Hellbound
Ipswich Ale Brewery

 

Muddy brown color where light shines through the center of the glass. Minor head which settles to rim bubbles. Modest spots for lace.

Lightly aromatic with all of the accurate notes and expectations.

High carbonation for the style. The body is appropriate but lightened by the effervescence. Rich malty flavor with plenty of alcohol warmth. Good balancing hop. The swallow and aftertaste feature semisweet, darker malt and very strong alcohol, as one would expect.

 

Acquired can in a trade. I'm usually a bit wary when a product's ABV zooms above 10% but figured a single can might not pose a problem. I expected a harsh taste with an unforgiving alcohol bite. To my great surprise, neither of these factors were a problem. While I wouldn't want to consume multiple cans in a single session, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it for the times when I might desire to enjoy a brew significantly different from my usual favorite IPAs/Pale Ales. Kudos to the brewers at Ipswich for producing this distinctive product.

Look: It pours amber with orange tinges. There is an off white head. Head retention is very good.

Smell: There are malty rich aromas from caramel and some bread. There is a moderately low amount of dark fruits with raisins being the most noticeable. It also has a low amount of orange and citrus in the nose as well.

Taste: The caramel flavor is high with some bread in support. There is a moderate amount of citrus with orange and marmalade like flavors. There are raisins and plums as well which are in the background.

Feel: It has a full body, but is not chewy. It has a sweetness in the finish with a little bit of bitterness. The alcohol warming is smooth.

Overall, a quality mixture of malts and strong smooth alcohol with hops and esters that make this pleasant to drink.

Consumed 3/17/18

A: Dark caramel with some amber at its core and some copper around the edges - some clarity around the edges - pours with a medium size beige head, fades to a a wispy cap, retains a small collar and leaves some nice spots and streaks of lacing

S: Nicely malty - pale and caramel grains - rich caramel, molasses, and toffee - baked bread and bread crust - some residual sugars, cooked sugars - touch of hops, but not as hoppy as some "American" barleywines (not a complaint) - some dark fruit - virtually no alcohol aroma

T: Bready and almost dessert-like - caramel candy, molasses, toffee - cooked and caramelized sugars - bready, with some toast, bread crust, and biscuits - pale and caramel grains - some dark fruits, notably grapes and raisins - minimal hops, medium bitterness mostly seems to be from an earthy characteristic - lingering sweetness - light touch of alcohol, but I would not guess anything over 10%

M: Medium-full body, very smooth, medium carbonation

O: If barleywine is life, and this barleywine is Hellbound, then is hell the barleywine afterlife?

Ipswich Ale has a good record for traditional styles, and I was not sure what to expect for a nearly 12% barleywine in a can. It is very solid and a nice surprise. If I see this again I may stash a few cans for aging. That being said, this is absurdly drinkable considering how fresh it is.

 

Look: Poured from a tall boy can with no canning date into a tulip beer glass. Has an amber brown pour with a very light head
Smell: Malts are very present. Reminds me of many of the German doppelbocks, yet not as roasted with a lighter scent. Would never have guessed it was 11.8 ABV from the smell.
Taste: Sweet caramel malts with moderate carbonation. Flavor has sweetness of a Belgian trappist ale and the maltiness of a German doppelbock. Very unique flavor and spices.
Feel: Surprising and somewhat scary easy to drink for a Barleywine. Medium body, and does not carry any of the traits that could cast the necessary forewarning for a high ABV beer.
Overall: I'm not a typical barleywine drinker, but this beer definitely opened my palate to this specific beer style. Great flavor that is not in anyway overwhelming that I've tasted in the past with other barleywines.