Chelsea Bourbon Barrel Aged 1,000 Gyle Imperial Mild Barleywine
Chelsea Brewing Company

 

this beer pours a copper color with an off white head that fades to lacing around the edge of the glass and clinging to the sides. the aroma deffinitely brings the fruit, vanilla that the tasting mat promises, and also a bit of the bourbon. the taste matches nicely, the malts coming through all the other flavors nicely. the body is a little light for a barley wine, but still there with a bit more co2 than is really necessary, i'm jealous of the cask fest. the 10.7 abv is barely noticable making this a pretty quaffable barley wine.

Enjoyed at Cole's Cask Festival. Casked for 7 months and enjoyable if still young barleywine. Ruby red colour and a good combination of malt and barley. Natural carbonation was significantly present, flavourful and drinkable despite its apparent booziness though not overwhelmingly so.Bourbon in the accents and giving it some richness.

On cask @ the chelsea brewery

Appearance- orange amber, no carbonation

Smell- notes of honeydew melon and whiskey (probably due to the aging in casks)

Taste- Sweet and smouth

Mouthfeel- luscious, smooth texture

Drinkinability- pretty easy considering the 11%abv, but boy was i feeling it after i finished it

Served on tap at the Ginger Man in New York City.

A: The barleywine has a delicate orange-red color, somewhere between a penny and a ruby red grapefuit. Same for the stream of bubbles in the center of the glass, it is translucent. A small head sits atop the ale and quickly dissapates to nothing.

S: The note is deliciously barleywine, thick with bready grains and touches of tart, sour fruits (apples, grapes). There is no indication of heady alcohol or booze warmth. If you linger on the nose, vanilla, brown suger and corn from the bourbon barrel emerge. They are not overwhelming in the nose, content to hang in the background.

T: Wow! Imperial Mild has it nailed! Gone are the big bold barleywine notes, instead they are replaced with the smooth flow of a mild. Grainy with a touch of bread and caramel, this one sits nicely in the mouth. The bourbon barrel aging is subtly smooth, as those this beer was the 2nd or 3rd to spend time in a particular barrel. The result is flourishes of bourbon, corn, vanilla and pepper without the booziness and blast of fresh bourbon. The bourbon mixes nicely with the barleywine aspect although at times the restrained flavor (and look of booziness) comes across as thin. While the ale is sitting in your mouth, though, it is one hell of a drink.

M: Think a barrel-aged mild, no hint of outrageous alcohol or intensely concentrated malts. I could sip on this beer for hours (although the heady alcohol would catch up with me).

D: Caveat bebitor (while not entirely Latin, drinker beware). There is no hint of the potent strength as you are sipping. An otherworldly job of barrel aging nonetheless.