Electric Rattlesnake
Pipeworks Brewing Co.

Pours a light fizzy tan head with low retention, fair lacing though and long legs, very dark molasses brown color

Nose brings plenty of dark malts, sweet candy and mild charred dark roast, a touch of nougat and cocoa and little licorice and baking spice from the dark malts, then more barleywine like, candy sweet caramel and toasted reddish malts, candy malt, hint of vanilla and oak

Taste brings mode dark malt flavors, roast and black malt, nougat, cocoa, licorice and baking spices, with some spicy bitter hops as well, med bitterness and earthy spicy piney hop notes, very much like a clashing black IPA so far, some barleywine sweet candy malt, caramel, toffee, little tingly alcohol as well, mild vanilla and toasted oak, drier finish with more tingly alcohol, spicy hops clashing with roasty dark malts, nougat, licorice, and cocoa lingering

Mouth is fuller bod, rich cocoa chewy like maybe some flaked oats even, med carb, fair warming tingly alcohol

Overall this was a hot mess in more than one way, hot with alcohol that seemed stronger than 9%, but at the same time so many clashing flavors. I've never heard of a black barleywine before, and now I can see why. It's similar to the black IPA style done wrong with earthy spicy piney hops clashing with roasted dark malts and chocolate, with barely any barleywine characters in this. I'm def not a fan!

22 ounce bottle into a snifter. Had 8/20/18.

Pours a dark brown, quite opaque, with a one inch head and some soapy cling. Aromas of dark chocolate, malt, toffee, caramel, oak, cocoa, dates, light smoke and molasses, a little vanilla, light earthy hops, a hint of strawberries. A little licorice when fully warmed. The flavor is more focused- malt, chocolate, oak, caramel, coffee, molasses, cocoa, light vanilla. Some earthy hop bitterness when colder, but it fades. Smooth, surprisingly creamy, a very good full body, well carbonated.

Only have had a few black barleywines, but equals any of them. Complex flavors and aromas and the level of creaminess was a big surprise. Resists the urge to lean towards being a black IPA, yet there is a decent hop presence. Well worth a purchase.

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into the test glass
A - Dark and intriguing, not much carbonation, thin ring clingsto the glass.
S - Strong malts, grassy hops, cinnamon, black raspberry
T - Follws the nose well, add a bit of toffee, plum and cigar
M - Slickon the palate, sweet and never gives up.
O - not a fan, strong black IPA , I can get behind. Black Barleywine is a stretch. That aside. Solid offering

 

oak fermented black barleywine, and a mighty tasty beer here. not enough of these out there right now, and this is a cool one, done in collaboration with amager. matte black in the glass with a high rising near two inches of off white head, creamy and frothy looking, and with great retention. smells like rye spice or something, the oak maybe lending itself to the nose early, but a rather complex grain bill seems evident, rye or not. i get a lot of roast, some dry ashy remains of a fire, a touch of brown sugar but not more for essence than sweetness it seems, and something starchy, oats maybe, midnight wheat, its got a ton of character, and its also quite hoppy. the wood isnt overly forward in the flavor, but it definitely makes this unified, rich, and complex, i think a needed touch against the bitterness of the dark grains and the hops together, but this isnt overly intense to me, partly because the alcohol is very well hidden, and also i think because the yeast has a bready almost english character and some minerals to it that make this seems almost sessionable for what it is, giving it a real roundness and completeness thats really attractive, and it warms up incredibly well too. a nice roasty finish too, a very neat take on the barleywine style, the oak is a cool feature, and in the end its a total winner, especially this time of year! a sort of spooky halloweeny vibe...

 

Black barleywine. I believe I’ve only had one. Originally a mistake by the brewery. It was good. This one comes in a 22 oz. container. Never dropped.

The pour is, as promised, blackish. No, not brackish. Not much aroma, mild sweetness & shriveled grapes.

Electric Rattlesnake kicks silos out of bed for eating crackers; this isn’t easy to define, or review, in trying to fall back on tried & true words. It’s bitter. It’s roasty. I don’t like these things superimposed on one another (like nuts & chocolate – why would you do that to chocolate?). But it kind of works with the additives: sharp bite of wood, sweet raisins, with a thick mouthfeel reminiscent of maple syrup.

A noble experiment that almost turned out great. Good beer.

Pours opaque, black in color with 1/3 inch head. Taste is cocoa, roasted malt, and earthy hops. Roasty, medium-heavy bodied, with low carbonation. Do not get much barleywine..more imprial black ipa..solid beer, but not a barleywine.

 

 

L: deep dark brown under a cream to tan cap with a very fine bead and good retention

S: smells of chocolate, dark dried fruit and alcohol

T: rich flavors of chocolate, dark dried fruit, raisins, figs, a hint of sherry and a light dark sugar sweetness

F: very creamy with a medium full to full body and very fine soft carbonation

O: n excellent beer and is well worth repeating

 

 

Had on tap at Dojo. Considering the brewers and promise of a decent BW... all in all a bit disappointing.

 

 

THEY CALL IT A BARLEY WINE STYLE ALE BUT NOT MUCH OF A BARLEY WINE TASTE - MORE LIKE A BALTIC PORTER - NOT ONE OF THEIOR BETTER BEERS