Harvest Ale (Limited Edition) | J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd

3.82/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

2014 Vintage. Very low carbonation in appearance and none on the mouthfeel. I don't think the cap was as secure as it should have been.

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4.39/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

**
06/30/17
Vetri , Philadelphia, PA
Beer pairing with Tasting Menu
6/6
2013 Vintage
Super smooth and sweet. Lots of plum, almond, grape, tastes and almost feels like a port wine.

Paired with cheese course (for dessert). Perfect complement.

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4.25/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

3.51/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

4.38/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2014 vintage. "Cellar Release 12-2014." 275 mL bottle.

Look: Deep amber and cloudy. The color is beautiful though, it seems to shine in the glass. Small off-white head with poor retention and sparse lacing on the glass.

Smell: Rich malt aroma. Bread, caramel, toffee, dark chocolate, raisin, sherry, butterscotch, maple syrup, and a hint of alcohol. There's an underlying orange marmalade smell too, possibly from the hops. Complex and awesome.

Taste: Rich malt flavor to match the aroma. Caramel stands out the most but plenty of raisin and maple syrup as well. Sweet, long lasting finish.

Feel: Despite being so rich it's surprisingly light on its feet, landing somewhere around medium to medium-full bodied. Sticky and​ chewy with not much carbonation. Warming at the end.

Overall: A world classic and well deserving of it. A big English Barleywine that boasts a strong and complex flavor profile without ever feeling too heavy. Highly recommended for novice and seasoned barleywine drinkers alike.

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4.53/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

4.07/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

4.1/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

4.78/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

2002 vintage, 15 years old. Stumbled upon it at Whole Foods...

Lusciously malty and sweet. Tastes heavenly. Dark bread and chocolate. Toffee. Ripe fruit, musky melon and cherry. Lingering sweet chocolate. Modest tea-like bitterness comes through in finish.

Mmmm. Exemplary.

Dark golden brown. Almost no carb, perhaps 2% of a baby beer. Serious yeast cake in bottle. Thick and syrupy.

Such a treat.

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4.24/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.16/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

2001 Vintage

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4.01/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

2001 vintage decanted into a tulip pint glass. Pours a cloudy brown color with minimal head but decent lacing. Nose: initially a cognac fragrance that evolves over time to more of a port/sherry. Tastes remarkable like sherry with a slight licorice note. Interestingly full mouthfeel (almost to the point of grittiness) and only the mildest hint of effervescence. A very different, but very enjoyable experience.

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4.6/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

4.4/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2001 Vintage enjoyed in 2/17.

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4.53/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

4.26/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Autumn 2012 edition. Pours hazy, orange-brown in color with minimal head. Taste is cognac, beachwood, cedar, and big toasted malts. Very sweet, heavy bodied, with low carbonation. Overall makes for a tasty malty sipper. Similar to other JW Lee's barleywines. I will get this again and see how this tastes with more age.

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4.35/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.58/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2007 bottle direct from the brewery.
Deep auburn with a thin wispy head. Yeast floaters apparent.
Rich aroma. Multitude of rum infused fruit. Alcohol is noticeable. Slightly oxidised sherry notes. Toffee. A mellifluous concoction.
The taste reflects the bouquet and more so. Very sweet.
Unctuous in nature but nevertheless has high drinkability.
A very enjoyable experience and 2008 - 2016 inc' yet to be drunk from my cellar.

March 2017 - Vintage 2008 - More sherry like in taste and aroma. Phenols are noticeable. Very low carbonation. Overall = 4.5

May 2017 - Vintage 2016 - Dark marmalade colour. Flat. Treacle. Sweet again. Definitely needs ageing. Overall = 4


July 2017 - Vintage 2015 - Lighter than others. Reduced aroma and taste. Hint of oak. Very soft. At two years old this one is developing nicely. Overall = 4.25

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4.02/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2001 Vintage drunk in 2017.

Pours a ruddy brown color. Completely opaque. Has lots of yeast floaters visible in the beer. No head whatsoever. Beer does have some visible carbonation like coca cola - you can see the big bubbles in the beer at first, but then they disappear.

Smell is very sweet. Figs, raisins, plums, and dark fruits on the nose. Lots of leather and sherry like notes also come through.

Taste follows the nose with lots of sweet fig, plums, raisins, and dark fruits. Sherry like notes. Beer is surprisingly sweet, almost too sweet - tastes like there is actual molasses in the beer. Touch of apple and cardboard on the finish. The oxidation is not bad in the beer, and it actually works well with the flavors, but I can't help but think that this beer is well past its prime.

Feel is full bodied. Mild to almost no carbonation. Pretty smooth.

Overall a really interesting beer - I think I need to get a more recent vintage to try because this one is past its prime. Still, even this is a phenomenal beer. An absolute must try.

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4.16/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Vintage 2014 bottle poired into a snifter at Hopcat Chicago. Minimal head/retention, cloyingly sweet even for me but still a very satisfying experience and quite representative of the style.

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3.25/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

4.24/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.11/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

4.4/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2001 bottle (15 years old)

Appearance: Appealing reddish brown color with no head

Smell: Figs, raisins, burnt toast.

Taste: Really complex. Raisins, figs, toast, and so much malt goodness. Reminds me of a stronger and slightly better version of the Dogfish raisin beer (can't recall the name). Really good, but as I'm drinking, I can't help but still feel that it may not be quite special enough for the $11.99 pricetag.

Mouthfeel: Alcohol is fairly well concealed given the abv. A little sticky. Carbonation level is quite low.

Overall: Glad I tried it, and it's a great beer, but I can't justify paying $11.99 for 9.5 ounces of this in the future. Worth trying once and sipping on that special occasion.

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4.71/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5