A Deal With Evil
Anchorage Brewing Company

A Deal With EvilA Deal With Evil
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From:
Anchorage Brewing Company
 
Alaska, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
Ranked #6
ABV:
17%
Score:
97
Ranked #784
Avg:
4.55 | pDev: 5.71%
Reviews:
5
Ratings:
23
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 29, 2023
Added:
May 04, 2022
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  2
This is a Double Oaked Blended Barleywine made with my friend Jeppe from Evil Twin! Jeppe sent us some of their very special Barleywine and we blended it with ours. The result is amazing. A Deal With Evil is a blend of Evil Twin Double Oaked Barleywine aged for 28 Months in Sine Qua Non Red Wine Barrels, then transferred to Henry McKenna 12 Year Bourbon Barrels for an additional 12 months. Blended with A Deal with the Devil Double Oaked Barleywine. Aged for 8 Months in Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels, then transferred to Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Barrels for an additional 7 months.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mig100:
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Rated by mig100 from Texas

4.65/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Oct 25, 2022
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.1 by Jdells09 from New Jersey

Nov 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Aug 27, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by fthegiants from California

May 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by GeorgeAKeim from Oregon

Mar 26, 2023
 
Rated: 4.75 by Ristaccia from Nebraska

Dec 11, 2022
Photo of StoutSnob40
Reviewed by StoutSnob40 from California

4.61/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Pours a deep, rich amber brown, with a tan, active head that crumbles like soda. Sits black in the glass, with translucent reddish brown edges. Despite it looking black in the glass, it glows blood red when held up to the light.

There is so so much going on when you stick your nose into the glass. Rich red wine, vanilla tootsie roll, dark salted caramel and black cherries. 17% ABV is overtly present, with nostril burning heat even with a mild inhale.

Again, flavors are so complex. Evil Twin has done amazing things with their Sine Qua Non barrels across multiple beer styles. Although, those barrels could make Heineken taste good.. Vinous qualities are present, but complemented by the big caramel flavors from the malt and the bourbon barrels. They work in harmony to individually shine without overpowering each other. This was blended flawlessly. It’s sweet, but balanced. Dark fruits, cherries, oaky red wine, brown sugar, and the fortified quality of port.
Dec 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by mattreitz49 from Florida

Dec 04, 2022
Photo of DIM
Reviewed by DIM from Pennsylvania

4.56/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Well this is a lot more interesting than a Deal With the Devil. Evil Twin's portion first spent 2 years in red wine barrels. That is a lot more time in oak than Anchorage typically uses and it really takes this in a different direction, I get a nice leathery note. I'm loving the chocolatey, oaky molasses that is coming through in a big way. There is more bourbon than wine but the vinous twang cuts the sweet nicely. This is definitely unique and comes together extremely well, I'm very glad to have tried this.
Nov 03, 2022
 
Rated: 4.48 by Duncian from Pennsylvania

Oct 19, 2022
Photo of DokiDokiLitFam
Reviewed by DokiDokiLitFam from New Jersey

4.78/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Pours out a mild dark brown. Not the same deep darkness as a stout, but the color of a Tootsie Roll. Not a lot of foam even on an aggressive pour.

Nose is spectacular. Huge malt presence, dark fruits, raisins covered in toffee, smoky caramel, oak, bourbon, brown sugar. Despite its ABV, it doesn't come screaming out of the glass which is crazy.

Taste tells even more of a tale. On the initial impact, its malt, smoked caramel, almond/amaretto, and towards the mid palate, the brews sings with this sweet cherry note. It's so prevalent that it reminds me of those cherry lollipops that they used to hand out at banks. The wine barrel has more influence than the bourbon barrel, but neither is a slouch. They dont clash either. Brown sugar from the bourbon and cherry and other dark fruits from the wine resonate harmoniously. This reminds a lot of Utopias. The booze starts to get strong as it warms, which further pushes the similarity towards Utopias.

Mouthfeel is fullbodied. The carbonation is briefly sharp at the very beginning and then is followed up the warming and drying of the high ABV. Its not oily, and doesn't hang to heavily on the palate which is nice. It is a little cloying, but the drying eventually overwhelms that.

Overall this is a product of masterclass artistic prowess. The description of this brew on the bottle itself is nearly a paragraph. Despite that, its not too busy. Every aspect glimmers and works incredibly well with each other. One of my favorites from Anchorage.

Consumed while watching RetroAhoy: X-COM.
Oct 15, 2022
Photo of Alieniloquium
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida

3.92/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
375 mL bottle. Murky brown. Smells of bourbon, strong wine, oak, brown sugar. Tastes of brown sugar, intense alcohol, red wine acidity, oak, bourbon lingers in the finish. Heavy and very boozy. Well, it's boozy. But it's also pretty tasty. Wine barrel helps a lot.
Sep 10, 2022
 
Rated: 4.62 by Wisconsin_IPA_Lover from Wisconsin

Aug 15, 2022
 
Rated: 4.62 by KAP1356 from Pennsylvania

Aug 08, 2022
 
Rated: 4.75 by Juggerr from New York

Jul 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4.75 by IanX from New York

Jul 09, 2022
 
Rated: 5 by eawolff99 from Minnesota

Jul 08, 2022
 
Rated: 4.46 by smithj4 from New York

Jul 05, 2022
 
Rated: 4.65 by rab53 from Washington

Jul 01, 2022
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.72/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Super dark brown opaque body with a tan cap. This is a complex beauty of a beer. Huge bourbon, molasses, brown sugar, various dark fruits, red wine, blended darker oaks, caramel, barley, a hint of anise and earthy smoke in the nose. Taste is just as rich and complex: barley actually is detected more here, the boozy dark fruits with the molasses and hint of orange is just breathtaking, slight oxidation is a pleasant finishing addition. Barrel character is massive. Feel reflects all of this with smooth richness but also huge oak, booze, and barley. This might be the most complex barleywine I have ever had! The wife loved it.
Jun 11, 2022
A Deal With Evil from Anchorage Brewing Company
Beer rating: 97 out of 100 with 23 ratings