Bligh's Barleywine Ale | Dry Dock Brewing Co.
Brewed by:
Dry Dock Brewing Co.
Colorado, United States
drydockbrewing.com
Style: English Barleywine
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 10.00%
Availability: Fall
Notes / Commercial Description:
Malty and complex, this big beer has a strong caramel backbone supporting oak and whiskey flavors with hints of dark fruits. The nose wafts of coconut, toffee, and a smooth hint of alcohol. The flavor and aroma meld, becoming one after just a single sip. This beer is ready to drink, but also ages with the best of them.
Added by waltonc on 10-08-2011
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 554 | Reviews: 128
Reviews by LittleDon:
4.22/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2011 Vintage, aged approximately 1 year.
Brown to dark brown color. What little head there was disappeared quickly. Aroma of baking bread and prunes with a hint of acetone. Medium-heavy body with sufficient carbonation to say "Beer" and not port (which it is very reminiscent of). Vanilla, dried apricots, and soft caramel candy flavors. Feels like 10% but doesn't taste like it.
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look: 2 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2011 Vintage, aged approximately 1 year.
Brown to dark brown color. What little head there was disappeared quickly. Aroma of baking bread and prunes with a hint of acetone. Medium-heavy body with sufficient carbonation to say "Beer" and not port (which it is very reminiscent of). Vanilla, dried apricots, and soft caramel candy flavors. Feels like 10% but doesn't taste like it.
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More User Reviews:
4.04/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
Bottle (2011)
Acquired via trade
Thanks, quirkzoo!
Blind Tasting and Review
(Aged for 6 months)
Clear, dark auburn and chestnut in color with a very small light brown head. This leaves the glass relatively clean on the way down.
Nice, rich aroma of vanilla, caramel, toffee, and bourbon. This smells sweeter than most of the other barrel-aged barleywines in the lineup.
The flavor follows the aroma, though is significantly sweeter than many of the others in the blind barrel-aged barleywine lineup. There's nice vanilla and bourbon character, though the base beer seems like it's probably somewhat lacking.
Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Silky.
A very nice, somewhat sweet, barrel-aged barleywine.
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look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
Bottle (2011)
Acquired via trade
Thanks, quirkzoo!
Blind Tasting and Review
(Aged for 6 months)
Clear, dark auburn and chestnut in color with a very small light brown head. This leaves the glass relatively clean on the way down.
Nice, rich aroma of vanilla, caramel, toffee, and bourbon. This smells sweeter than most of the other barrel-aged barleywines in the lineup.
The flavor follows the aroma, though is significantly sweeter than many of the others in the blind barrel-aged barleywine lineup. There's nice vanilla and bourbon character, though the base beer seems like it's probably somewhat lacking.
Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Silky.
A very nice, somewhat sweet, barrel-aged barleywine.
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4.26/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Thanks to Brian for giving me this bottle. 22oz bottle poured into a Cigar City snifter 4/26/2014.
A- Caramel brown, thick and viscous. Small light off-white head with retention that is average for the style- which is to say it is a bit low. No lacing.
S- Holy caramel batman. This is the most caramel-forward barleywine I've had the chance to try. Sweet caramel, toffee, with a slight earthiness and dark fruit contribution. Slight hints of oak and whiskey, but not very much.
F- Tastes just like liquid caramel. This is not superbly complex, but this is a barleywine that packs a lot of caramel and toffee sweetness, with a small dark fruit component and some whiskey that adds a bit of complexity. Very nice, though I would have liked a little more of the whiskey barrels to show up.
M- Medium bodied, viscous with low carbonation. Very sweet, easy to drink despite its higher ABV. Smooth and resinous but without being cloying.
O- Really good English barleywine. I enjoyed drinking this one a lot and so did everyone else. However, for an barrel-aged English barleywine, this beer lacks a lot of the distinct whiskey character that makes a BA English barleywine what it is.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Thanks to Brian for giving me this bottle. 22oz bottle poured into a Cigar City snifter 4/26/2014.
A- Caramel brown, thick and viscous. Small light off-white head with retention that is average for the style- which is to say it is a bit low. No lacing.
S- Holy caramel batman. This is the most caramel-forward barleywine I've had the chance to try. Sweet caramel, toffee, with a slight earthiness and dark fruit contribution. Slight hints of oak and whiskey, but not very much.
F- Tastes just like liquid caramel. This is not superbly complex, but this is a barleywine that packs a lot of caramel and toffee sweetness, with a small dark fruit component and some whiskey that adds a bit of complexity. Very nice, though I would have liked a little more of the whiskey barrels to show up.
M- Medium bodied, viscous with low carbonation. Very sweet, easy to drink despite its higher ABV. Smooth and resinous but without being cloying.
O- Really good English barleywine. I enjoyed drinking this one a lot and so did everyone else. However, for an barrel-aged English barleywine, this beer lacks a lot of the distinct whiskey character that makes a BA English barleywine what it is.
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3.57/5 rDev -18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
22 oz bottle, dated 2017. Pours hazy amber brown with a small off white head that quickly goes to a thin collar that leaves a little lacing.
The aroma is sweet caramel and chocolate malt and lots of dark fruit and booze with a little vanilla.
The flavor is sweet caramel malt and fruitcake with a little roast chocolate and a big slightly harsh boozy finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with very low carbonation.
Overall, a nice barleywine, but a bit too sweet and boozy for me.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
22 oz bottle, dated 2017. Pours hazy amber brown with a small off white head that quickly goes to a thin collar that leaves a little lacing.
The aroma is sweet caramel and chocolate malt and lots of dark fruit and booze with a little vanilla.
The flavor is sweet caramel malt and fruitcake with a little roast chocolate and a big slightly harsh boozy finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with very low carbonation.
Overall, a nice barleywine, but a bit too sweet and boozy for me.
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5/5 rDev +14.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
So far I've been impressed with a lot of Dry Dock's beers so I had to try the Barleywine (BA Barleywine is one of my fav styles)...
It didn't disappoint. Pours a cloudy deep brown mahogany with a tan head, carbonation was spot on for a barleywine.
The aroma was sweet like caramel with a hint of vanilla, coconut and toffee, and had really nice whiskey notes that weren't overwhelming but complementary... one of the reason I love BA Barleys. Overall a perfect balance of aromas, without any dominating.
The taste is just as amazing and well-balanced. The sweet maple and caramel flavors along with some dark fruit are on the forefront coupled with the complexity of the whiskey and gentleness of the oak. So good, so sweet.
Mouthfeel is so right for this beer, not too heavy, not too light. While it's loaded with flavor and a medium-thick mouthfeel, the beer doesn't seem difficult to drink!
Great beer... probably the top of my BA Barleywine list.... already purchased another couple bottles.
Side note: This beer was aged in Stranahan's Whiskey Barrels, so it's not bourbon your tasting, it's single-malt whiskey made in Colorado, not Kentucky.
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
So far I've been impressed with a lot of Dry Dock's beers so I had to try the Barleywine (BA Barleywine is one of my fav styles)...
It didn't disappoint. Pours a cloudy deep brown mahogany with a tan head, carbonation was spot on for a barleywine.
The aroma was sweet like caramel with a hint of vanilla, coconut and toffee, and had really nice whiskey notes that weren't overwhelming but complementary... one of the reason I love BA Barleys. Overall a perfect balance of aromas, without any dominating.
The taste is just as amazing and well-balanced. The sweet maple and caramel flavors along with some dark fruit are on the forefront coupled with the complexity of the whiskey and gentleness of the oak. So good, so sweet.
Mouthfeel is so right for this beer, not too heavy, not too light. While it's loaded with flavor and a medium-thick mouthfeel, the beer doesn't seem difficult to drink!
Great beer... probably the top of my BA Barleywine list.... already purchased another couple bottles.
Side note: This beer was aged in Stranahan's Whiskey Barrels, so it's not bourbon your tasting, it's single-malt whiskey made in Colorado, not Kentucky.
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4.06/5 rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Shared bottle at RBWG-2015.
Pours very clear red-brown with a frothy head.
Moderately sweet.
Excellent aroma. Plenty of toffee and burnt sugar in the nose.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Shared bottle at RBWG-2015.
Pours very clear red-brown with a frothy head.
Moderately sweet.
Excellent aroma. Plenty of toffee and burnt sugar in the nose.
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4.51/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A - Dark hazy brown with a syrupy complexion. Light carbonation and just a few bubbles.
S - Malty, lots of barrel and oak, dark fruit, and light chocolate
T - Sweet brown sugar, dark fruit, lots of chocolate. Good beer with lots of sweet flavor. Light oak on it in the finish
M - Smooth, body with a light syrupiness and stickiness to it
O - Really good and sweet barleywine with nice chocolate flavor to it as well. Not as good as KH but pretty close
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A - Dark hazy brown with a syrupy complexion. Light carbonation and just a few bubbles.
S - Malty, lots of barrel and oak, dark fruit, and light chocolate
T - Sweet brown sugar, dark fruit, lots of chocolate. Good beer with lots of sweet flavor. Light oak on it in the finish
M - Smooth, body with a light syrupiness and stickiness to it
O - Really good and sweet barleywine with nice chocolate flavor to it as well. Not as good as KH but pretty close
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4.43/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From the bomber into a snifter.
Not much head on this but it has the thick caramelly-look. Dark amber body almost. 4.25
Sweet sticky caramel, soy sauce and tobacco. Faint floral hop aroma. Brown sugar. 4.25
Very consistent with the nose. Caramel drips from this as does brown sugar. Tastes oaken and tobacco-like with a touch of port. 4.5
Pretty low carbonation but silky smooth and rich-feeling. Mildly sweet and a touch of faded bitterness. Really it's just a smooth creamy drinker. 4.5
This is an outstanding barleywine. The barrels don't stifle the base beer but rather complement it well.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From the bomber into a snifter.
Not much head on this but it has the thick caramelly-look. Dark amber body almost. 4.25
Sweet sticky caramel, soy sauce and tobacco. Faint floral hop aroma. Brown sugar. 4.25
Very consistent with the nose. Caramel drips from this as does brown sugar. Tastes oaken and tobacco-like with a touch of port. 4.5
Pretty low carbonation but silky smooth and rich-feeling. Mildly sweet and a touch of faded bitterness. Really it's just a smooth creamy drinker. 4.5
This is an outstanding barleywine. The barrels don't stifle the base beer but rather complement it well.
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4.24/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2011 Vintage.
A: Pours a slightly hazy brown color with a small tan head that reduces quickly leaving a ring on top. Not much lacing.
S: Nice caramel and bourbon aroma mixed with some brown sugar, toffee, and a little wood.
T: Lots of caramel and toffee mixed with bourbon and brown sugar. A bit of oak and vanilla, faint dark fruit in the middle.
M: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
O: Pretty good for a barleywine, barrel does a nice job. Was better when I had it alone than at a barleywine tasting, but I think that was simply due some of the other beers in the line up.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2011 Vintage.
A: Pours a slightly hazy brown color with a small tan head that reduces quickly leaving a ring on top. Not much lacing.
S: Nice caramel and bourbon aroma mixed with some brown sugar, toffee, and a little wood.
T: Lots of caramel and toffee mixed with bourbon and brown sugar. A bit of oak and vanilla, faint dark fruit in the middle.
M: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
O: Pretty good for a barleywine, barrel does a nice job. Was better when I had it alone than at a barleywine tasting, but I think that was simply due some of the other beers in the line up.
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Bligh's Barleywine Ale from Dry Dock Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
4.36 out of
5 with
554 ratings
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