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A Deal With The Devil
Anchorage Brewing Company
- From:
- Anchorage Brewing Company
- Alaska, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
- ABV:
- 17.3%
- Score:
- 100
- Avg:
- 4.53 | pDev: 8.61%
- Reviews:
- 155
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 25, 2023
- Added:
- Jan 29, 2013
- Wants:
- 812
- Gots:
- 305
Barleywine style ale brewed with Galaxy Hops. A starting gravity of 37 Plato. Aged eleven months in Cognac barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Damian:
Reviewed by Damian from Massachusetts
4.97/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.97/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Drank from a 1 pt. 9.4 fl. oz./750ml bottle purchased at Craft Beer Cellar, Belmont, MA
Batch #2
Dec/2014
Served in a tulip
Uber thick and viscous appearance. This poured thick like maple syrup. Hazy, ruddy crimson with orange highlights in the glass. The liquid was capped by a barely-there film of tan bubbles that quickly dissolved. The beer looked rather still and somewhat cordial-like.
The aroma was amazingly rich and robust. Super malty and sweet but not overly so. Loads of caramel and dark fruit notes. Sticky toffee pudding came to mind. Boozy. Really rummy. Very raisiny. Booze soaked raisins perhaps. Plummy. Maple notes also came through big time. There was a bit of a port/oxidized character. All in all, incredibly complex and intense. While I probably would not peg this beer for being aged in cognac barrels, it would not surprise me.
The flavor profile was outstanding and very similar to nose. Boatloads of rich, sweet caramel malts. Here too, sticky toffee pudding came to mind. Tons of maple and toffee character. Good amount of port-like complexity. There was a light aged/oxidized character. Boozy but not hot. This drank amazingly well for 17.3%. The booze came through a bit more on the finish. Light barrel notes. Perhaps a touch of bourbon. A hint of piney hop bitterness appeared as well.
The mouthfeel was spectacular. Uber thick and viscous. One of the fullest bodied beers I have ever tried. The liquid contained a fine, frothy effervescence. Pillowy soft on palate.
I sampled the same vintage of this beer fresh after its release and it definitely lacked depth and complexity. The year of age on this bottle however did wonders to it. This is unquestionably the most intense barleywine I have ever tried and one of the most impressive beers in general. Despite its steep ($42) price point, it was definitely worth the splurge. I would love to buy another bottle or two and see how they mature with even more time in the cellar.
Dec 28, 2015Batch #2
Dec/2014
Served in a tulip
Uber thick and viscous appearance. This poured thick like maple syrup. Hazy, ruddy crimson with orange highlights in the glass. The liquid was capped by a barely-there film of tan bubbles that quickly dissolved. The beer looked rather still and somewhat cordial-like.
The aroma was amazingly rich and robust. Super malty and sweet but not overly so. Loads of caramel and dark fruit notes. Sticky toffee pudding came to mind. Boozy. Really rummy. Very raisiny. Booze soaked raisins perhaps. Plummy. Maple notes also came through big time. There was a bit of a port/oxidized character. All in all, incredibly complex and intense. While I probably would not peg this beer for being aged in cognac barrels, it would not surprise me.
The flavor profile was outstanding and very similar to nose. Boatloads of rich, sweet caramel malts. Here too, sticky toffee pudding came to mind. Tons of maple and toffee character. Good amount of port-like complexity. There was a light aged/oxidized character. Boozy but not hot. This drank amazingly well for 17.3%. The booze came through a bit more on the finish. Light barrel notes. Perhaps a touch of bourbon. A hint of piney hop bitterness appeared as well.
The mouthfeel was spectacular. Uber thick and viscous. One of the fullest bodied beers I have ever tried. The liquid contained a fine, frothy effervescence. Pillowy soft on palate.
I sampled the same vintage of this beer fresh after its release and it definitely lacked depth and complexity. The year of age on this bottle however did wonders to it. This is unquestionably the most intense barleywine I have ever tried and one of the most impressive beers in general. Despite its steep ($42) price point, it was definitely worth the splurge. I would love to buy another bottle or two and see how they mature with even more time in the cellar.
More User Ratings:
Rated by jb_4226 from Texas
4.9/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
4.9/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
#99, so good!
Dec 31, 2021Reviewed by GreatStoutman from Texas
5/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
2014 blend 2 is drinking amazing. First time with this beer so I can’t compare it to drinking fresh, but it doesn’t seem to of lost anything. Thick and viscous, slightly boozy, and just tons of dark fruit and toffee flavors. Really incredible
Oct 13, 2021Rated by Eyedoc27 from Illinois
4.6/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.6/5 rDev +1.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
2014 edition
Dec 06, 2020Reviewed by Siriusfisherman from New Hampshire
4.24/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L: A dark ruby red with very little head and no lacing. Slight alcohol legs.
S: Fruity, deep, rich caramel, raisin, prune, vanilla, coconut, and cognac.
T: Very rich caramel flavor, similar to aroma, raisin, vanilla, coconut.
F: Thick, full bodied, very smooth and creamy finish.
Overall: One hell of a strong beer, but very smooth considering. It drinks like it has lower abv, very little alcohol burn, although five years in the bottle certainly helped. Highly reccomended.
Dec 01, 2020S: Fruity, deep, rich caramel, raisin, prune, vanilla, coconut, and cognac.
T: Very rich caramel flavor, similar to aroma, raisin, vanilla, coconut.
F: Thick, full bodied, very smooth and creamy finish.
Overall: One hell of a strong beer, but very smooth considering. It drinks like it has lower abv, very little alcohol burn, although five years in the bottle certainly helped. Highly reccomended.
A Deal With The Devil from Anchorage Brewing Company
Beer rating:
100 out of
100 with
1133 ratings
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