BW
Broadway Pub

Medium: Capped.
Opacity: Deep veiled.
Color: Brown and copper.
Head: Slightly creamy light brown 1 finger.
Legs: Average but good swirl reaction.
Smell: Prunes/Toffee/Light alcohol.
Taste: Berries/Molasses/Herbal.
Feel: Light earthy/Leafy/Red ale spices.
Body: Medium slick and smooth.
Carbonation: Moderate crisp.
Overall: Not very robust, more like a cross red ale than true BW. Alcohol is well hidden in taste. Good quality craft.

Visual 6/10 - Flavors 6/10 - Sensations 7/10 - Balance 6/10 -
Freshness 5/10 - Intensity 6/10 - Complexity 5/10 - Appreciation 6/10

 

 

Bottle: Poured a deep copper color ale with a medium size foamy head with OK retention and some lacing. Aroma consists of caramel malt and toffee with some dry fruits and light sugar notes. Taste is also dominated by some dry fruits notes with some light sugar notes and some caramel malt with light dry toffee notes. Body is about average for style with good carbonation with light arming alcohol notes. Not necessarily ground breaking but enjoyable nonetheless.

 

 

"Bottled December 2011, consumed January 16, 2012. 10% ABV. Rich aroma through which we find notes of caramel, molasses, little dried fruit and alcohol. Dark-amber in colour, this barley wine leaves an intense memory through its texture, reminiscent of wine. Intense and complex flavours of malt, liqueur and confectionaries leaving a sweet aftertaste. Refermented in the bottle."

Deep root beer-coloured body. A careful pour results in a copious, frothy beige head; rocky and slowly rising above the rim of the glass on its own. Chunky lacing is left down the side of the glass. Head retention is impressive.

Big candy-like nose. Caramel, mixed fruit candy, prunes and figs, slightly-soapy herbal hops, light molasses and bits of citrus and alcohol.

For such a recently-brewed barley wine I was expecting some harshness and possibly too much sweetness but initially striking is the balance and smoothness found here. Sweetness is just enough to contrast the moderate bitterness; thankfully this isn't one of the many syrupy-sweet examples of the style. Alcohol is so smooth at 10% I would wonder if it's correctly listed. Deep candy-like malt base and herbal hops (with the same subtle soapiness) along with light notes of molasses, chocolate and alcohol. The dark colour is represented by a dark fruitiness instead of roast malt character, which is low.

Bottle refermentation adds a pleasant creaminess to the mouthfeel, carrying its flavour well. Carbonation might be a hair on the high side but doesn't detract.

This is a lighter and fruitier-than-usual take on the style; unique for sure but I'm enjoying it quite a bit. I'm not sure it's worth aging, especially seeing as the hops seem fresh and are playing an important role flavour-wise but I might be looking to pick up a couple more if I run into it. A nice barley wine, to be opened fresh, for the winter.

 

Thanks to hoppypocket for this one.

Poured from a 500ml. bottle, bottled Dec. 2011.

Appearance: Lots of foam filling most of the glass and a cherry wood color body gradually appears. Good traces left behind.

Smell: Fruit jam (blueberry & raspberry), fruits, caramel and sugar.

Taste: Raspberry jam, fruit candy, bit of a hop bite in the tail end as well as sweet but not cloyingly so. Burnt caramel, dried plums and other dry fruits. As it warms though, i find the aftertaste reminds me of olives (which i cannot stand). Keeps it from being a 4.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation, some underlying bitterness and full bodied without being a meal.

Overall: Easy to gulp rather than sip. Other than the slightly unpleasant aftertaste when at room temp, a solid offering.