Saturated Indigo Light
Tired Hands Brewing Company
- From:
- Tired Hands Brewing Company
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
- ABV:
- 10.2%
- Score:
- 85
- Avg:
- 3.71 | pDev: 8.89%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 9
- Status:
- Inactive
- Rated:
- Jun 25, 2019
- Added:
- Oct 19, 2018
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 2
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
Saturated Indigo Light is our Blackberry Maple Syrup Vanilla Barleywine brewed entirely with English Maris Otter malt and boiled for over 3 hours. Refermented with juicy blackberry purée and gritty and pungent Pennsylvania grade B maple syrup. Further conditioned on Tahitian vanilla beans and then laid to rest for 4 weeks. Supple, comforting and beautifully nuanced. Notes of oatmeal raisin cookie, dark tart cherry, chewy caramels and concord grape jelly.
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Reviewed by JamFuel from Sweden
3.92/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a reddish, brownish orange with a little bit of fine foam.
Smell is sweet and fruity with notes of berries, dried fruit and blackberry marmalade.
Taste is sweet and rich with notes of backberries and golden syrup and hints of dried fruit, rum raisins and a medicinal tinge. Pretty strong bitterness that clashes a little bit with the syrupy sweetness.
Mouthfeel is thick and viscous, well carbonated.
Overall, an odd duck, pulling in a lot of directions at once. Quite enjoyable, none the less.
Jun 25, 2019Smell is sweet and fruity with notes of berries, dried fruit and blackberry marmalade.
Taste is sweet and rich with notes of backberries and golden syrup and hints of dried fruit, rum raisins and a medicinal tinge. Pretty strong bitterness that clashes a little bit with the syrupy sweetness.
Mouthfeel is thick and viscous, well carbonated.
Overall, an odd duck, pulling in a lot of directions at once. Quite enjoyable, none the less.
Reviewed by larryi86 from Delaware
3.84/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
16 oz can, dated 10/11/18, poured into a teku
A- A slightly murky ruby red and some purple hints with a two finger pinkish head
S- Roasted malts, big piney hops (think Bigfoot), blackberries, some hints of vanilla, some caramel malts.
T- Blackberries, roasted malts, caramel malts, piney, some vanilla, maple.
M- Smooth, medium body, carbonation is a little low.
O- In reading other review it seems that it is starting to balance out after 3 months. It is enjoyable enough that I won’t mind having another can with some age.
Feb 18, 2019A- A slightly murky ruby red and some purple hints with a two finger pinkish head
S- Roasted malts, big piney hops (think Bigfoot), blackberries, some hints of vanilla, some caramel malts.
T- Blackberries, roasted malts, caramel malts, piney, some vanilla, maple.
M- Smooth, medium body, carbonation is a little low.
O- In reading other review it seems that it is starting to balance out after 3 months. It is enjoyable enough that I won’t mind having another can with some age.
Reviewed by thebeers from Pennsylvania
3.65/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.65/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours a murky maroon color with close to a finger of purple-and-tan tinted head. Light sheets of lacing.
Berries, pancake, light caramel and light earthy, floral hops in the nose.
Dull, muted, earthy flavors dominate the taste — a mix of earthy hops and some wooly blackberry character. There’s some light caramel and toffee malts beneath the earthiness, with light berry sweetness and maple.
Fairly light-bodied for the style, slightly sticky, with a little more carbonation than necessary.
This is like a stepped-on Curmudgeon’s Better Half. All the right flavors are in there, but none of them really pop. Not sure if more time would really benefit this one.
Jan 21, 2019Berries, pancake, light caramel and light earthy, floral hops in the nose.
Dull, muted, earthy flavors dominate the taste — a mix of earthy hops and some wooly blackberry character. There’s some light caramel and toffee malts beneath the earthiness, with light berry sweetness and maple.
Fairly light-bodied for the style, slightly sticky, with a little more carbonation than necessary.
This is like a stepped-on Curmudgeon’s Better Half. All the right flavors are in there, but none of them really pop. Not sure if more time would really benefit this one.
Reviewed by Billolick from New York
3.56/5 rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.56/5 rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Tall can...10/11/18 canning date
Dark and hazy dull plum in color, under a long lasting yes again plum hued cap, leaving some thicker spots of lacing left on the glass. Different and interesting for sure...
Sweet plums, a nasty plastic note and some vanilla on the sniff.
Wow...this is a train wreck...lots of sweet fruit, again some charred plastic and a very dry finish....points for trying to be different, but this one misses the mark...one and done here for me...pass it by...
Dec 03, 2018Dark and hazy dull plum in color, under a long lasting yes again plum hued cap, leaving some thicker spots of lacing left on the glass. Different and interesting for sure...
Sweet plums, a nasty plastic note and some vanilla on the sniff.
Wow...this is a train wreck...lots of sweet fruit, again some charred plastic and a very dry finish....points for trying to be different, but this one misses the mark...one and done here for me...pass it by...
Reviewed by DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey
3/5 rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -19.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A for the experiment, D for the results. There's so much in this barleywine that you'd never expect in a barleywine. Throughout draining my glass, the beer had different qualities with almost every sip. Usually, I'd admire complexity like that. But in this noble experiment, every ingredient came through weakly. There's so much in this beer, but too much. You get a little of everything, but not enough of anything.
Nov 09, 2018
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania
3.6/5 rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
16 oz can, dated 10/11/18
pours a light plum color, hazy, cream colored head that fades. the aroma is dominated by the blackberry, I don't get much of the maple or vanilla. same with the taste, quite fruity. a touch tart, a bit dry. I thought there would be more sweetness with the vanilla, and the long boil of the marris otter malt. medium bodied, could be thicker for a barleywine.
overall I am disappointed, as I'm a fan of rich malty english style barleywines. By the description from TH, I expected a lot of caramel malt flavor with the fruit being secondary. But it's the other way around.
Nov 07, 2018pours a light plum color, hazy, cream colored head that fades. the aroma is dominated by the blackberry, I don't get much of the maple or vanilla. same with the taste, quite fruity. a touch tart, a bit dry. I thought there would be more sweetness with the vanilla, and the long boil of the marris otter malt. medium bodied, could be thicker for a barleywine.
overall I am disappointed, as I'm a fan of rich malty english style barleywines. By the description from TH, I expected a lot of caramel malt flavor with the fruit being secondary. But it's the other way around.
Reviewed by SierraNevallagash from Maine
3.87/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.87/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Huge thanks to Steve for hooking me up with this one. Cheers!
Pint can dated 10/11/18 poured into a snifter at 46F.
Pours a reddish/pinkish/purple hue with half a finger of white head that dissipates quickly, leaving a very thin collar, and an ultra-thin film only in the middle. Clings to the sides of the glass like syrup.
Nose is big blackberry. It's not so much identifiable blackberry as it is a fruitiness, but I know it's blackberry, so we'll call it that. It's very fruity on the nose. Almost like a fruited sour. It doesn't smell like maple syrup, but if you low what beer and aging do to maple syrup, then you can pick it up in this. Think Curmudgeon's Better Half. It's subtle, and behind the blackberry, but I do get the maple. Faint toasted malt in the way back. I'm getting the maple the more I inhale. Slight boozy vapor.
Palate is a huge leap in the opposite direction from the nose. Big darker malt presence that translates itself as a big caramel note. Some brandy, raisin, fig, dark fruit, dried apricot, cherry, and blackberry. Definitely getting some of the maple character, which comes across as more of a syrup sweetness, than specifically maple. Definitely a big sweetness to it. It's big, bold, and as the sweetness slowly fades, a substancial, but not overbearing bitterness takes over, and lingers with the waning sweetness into the finish.
Mouthfeel is big, heavy, and a little syrupy. Those are good things when talking about ales of this nature. Personally, I like them to have some weight and heft to them, and this certainly does. Slightly thick and viscous. Actually has pretty good carbonation given how big and thick this is - but generally speaking, the carbonation is on the lower side, as to be expected.
Overall, this is definitely an interesting brew. I don't have much to compare it to, as I've never really drank barleywine ales before. It's definitely not anything like a stout. The closest thing it reminds me of, is a barrel aged old ale, with a bit more bitterness, and a bit less maltiness. It's good. It's a good dessert. Big, sweet, and rich, it makes for a good sipper at the end of the night. If I had more, I would enjoy them, albeit sparingly, however, I do not think I would intentionally seek it out. I'm glad I got to try it, and I will definitely enjoy this pint.
Oct 31, 2018Pint can dated 10/11/18 poured into a snifter at 46F.
Pours a reddish/pinkish/purple hue with half a finger of white head that dissipates quickly, leaving a very thin collar, and an ultra-thin film only in the middle. Clings to the sides of the glass like syrup.
Nose is big blackberry. It's not so much identifiable blackberry as it is a fruitiness, but I know it's blackberry, so we'll call it that. It's very fruity on the nose. Almost like a fruited sour. It doesn't smell like maple syrup, but if you low what beer and aging do to maple syrup, then you can pick it up in this. Think Curmudgeon's Better Half. It's subtle, and behind the blackberry, but I do get the maple. Faint toasted malt in the way back. I'm getting the maple the more I inhale. Slight boozy vapor.
Palate is a huge leap in the opposite direction from the nose. Big darker malt presence that translates itself as a big caramel note. Some brandy, raisin, fig, dark fruit, dried apricot, cherry, and blackberry. Definitely getting some of the maple character, which comes across as more of a syrup sweetness, than specifically maple. Definitely a big sweetness to it. It's big, bold, and as the sweetness slowly fades, a substancial, but not overbearing bitterness takes over, and lingers with the waning sweetness into the finish.
Mouthfeel is big, heavy, and a little syrupy. Those are good things when talking about ales of this nature. Personally, I like them to have some weight and heft to them, and this certainly does. Slightly thick and viscous. Actually has pretty good carbonation given how big and thick this is - but generally speaking, the carbonation is on the lower side, as to be expected.
Overall, this is definitely an interesting brew. I don't have much to compare it to, as I've never really drank barleywine ales before. It's definitely not anything like a stout. The closest thing it reminds me of, is a barrel aged old ale, with a bit more bitterness, and a bit less maltiness. It's good. It's a good dessert. Big, sweet, and rich, it makes for a good sipper at the end of the night. If I had more, I would enjoy them, albeit sparingly, however, I do not think I would intentionally seek it out. I'm glad I got to try it, and I will definitely enjoy this pint.
Reviewed by nbrady37 from New Jersey
3.73/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.73/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Can dated 10/11/18. Poured into Belgian tulip.
Look is a near black dark purple with a just off white pink tinted head. Nose is mostly sweet blackberry rounded out with vanilla in the background, not really any maple as far as I can tell, bit of booziness in the way back. Taste is the same blackberry and vanilla up front with a smidge of maltiness in the back as it goes to the middle then some booziness added too in a medium sweet finish with lingering berry. Mouthfeel is medium. Overall good tasting and relatively easy drinking brew overall but doesn’t really feel like a barleywine. The blackberry overwhelms any real maltiness and the vanilla only acts to compliment the berry, plus the mouthfeel is a bit thin for a boozy barleywine. I feel like if the blackberry dropped back a bit it could be a nice fruity barleywine but as is it’s more of a fruited strong ale. Still interesting stuff and worth the try anyway I’d say.
Oct 20, 2018Look is a near black dark purple with a just off white pink tinted head. Nose is mostly sweet blackberry rounded out with vanilla in the background, not really any maple as far as I can tell, bit of booziness in the way back. Taste is the same blackberry and vanilla up front with a smidge of maltiness in the back as it goes to the middle then some booziness added too in a medium sweet finish with lingering berry. Mouthfeel is medium. Overall good tasting and relatively easy drinking brew overall but doesn’t really feel like a barleywine. The blackberry overwhelms any real maltiness and the vanilla only acts to compliment the berry, plus the mouthfeel is a bit thin for a boozy barleywine. I feel like if the blackberry dropped back a bit it could be a nice fruity barleywine but as is it’s more of a fruited strong ale. Still interesting stuff and worth the try anyway I’d say.
Reviewed by dafla67 from Pennsylvania
3.52/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.52/5 rDev -5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Color was orange with a purple tint. The aroma was grapes and malts. The description indicated vanilla, blackberries, grapes and maple syrup. The vanilla and maple syrup was missing from the taste. The grapes and blackberries were definitely apparent. medium body. I like strong, flavorful barleywines and this one just seemed to miss the mark.
Oct 19, 2018
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