61
Wig And Pen

From notes, Reviewed as part of a Wig-and-Penathon tasting Sat Oct 1st , between myself and mrs heygeebee

Looked good on the blackboard and saved til last. Noted as '61 Brewers' by name, Barley Wine @ 8.5%

Pours a deep rich mahogany into a brandy balloon. As such, little head due to glass shape. Light lacing

Light on nose, some malts.

Taste is malt driven, slighty earthy, and not really in Barley Wine territory. A sipper yes, with ABV warming.

Mouthfeel is just too light for a barley wine. No real body.

Overall, OK at best. Not a winner, mainly due to light body.

Clear mahogany colour with a rich, red hue. Moderate, creamy light tan head with fair head retention.

Massive earthy and citrus hop aroma up front with some phenolic character as well. A short period of barrel aging has added some oaky depth. Moderate malt.

Sweet malt which is relatively well attenuated with lots of New Zealand and UK hops. There is plenty of Belgian yeast esters and phenolics with the spice adding complexity to the hop character. Moderate oak character and some very, very mild tartness add depth.

Medium-full body with moderate carbonation. Good.

This is a really good beer and an interesting experiment. 61 was a collaborative beer brewed by the Wig and Pen with the Canberra Brewers, Canberra's homebrewing club. 61 brewers, including Wig and Pen brewmaster Richard Watkins, combined over 60 ingredients in this beer to create a truly unique beer that really works.