SBW #5 Pacific N.W. Barleywine
Fremont Brewing Company

 

Thanks to @texwild for the bottle, 22 oz, poured into an oversized, stemless wine glass

L: deep copper, tan head, solid retention and lacing
S: mix of caramel, malt, apple and pear with other hoppy scents
T: on point with nose, thick, full and delicious
M: full bodied and very nice, just where a barley wine should be
O: very nice beer, seems like some age has done it very well.

 

 

22oz bottle

A — Pours a deep ruby red hue into the glass. There is a puffy off-white colored head that forms and leaves behind sticky lacing in it's wake.

S — Smells of bitter piney hops and caramel sweet malts. Very bitter, herbal, earthy, vegetal, fresh and bright, with a balancing caramel and vanilla sweetness underneath it.

T — Tastes quite bitter and boozy, lots of pine, pithy herbal character as well. Little bit of a chewy sweet malt profile, but not overly sweet.

M — Medium-Full bodied overall, very nice lingering finish.

O — Great overall, lot's of hop and caramel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clear orangey amber in the little tulip. Not too sticky and actually a rather slushy body that is fine for sipping. Plentiful aroma of pine with a touch of honeysuckle. Spritzy on the tongue.

Rather sweet but the bitterness shows up to add some balance. Quite hoppy in a big aromatic way. Label notes the hops as Amarillo and Super Galena. This just tastes like a freshly cut pine board. Smooth and mellow with the bitter aftertaste that doesn't overwhelm the other flavors. Caramel with burnt sugar and the most intriguing leafy hop taste. Not at all dank and dirty, this is a well-chosen hop concoction. Less alcohol tasting than a lot of other giant brews.

An unusual double IPA sort of beer that maybe has some traits of a Barley Wine, like alcohol. It does seem better with some sipping, and it's an interesting brew for a strong jolt. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at the brewery in Seattle.

 

650 mL bottle poured into a snifter.

Appearance - Deep copper. Small khaki head. Leggy. Thin wisps.

Smell - Very hoppy. A hint of lemon. Otherwise grapefruit. Deep caramel.

Taste - Grapefruit. Lots of caramel malt. Pretty sweet. Lingering syrupy malt.

Mouthfeel - Medium heavy body. Medium carbonation. Sweet after a while.

Overall - It just gets too sweet without any interesting flavors. Aggressively hoppy, but not enough to keep my interest.

 

 

22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled on 2/26/2013. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy orange amber color with a 2 finger dense cream colored head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass. Aromas of orange peel, tangerine, lemon zest, golden raisin, candi sugar, light caramel, biscuit, toast, light pine, floral, grass, herbal, and floral/toasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good complexity and balance of pale/bready malt and citrus hop notes; with good strength. Taste of orange peel, tangerine, lemon zest, golden raisin, light caramel, candi sugar, biscuit, toast, light pine, floral, grass, herbal, and floral/toasted earthiness. Light floral/pine bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of orange zest, lemon zest, tangerine, golden raisin, light caramel, candi sugar, light pine, biscuit, floral, grass, and floral earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance and complexity of pale/bready malts and citrus/earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Medium carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a smooth, fairly slick, and slightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice American Barleywine style. All around good balance and complexity of pale/bready malt and citrus/earthy hop flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the ABV. A very enjoyable offering.