This Is Hygge
Evil Twin Brewing

 

Canned November 2023; drank 2/16/24 @ the Yarchives.

Dark brown appearance.

An even pour yielded a huge tan head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lacing remained.

MIld notes of wood, cream, strawberry & smoke in the nose.

Medium thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Cream, dry wood & faint strawberry flavors; mild caramel & some booze heat emerged as this warmed.

For a 15% barleywine, this was VERY mild; in some ways, I liked that it wasn't obnoxious. In other ways, it was perhaps a bit forgettable.

16oz can from Tavour. Dark brown pour, patchy fine beige head.Malty, woody aroma, light boozy notes. Taste starts sweet, light chocolate, oak, bitterness at the back, booziness in the ta,,,ste subsides, but the ABV catches up quickly. A really nice slow sipper

Canned 11/22/23

It’s been a while since I’ve had a “Black Barleywine” but there always fun to try. I’m sure Evil Twin has a good take on the sub-style so I figured this was worth a shot. Let’s crack it open and find out if I was right

Pours almost completely pitch black with 2 fingers of frothy tan head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves decent lacing

The nose is quite sweet but there’s a nice roasty character that keeps things balanced. I’m picking up on aromas of black cherry, dark bread, cocoa powder, leafy hops, medium roast coffee, toffee, black pepper, brown sugar, light molasses, and raisin

Things get a bit sweeter in taste but the roast is still somewhat prevalent. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting cocoa powder, black cherry, raisin, sweet caramel, black pepper, light roast coffee, dark bread, and light leafy hops. The swallow brings notes of black cherry, toffee, dark toast, black tea, leafy hops, molasses, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and light raisin

A medium full body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes mostly dry with a lingering bitterness. It drinks dangerously below its abv

Yeah I dig this one. The alcohol definitely sneaks up on you

From the bottom of the can: "11/22/2023 14:05"

Appearance: It is a black-bodied beer with a large, dense, light brown head. It has excellent head formation and it leaves some very nice rings of lacing on the glass which are comprised of small bubbles. The label on the can states that this is "15% ALC BY VOL" and it manages to have a large head with great retention and lacing.

Aroma: It has a bit of a candy-like sweetness in the aroma. It almost has a bit of a peppermint smell. The overall aroma landscape is pretty barren.

Taste: Up front there is an interesting fruity flavor which tastes a bit like an orange tootsie pop. That is an odd throwback flavor I would have never expected to emerge, because most people didn't want orange tootsie pops. It has a bit of a charred flavor towards the back of the palate which is slightly harsh. The flavors don't really meld well together but they are interesting and prominent.

Mouthfeel: It has a strong bitterness which comes across as both a charred bitterness and this citric bitterness. It is full-bodied with a slightly rough and somewhat dry finish. It is definitely a sipper.

Overall: The label on the can states that this is a "BLACK BARLEYWINE ALE" without distinguishing as to whether this is an English or American style Barleywine. It definitely drinks more like an American Style, with a stronger and more punchy flavor profile, with a bit more of a rougher texture on the palate. The label on the can states that this is "15% ALC BY VOL" and this beer does a really great job of hiding that. It also looks absolutely fantastic in the glass, which is a great feat for a beer that boasts 15%. This isn't an easy drinking beer or a well-aged barleywine. It is a big and flavorful barleywine which is worthy of being an Evil Twin beer.

It has some interesting orange flavors which seem a bit strange when compared to the rest of the beer, but even those strange flavors are large and feel well-done. I would buy this again. I wouldn't recommend it to a person looking for a more refined barleywine but I would recommend it to somebody looking for something a bit different.