Bluster Barleywine
Blue Mountain Brewery

Doesn't seem like a Barleywine but its very easy drinking for 9.6% ABV

 

 

 

 

 

This beer pours lighter than one might expect. It looks more like a saison or lighter-colored IPA than what I expect from a barleywine. It is a clear, dirty-to-orangish yellow pour, with a decent head and lacing.

The smell is hard to distinguish at the bar, but seems to have a little wine-like bitter-sweetness to it.

The taste has a (typical) un-beer-like sweetness to it, more white-raisin, sweet grape, or apricot in nature. It's the "lighter side" of a dark fruit flavor. It reminds me oh so slightly of some of DFH beer-wine pairings. There is a dry piney-ness that cuts the citrus edge of the initial taste.

Overall I am really questioning whether this fits the barleywine standards. It seems closer to a fruity saison, or a fruit-based pale ale hybrid. Regardless of the category, it is an interesting and tasty beer. I hope my review portrays the enjoyable nature of the beer as well as its debatable categorization. For pure enjoyability, I'd rate this about a third a point higher.