Mohawk Barley Wine
AB Mohawk Brewing Company

Vintage 2010.

The colour is brown, the liquid is a bit hazy. The finger thick head is beige; it disappears quickly leaving no lacing.

The smell is strong and sweet. Raisins, figs, prunes, strong wine and some brandy. A hint of chloride in the background.

The taste is surprisingly bitter. Dried fruits and berries, raisins and matured cheese. Some brandy. Passing intensive sweetness. Medium body. Alcohol in the astringent aftertaste, some chemicals, cocoa and dark bread. Raw alcohol in the finish as leather and caramel.

The carbonation is medium strong, the many small bubbles are smooth and long-lived. The liquid is light and harsh.

7.5 year of cellaring was too much for this beer.

 

 

A: Golden with red notes. Almost no (white) head. Drinking the beer leaves some lacings.

S: Some bread, oranges and hops. Even though there's little to smell on the noes no alcohol is noted.

T: Sweetness from malt and brown sugar and some alcohol. Almost no carbonation. Aftertaste is fairly short with a round bitter and sweet alcohol feeling.

Overall: Wouldn't say it's barleywine, more like a (scotish) strong ale. And the bitterness does not feel like 100 IBU.

The beer is brown with hues of red, clear and with a large off-white head that settles very slowly. Good lacing and curtains.

Some upfront sweet nut tones, egg yolk(?), orange and fresh apples. Nice but not really barley wine.

Upfront sweet, brown sugar, alcohol is noted, cream sherry, bitter orange marmalade.

Medium carbonation, small soft bubbles, oily and smooth. Slightly dry finish.

I kind of like it, even though it felt very very young. Will wait some years until I try the next one. But it went very well we a salty Tallegio!

Barley wines dont come around often here in Sweden. Mohawk is thus somewhat of an exception. And thus, I had some expectations. So lets see.

Nice copper color, almost no head. Ok.

Smell: a little weak overall; malty and sweet. Smells like brown sugar. Not too much going on here.

Taste: again, somewhat bland and weak; very malty, notes of caramell, toffee, some dried fruits like raisins and figs. Not much hops to talk about, which is fine I think. Alcohol is nicely integrated. But overall the taste is a disappointment.

Ok, an english style bw, and I like that style more than the too bitter american one. However, Mohawk isnt the best example of the style, in fact, judging from this bottle, its not really good at all.

A: Pours reddish copper with a pretty large off-white slightly creamy head that dissipates into some decent lacings.

S: Alcoholic at first, then there's the dark dried fruits - raisins and plums. Sweet, very sweet malt. Some different spices - cinnamon for example. A bit artificial in smell though.

T: Rich sweet malt with a healthy doze of dark dried fruits - cherries and raisins. Some floral hoppy notes, as well as bitter ones - a bit American in style.

M: Long aftertaste, bitter and sweet. Body is full, syrupy full and carbonation is held back. Lots of warmth from the alcohol.

D: A nice Barleywine that would benefit from a couple of years in my beercellar...

A: Pours a copper, on the verge of blood red color into the glass, the head is practically non-existent and dies away in an instant. Like the color, and also the fact that there is no head or foam sticking to the glass, it looks pure.

S: Heavy tones of malt, some almond, taffy and cinnamon, all of which gives you the impression it's rather a liqueur in the style of Disaronno in your glass. Also hints of light syrup surrounded by a thin smokey touch.

T: Cream and dried fruits along with yeast is what flows in when sipping and also a hefty tone of maltiness. The taste of sugar and body of the alcohol warmth strengthens the fruit flavors.
As I said there is hardly any carbonation at all and in the same way as it looks pure, you get a silky smooth mouthfeel.

Different from the American style barley wines I have had a few more of, but this is good, and I can imagine it will be just terrific if aged a bit.