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Commander
Lift Bridge Brewery
- From:
- Lift Bridge Brewery
- Minnesota, United States
- Style:
- English Barleywine
Ranked #157 - ABV:
- 12.5%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #11,636 - Avg:
- 3.98 | pDev: 14.07%
- Reviews:
- 83
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 08, 2023
- Added:
- Nov 19, 2011
- Wants:
- 62
- Gots:
- 92
The Commander™ is our English-Style Barleywine ale brewed with heavy fists of malts and subtle, sweet Cardamom. Aged in bourbon barrels, its bold, complex flavor reaches heights measured only by the building of its namesake. This 12.5% ABV treat is best enjoyed in smaller portions when you have some time to savor it, between now and 2020.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DCon:
Reviewed by DCon from Missouri
4.77/5 rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.77/5 rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Enjoyed a 1 PINT 9.4 FL. OZ. 750 ML bottle of this w/ ChrisF when he arrived in town. Poured from the Dark Aqua/Orange Labeled bottle w/ a Silhouette of an army man in front of a High Towered Farm House into a 12oz Snifter Glass. Has 2011 BOTTLE NUMBER: 2280 on the side & also sayings like "GOBLET WORTHY" & "Savor In Smaller Portions" scattered.
Aroma- Huge scotch and light-medium booziness from the beginning. Raisins and dark fruits come around also.
Appearance- Pours a ton of bubbles but no head at all. Has a dark copper body with good clarity. Leaves suds behind on the glass.
Flavor- Tons of depth and complexity from the start to finish. Can tell it is has been aged in barrels with the amount of bourbon and scotch characteristics. A sweet finish is then present with a light bitterness level. Perfect!
Mouthfeel- Medium-Full Bodied, Moderate Carbonation, Smooth, and subtle on the finish. Has a nice amount of alcohol warmth and just enough to make you want another drink. Not overpowering at all.
Overall Impression- Very rich and perfect amount of character! Enjoyed thoroughly and will be looking for more of this brew at a later date. First time having anything from Lift Bridge and was impressed! Thanks Chris!
Jan 30, 2012Aroma- Huge scotch and light-medium booziness from the beginning. Raisins and dark fruits come around also.
Appearance- Pours a ton of bubbles but no head at all. Has a dark copper body with good clarity. Leaves suds behind on the glass.
Flavor- Tons of depth and complexity from the start to finish. Can tell it is has been aged in barrels with the amount of bourbon and scotch characteristics. A sweet finish is then present with a light bitterness level. Perfect!
Mouthfeel- Medium-Full Bodied, Moderate Carbonation, Smooth, and subtle on the finish. Has a nice amount of alcohol warmth and just enough to make you want another drink. Not overpowering at all.
Overall Impression- Very rich and perfect amount of character! Enjoyed thoroughly and will be looking for more of this brew at a later date. First time having anything from Lift Bridge and was impressed! Thanks Chris!
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by ZAP from Minnesota
4.7/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.7/5 rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
2017 Vintage/Bottle Number 0490
Flat out phenomenal beer. I loved it at the brew pub and this bottle confirms that.
Such a rich maltiness.... Vanilla wafer cookies...caramel.... barrel aging does not overwhelm this or add significant impressions but I'm sure it contributes to that vanilla wafer cookie flavor..just a little light licorice like touch from the cardamon...could do without that...would love to see a version without cardamon...
Body is full but not immense....medium to light carbonation...delicious beer and you'd never guess the ABV at 12.5....was thinking 7.5% maybe....
One of my favorite beers this year..
Jan 08, 2023Flat out phenomenal beer. I loved it at the brew pub and this bottle confirms that.
Such a rich maltiness.... Vanilla wafer cookies...caramel.... barrel aging does not overwhelm this or add significant impressions but I'm sure it contributes to that vanilla wafer cookie flavor..just a little light licorice like touch from the cardamon...could do without that...would love to see a version without cardamon...
Body is full but not immense....medium to light carbonation...delicious beer and you'd never guess the ABV at 12.5....was thinking 7.5% maybe....
One of my favorite beers this year..
Reviewed by JayQue from Virginia
3.91/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.91/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2018 Batch. Bought a bottle at Bernie's Wine and Liquor in Fargo ND. I have a wooden map of the US with spaces for beer bottle caps, I was looking for North Dakota beers in bottles but no luck!!! It seems that North Dakota brewers are using mostly cans!!! I did score a Montana beer cap and this Minnesota beer. Pours a hazy, murky medium brown color with a beige head that fades fast. No lacing to speak of. Aroma is pretty good. Caramel malt, maltiness in general and some bourbon barrel flavoring and oak bitterness. Big beer/lot of malt flavor. The caramel malt, bready malt and bourbon barrel flavoring are just right. not enough hoppiness for it to be classified as an American Barleywine. Mouthfeel is strong , rich and malty. Some alcohol presence and interesting bourbon barrel and oak bitterness in the finish. This is a good beer, strong but well mannered. Aged enough not to be harsh.
Jun 26, 2021Reviewed by MNAle from Minnesota
3.84/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
2019 vintage. Murky brown color under a short off-white head that is gone in less than a minute, leaving a creamy ring. Even with a backlight, there is not much visible through the murk. The appearance is kind of ugly; surprising for such a "young" beer.
The smell is very barley-wine-like, dark fruit, brown sugar, toffee, alcohol, along with a sweet breadish aroma.
The taste is very different, however. Quite spicy, almost a cinnamon flavor, backed by the sweet bready malts and brown/burnt sugar. I'm not sure what cardamom tastes like; perhaps that is what I am identifying as cinnamon. There is a solid bitter hit almost immediately, which continues throughout, fading a bit in the aftertaste. The finish is spicy, sweet, a bit bitter, toffee, with a nice alcohol warmth. This is a pleasant beer, but more of a holiday warmer than a (quoting the label now) "bona fide barleywine ale".
Moderate body, just a bit on the slick side.
Overall, this is a really good beer, good enough it may make my holiday list for next year, but it is decidedly a different take on what a barley wine should be (but, then, the cardamom on the label tells you that), so I would not recommend this to someone who wants to taste a barley wine for the first time. It's a really, really nice sipping beer to finish the evening with, though.
Feb 01, 2021The smell is very barley-wine-like, dark fruit, brown sugar, toffee, alcohol, along with a sweet breadish aroma.
The taste is very different, however. Quite spicy, almost a cinnamon flavor, backed by the sweet bready malts and brown/burnt sugar. I'm not sure what cardamom tastes like; perhaps that is what I am identifying as cinnamon. There is a solid bitter hit almost immediately, which continues throughout, fading a bit in the aftertaste. The finish is spicy, sweet, a bit bitter, toffee, with a nice alcohol warmth. This is a pleasant beer, but more of a holiday warmer than a (quoting the label now) "bona fide barleywine ale".
Moderate body, just a bit on the slick side.
Overall, this is a really good beer, good enough it may make my holiday list for next year, but it is decidedly a different take on what a barley wine should be (but, then, the cardamom on the label tells you that), so I would not recommend this to someone who wants to taste a barley wine for the first time. It's a really, really nice sipping beer to finish the evening with, though.
Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana
4.5/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.5/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a beautiful dark copper color with a tan head that dissipates quickly. I was expecting no head from a 2014 bottle so I’m already in bonusville! The nose has a heaping helping of toffee and caramel aromas, some fruity notes from the cardamom, and the slightest hint of the barrel with a subtle boozy note.
The subtle boozy note from the barrel continues on the taste, but it appears WAAAAAY after you take a drink of this - there’s big caramel and toffee flavors, the fruity sweetness, and then, after a substantial delay, a boozy warming sits in your chest. Wow.
This is executed exceptionally well. I was a bit concerned about how this would hold up after 6+ years and 2 long trips, but my concerns were unfounded, because this is a world-class barleywine.
Feb 01, 2021The subtle boozy note from the barrel continues on the taste, but it appears WAAAAAY after you take a drink of this - there’s big caramel and toffee flavors, the fruity sweetness, and then, after a substantial delay, a boozy warming sits in your chest. Wow.
This is executed exceptionally well. I was a bit concerned about how this would hold up after 6+ years and 2 long trips, but my concerns were unfounded, because this is a world-class barleywine.
Reviewed by gatornation from Arizona
3.89/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.89/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a cola color with a tan head.Smell of caramel,fruit,and spice. Taste followed nose yet had more spice than i would like,notes of dark fruit and vanilla. Mouth feel is thick and hoppy with cardomen in the finish. glad this is now available in a 12oz bottle.
Apr 16, 2020Rated by beer_banse from Wisconsin
4.08/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
22oz Bottle - Year 2016 - Bottle Number 0739 - Overall a solid barleywine
Apr 13, 2020Rated by BarrelAgedG from California
4.38/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.38/5 rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2011 Vintage........ maybe waited a little too long.... oh well.. it was actually pretty delicious and tasted of caramel and vanilla!
Mar 16, 2020Rated by brutalfarce from Connecticut
3.08/5 rDev -22.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
3.08/5 rDev -22.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
Thin boozy overly sweet just not for me
Aug 31, 2019
Commander from Lift Bridge Brewery
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
276 ratings
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