Single Batch Series - Barleywine
Sebago Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

Served in a snifter at the Union Brewhouse in Weymouth.

Appearance: A one finger head was poured that reduced to a thin layer. It is a dark crimson color with no vision of anything.

Smell: Caramel, toffee, toasted, roasted, dark fruits, molasses, vanilla, herbal, and warm boozy alcohol.

Taste: Awesome barleywine flavor and bourbon barrel characteristics too. Light bitterness and super smooth warm alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Silky smooth, medium to full bodied, warm alcohol, medium carbonation, and light tingly bitterness.

Overall: Have to admit that this beer has aged well out back at the bar plus bourbon barrel flavor on top of that. Delicious stuff. I look forward to the next glass if it lasts.

2014 Bottle. Toffee, caramel, brown sugar, dark fruits, vanilla and oak. Smooth. Lower carbination. On the thin side. Dry. Not too sweet. Pretty good.

 

 

 

 

2015 series, 11.8% ABV, Bourbon Barrel Aged
Look: Pours a nice dark copper color with a finger of tan head, lacing is good.
Smell: Smells highly of bourbon and alcohol.
Taste: Starts off with bourbon and alcohol following the nose, then mellows into rich chocolate and caramel notes with a hint of toasted oak.
Feel: Light body for a barrel aged beer, medium carbonation, some alcohol burn, a little dry.
Overall: High bourbon character from the barrel aging, alcohol diminishes over the first few sips, complexities develop as you drink, a fine barleywine.

This is a very nice barleywine.

On draft at the Portland pub a nice tulip, the beer is deep ruby in the low light almost looks black. The head remains but on the glasses edge pretty good at almost 12%.

The nose is sweet malts bourbon and an almost gram cracker maltyNess very nice.

The taste matches the nose, malt is forward sweet and caremel, a nice sweetNess reveals the oak and vanilla boutbon, very nice. Aso it warms the bourbon better meldd. This is world class

 

Pours nice rich dark Amber color. Great aroma. Very nice barley wine with a light bourbon throughout it.has an oily feel. Not as complex as most other barley wines.

 

 

 

2014 bottle poured into snifter

A: fairly good clarity, brownish red tint not much head but soapy quality to it

S: butterscotch, toffee, vanilla

T: very similar to the nose you can get a rush of hops but it is crushed by the vanilla, toffee quite quickly can taste the alcohol decent amount of heat a little nutty on the end and a little bit of a sourish aftertaste

M: tingly lays on the tongue a bit but not syrupy

O: interesting and impressive the look with that amazing clarity had me thinking this was going to be tasteless but it's amazing love it with the toffee and vanilla the hops are very dialed down or the barrel has overwhelmed them quite impressively except for the little bit of heat this beer is amazing

 

 

 

 

 

So what lackluster look, maybe too cold
Earthy, spicy smell
Bittersweet,spicey, bourbony, alcoholy taste
Dense, oily mouthfeel
Bold in every way, but not my favorite barley wine, prefer more to the malty side

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks to mjg0725 for sending me this beer; I had to wipe off the drool as I watched it crawl closer on FedEx tracking. 22 oz. bottle split with my wife, who forced me to have one more beer tonight. If I never review again, you'll know I cracked open my head falling up the stairs.

The pour is old brick red, minimal carbonation befitting its status as liver-bruiser. The nose causes just a little pre-cum. Good lord. Loads of bourbon, caramel, brown sugar, sweet malt with the depth of a Coyote Ugly cameo. I didn't mean that. Fantastic.

Sebago Barleywine - Bourbon Barrel Aged should be sued for false nose advertising. Huge drop from aroma to taste. The barrel dominates, subjugates, overrides the delicate beauty flowing from aroma, as efficiently numbing as a novacaine needle to the gums. Caramel plays hide & seek, badly. Significant oak/wood emerges in the middle, tangled up with toffee, vanilla, & moonshine. Slick as butter. Thought at first this might be a chore to wade through, now I'm thinking I might need more.

This one needs warmth & love to reach its full potential. Not sure if it's the alcohol, late hour, or bad TV, but this is really growing on me. Excellent beer.