Bourbon Barrel-Aged Barley Wine
Kuhnhenn Brewing Company

 

2017 vintage. Enjoyed on 05/14/2022

2018 vintage; consumed on 1/11/22

Pours a clear jet-crimson body with sharp, blood-red highlights and topped with a finger and a half of creamy, pale beige foam; sub-par head retention fades to a few spotty, paper-thin islands of cap, a large, frothy collar, and no lacing clinging to the walls of the glass.

Aromas of harsh, ripe whiskey breed burnt sugar, smoked butterscotch and caramel, and a decadent prune/plum compote; shreds of whiskey umami and soy varnish make way for floral oak barrel carrying vanilla icing against potent bourbon lingering as a final impressor.

Taste shows burnt sugar and toffee swirled into fig syrup upfront, with plummy esters lingering through the mid-palate to a bourbon back end, leaving a dusting of cocoa to finish.

Mouthfeel offers a medium body with minimal carbonation and a semi-oily viscosity, maintaining a slickness into the mid-palate; a char is intertwined in a mild, tannic twang with incredible subtlety on the back end of the palate, where a piercing, encompassing warmth peaks into the finish.

Cresting at the potent richness of boozy barrel peaks, ascendant dark fruit jams near umami status against an unrelenting spirit and fresh oak barrel interplay; structure and detail at the highest levels of barleywine.

 

 

 

 

For purposes of this review, the 2014 vintage was sampled.

Appearance - The beer poured a rusty red color with a few white bubbles crowning the top of the glass.

Smell - The nose was a sweet bready barleywine, with hints of bourbon. This pretty much nailed the expectation.

Taste - The profile had the appropriate level of sweetness. There were notes of raisin, tobacco, orange rind, big caramel, and a nice mild alcohol burn at the finish.

Mouthfeel - The feel was smooth, almost slick with carbonation largely faded.

Overall - This is fairly old school, but it is still elite.

 

 

Vintage 2018 - quite low carb, which really accentuates the rich, oily body of the beer. There is a ton of thick caramel to the beer - sweet, but nicely balanced by malt and hops. Smooth, zero trace of the ABV, with a surprisingly clean finish. The nose isn't powerful but very accurately communicates the rich toffee and caramel of the beer.

Sofa king good. Highly recommended.

Dark brown / cordovan appearance with a fleeting burgundy brown head and no lacing. Caramel, fig, brown sugar, walnut, dark roast coffee. Moderate thin body, light carbonation.

Drinks smooth w/o strong fusel presence, but warms the insides and clearly swings above 14.5%.

Absolutely still, a slightly translucent dirty amber. No head, leaves transparent sheeting on the glass.

Smells of oxidation--sweet toffee, sherry, the library attic, light unsweetened peanut, and faint marshmallow--and a curious crab apple/orchard rot undertone.

Taste follows nose: sherry, brandy, orange liquor, old books, faint peanut and marshmallow, and drying crabapple on the finish. Drinks like 18%, but in a wonderful way--so close to a fine spirit, yet just far enough away to remain drinkable and assert itself as a beer.

Kuhnhenn bros strike again!

 

 

 

Pours an amazing ruby red with a head that dissipates immediately. Smells is super spicy. I would guess this was aged in a rye barrel if it didn’t specifically say bourbon. It’s a sipper. 14.5% drinks like 80 proof. It’s a monster, and a masterpiece.

 

Winter solstice 2018. Drank in winter spring 2018/2019. Forgot to write details.