Chicken Killer Barley Wine
Santa Fe Brewing Company

Drinking as part of a flight.
pours a medium copper with a small head. Smells of malt and caramel.
Nice smooth mouth feel.
Tastes of sweet caramel.
Good sweet malt taste.

been wanting to try this one awhile, something of a beer of lore here, old school but timeless too, story driven first wave craft boundary pushing stuff, i miss these days, and not a whole lot like it around anymore, so this was new to me but also sort of nostalgic. a little more blonde colored off the tap than i expected for a malt driven brew, blonde barleywine wasnt really a thing back when this was first concocted, and its not quite that pale, but its not deep dark amber or brown either, as many of these are, some decent head on it too, white and short but lasting alright, nice clarity here. the aroma is sweet like honey, a bit toasted but short of the heavy bready and caramelized type notes i generally expect in the style, but also not without its nuance, some hints of raisin and maybe fig too, but i think somewhat wider than it is deep, a marzipan note, warming alcohol for sure, and some balancing bitterness without it being hoppy to me the way an american barleywine generally is, or i guess probably was, we dont see them so hoppy anymore, but without the english yeast character nobody would call this english barleywine either, kind of in between then i suppose. a little more of that almond and honey and wafer cookie in the flavor, not diabetic but holding on the palate after each sip. the malt is again lighter than expected, and i think the alcohol shows a little earlier and colder than it would in a heavier beer, but it fits, and i dont mind it here in the least. this warms up pretty effectively too, slight red apple or even dehydrated apple giving it an autumnal layer, light toffee, toast, somewhat simple but also clean in that way. a bit of a different take without the heaviness and concentrated malt flavors, but i like it quite well and think it stands the test of time, not too big for summer weather either!

 

 

Looks like about what you'd expect from an American barleywine, moderately opaque. Nose is pleasant, but not terribly complex. Malty, malty, malty, with a bit of citrusy hop character. Taste is good, if a bit more straightforward than you'd expect from a barleywine. Lots of sweet barley malt, caramel, and citrusy hops, and a hint of dark fruits on the back end. Tastes something like if you were to candy an orange rind in barley sugar. Just enough bitterness to balance the beer, while still being on the sweet side.

Love this style, and this is a pretty good entry, if a bit basic (basic isn't synonymous with bad).

 

Decided to break this out in back end of the Winter of 2020-21 for a UFC ppv. Popped at Medium E's house. Bottle courtesy of leftpaw no doubt.

Pours that brown caramel color into a Great Basin tulip. 1/3" beige head. The aroma was mostly caramel, this had been down in the cellar for a few years, so perhaps there was a bigger hop contingency back in the day, its a barleywine, NFG in that regard. You know, malty stuff, caramel, bit of alcohol rocket fuel to it in the nose.

Taste is firmly in the American barleywine realm, loads of bitter caramel. Mouth feel commercial tug job claims about smoothness are off the mark. Its a high ibu barleywine and that is ok, you just ain't gotta lie to kick it. If anything, it has a slightly thinner malt body than your average barleywine. It doesn't have a brutally hot alcohol mouth feel though, which I kind of started to expect from the nose. Hint of cognac like feel to it, ironically more than the barrel aged version. Its an ok beer from the bomber era.

 

 

Pours a very nice Golden amber color. Fairly bright but not clear with minimal head.

Delicate green hoppy aroma overtaken by sweet caramel.

Taste is malt-dominate up front with a strong, caramel-laden hop character that tries to come through but doesn’t. Sweetness on the back end that almost trends towards dark fruit. Reminiscent of Oktoberfest, with more hops.

Overall a very well balanced BW, to a fault. Although lacking character, it’s easy to drink for the abv which indicates how well balanced it is.

 

 

 

 

 

Notes from 1/7/2020.
Poured from a 16oz can into a tulip glass.
The appearance is deep amber with one finger of white foam receding at an average rate with moderate amounts of thick lacing. 4.00
The aroma is medium strength, and smells of hops, fruit, and sweet malt. 3.75
The taste is strong, and of hops, sweet malt, and a moderately bitter hop finish. 3.75
It has a moderately thick and creamy mouth feel. 4.00
Overall, it is very good. I recieved one can in a beer advent calendar purchased at WhichCraft Bottle Shop in Austin. Online, the price for a 4 pack of 16oz cans is $15.99. at the price point, I wouldn't buy it more than once a year. 3.75

 

 

L: rich amber or red with solid white head
S: cherries and malt, dark red fruit
T: bit one-dimensional of malt
F: excellent carbonation

Had this on tap in a cognac glass.

From a tall aluminum can, we tried this while playing a game called Chicken Fight. Appropriate. It is a dark brown, clear liquid. No head, and quite still. The beer has a woody, sweet, malty aroma. Or much fruit, but a little booze in the smell. Dry, warming taste with some bitterness. Full body. Just okay.