Gratitude - Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged
East End Brewing Company

16oz can from JohnGalt1. Ruddy, reddish brown pour, no head. Sweet, boozy malty nose, toffee. Taste follows the same way, some soft woody notes, raisins.

The pour is a clear, brownish-orange color; rather dark copper color in the glass; medium carbonation density with very slow rising tiny bubbles; thick, spongy off-white head; thick sticky rings of globs of foam coat the glass. Outstanding aroma; sweet caramel with notes of orange and rye. Big malt flavor tinged with rye whiskey; caramel and light brown sugar; balanced rye spiciness; delicate sense of phenols. Heavy, sticky body; light and bright boozy heat.

A well-crafted barrel-aged barleywine that nicely balances the big, sweet malt base beer with the zesty zing of rye barrel aging.

Pouring temperature: °F; canning info: 25 BA TUDE 23
Source: @DIM

 

This is very similar to the bourbon barreled can I had last night, not a damn thing wrong with that. Tons of caramel plus plenty of sweet citrus and that hint of banana again. I'm getting some pineapple tonight as well. The whiskey is prominent here as well with a bit less vanilla and a bit more wood and/or spice. Another great one priced absurdly well at $20/pack. Got to go back for more next year.

2021 vintage; consumed on 2/2/2023

Pours a murky mahogany concealing clearer, deep ruby hues and topped with a finger of fluffy, off-beige foam; solid head retention leaves a thin layer of cap, moderate, creamy collar, and myriad expanse of chunky, webby/spotty lacing spattered across the walls of the glass.

Aromas highlight brown sugar setting the tone upfront, accented with grapefruit perfume as a medicinal air welcomes figgy pudding and macerated raisins while a rye density meets smooth oak vanillins easing to saucy caramel fading through the close.

Taste opens to grapefruit peel, baked toffee, and sliced orange as rye spice building through the mid-palate finds caramel and an oaky, whiskey-laden lingering on the finish.

Mouthfeel offers a body on the lighter end of medium and a moderate-full carbonation, with creaminess peaking through the mid-palate and leaving a moderate warmth easing to the back end; sleek textures persist, softening clean resins fading through the finish.

Sweetness is inherent and not forced, awash in levels of brûléed richness in flux with a relaxed hop subtext; the decadence of traditional barleywine with the effortless American-style execution of fruity underscores.

Poured from a can at fridge temp. Pours a murky brown (fairly light) with a thin layer of off-white head. Looks fantastic!

The nose is wonderful. Pepper spice, toffee, citrus peel, raisins, a slight nutty note, bread, and a nice earthy note. The rye definitely comes through here.

The taste is outstanding. Soft caramel candy, slight citrus, oak, grainy bread, rye, and that pepper comes back in the taste. There is a leather taste for sure. Also getting an earthy note. Just a lovely American barleywine that isn't over-influenced by the barrel. Nice and hoppy with a great malty compliment.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and the aftertaste is a mix of citrus peel and toffee.

 

Opaque cloudy dark brown with a fat finger of tan foam, trace lacing. Rye is spicy in an earthy way to the underlying barley and malt, caramel, toast, fig, orange slice, dried dark fruit, and oak added for nuance. Smell is a clone with the barrel, rye and barley, but sweeter elements are fainter and more resinous. Feel has great rustic dry textures, but also booze and barley bite, yet well balanced. This is the best of the series for sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 oz. can. Looks pretty gross. Murky brown pond water. Small head. Smells of whiskey, oak, brown sugar, a little dark fruit. Mostly barrel. Tastes rich. Brown sugar, whiskey, toasted oak, spicy rye, dark fruity sweetness, but not all that sweet. Medium heavy. I wouldn't have picked it as Rye barrel when it was cold, but it became more distinct when it was a bit warmer. Pretty good.

 

 

 

Pours a ruddy and muddy burgundy-brown that manages to carry the same coloration and transparency of an unfavorable bathroom visit. Head is a couple fingers of off-white foam. Aroma is a much needed change of pace, delivering notes of fig, raisins, toffee, caramel, and rye whiskey. With that rye whiskey comes a little bite of spice. After the mix of sugary notes is barrel character and toasty, caramely, bready malts. Really lovely notes across the span of the aroma, with the rye spice and barrel coming forward, but not enough to disrupt the flow from start to finish.

Flavor profile is a splendid blend of fig, raisins, toffee, and rye whiskey. While the nose doesn't carry much hop presence, the flavor profile brings forward resinous and grassy hops, adding a sticky texture to the back of the flavor profile. Barrel character is just enough to add a little extra depth, and offer up just enough bitterness to keep the initial sugary notes from running away.

Mouth feel is medium-thick, nearing on a heavy, thick, and full texture, but falling just shy. That's not a bad thing though. Texture is driven by grit with a still effervescence underneath. It drinks like a high piled carpet has been smushed by a heavy piece of furniture for years, crushing out much of the play between, while retaining the thickness of the carpet.

Overall, though unappealing in look, this barleywine builds a great experience from aroma onward. Rye barrel adds just enough spice to round things out, without upsetting the balance or flow from start to finish.

Served in a 15.5oz Spiegelau tulip from a 12oz can.