Big Ass Barrel Glen Ale
Rogue Ales

 

 

 

 

 

 

I only have a couple of these Big Ass Barrel series left. It's been a trip, with some fantastic and some only good. Rogue named this after Glen Hay Falconer, and describes it as a rich, malty flavored ale paying homage to Glen's Scottish heritage, and using 100% Falconer's Flight hops.

Pours with a finger of bone-colored head, dropping relatively quickly to an island of cap surrounded by a filmy veil. Thin collar, but climbs the sides of the glass with sheety lace. Body is a rich amber-orange, with a strong glow. Quite a bit of suspended sediment/lees.

First nosing had me thinking more West Coast barleywine. While there's a big, sweet caramel component, the hops bring tropical fruit, lemon essence and citrus pith. Tangerine, vanilla oak, caramel malt and a creaminess that appealed. Nose doesn't mesh completely, but all the pieces make for a pleasant whole.

Taste too leads caramel, and then some good notes from those barrels: toast, vanilla and clean, dry oak. From there it's bitter citrus pith, a bit of marmalade, tangerine. Woody, soft and creamy, the barrels do nice things. Lingers off into more hop notes than malt, leading me even more to equate this with a barleywine. An odd mish-mash of caramel and hops, but I like it.