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
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, 2019Bottle 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?
Reviewed by TheDoctor from Canada (QC)
4.09/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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, 2018Bottled: 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)
Reviewed by Zorro from California
3.97/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
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, 2018Chill 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.
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
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, 2018Aroma: 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.
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
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, 2018Beautifully 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.
Reviewed by darktronica from Indiana
4.16/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
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, 2018Reviewed 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
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, 2018A-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
Thor's Hammer Barley Wine from Central City Brewers + Distillers
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
155 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!