Wilde Leeuw Barley Wine Pinot Noire
La Brasserie du Pays Flamand / Anosteké L'Estaminet

Brewed for a Shelton Brothers "The Festival" debut, Louisville, Ky edition, the du Pays Flamand team takes the time honored barley showcase of a beer, the barleywine, and showers it in the oaken glory of pinot noire barrel character. It's long slumber gives the sweet beer a tangy, tannic balance that suits the beer perfectly.

Garnet and tawny in its appearance, its short froth leads to a quick gaze of brandy or port. One pass of the nose does much the same as savory, toasty scents are wrapped in a seductive maple and molasses scent that's decorated with red wine, oak and fruit. Decadently sweet to taste, the molasses, honey, toffee and maple maltiness wraps around the tongue and saturates fully with unadulterated sweetness.

Surprisingly toasty and with a light peppery taste, the complexities hidden deep within the malts begin to emerge to offer a reprieve from a near-cloying palate fatigue. Still, its rich sherry, port and pinot noire character rewards the middle palate with wine soaked mascerated, jammy fruits- date, fig, plum, blackberry, currant and red grape all graze the tastebuds along with an oaken finish of cellar and faint leather.

Full and lavish on the palate, its the barrel's tart and tangy acidity that balances the lasting sweetness along with the herbal tobacco nature of broad and woodsy hops. Light tar and sugar fight the scrubbing action of vinous acidity and lasts deeply in aftertaste. Barley Wine Pinot Noire is a reward for the sweet tooth, but not not void of complexity nor balance; ideally suited for strong english blue cheese.