A Winter's Respite
Tree House Brewing Company

 

 

Dark brown to black in color with a tiny ruby red head. Nose is clove, cinnamon and dark candy. Taste is initially cloves but that fades fairly quickly. Then the cinnamon and chocolate comes through then on back end the cloves creeps back up, but slightly. Nice warmth.

 

Poured into a snifter. Very dark liquid, almost black with a faint reddish hue, but bubbles at the glass edge seem to have a blue tint. No head forms, a few bubbles present. No lacing, but the liquid leaves legs on the glass.

A complex, fragrant nose, with woody notes, herbs. Dark fruits, raisin, cherry, a bit of chocolate comes through from time to time, there's a cooling note of mint (or menthol).

Tastes of sweet toffee, dark fruits, raisins, a bit of cherry, mint / menthol, herbs. The taste reminds me of herb candies. Alcohol is well hidden but there is a bit of warming on the swallow. No hop bitterness.

Full body. Not too thick, not syrupy.

The herbs & spices make for a nice addition to the barleywine's aroma & flavor. This is giving me a sort of herbal candy vibe, along with expected flavors of toffee and dark fruits typical of a good barleywine.

 

Pours opaque, jet black in color with one half inch head. Taste is Oriental Spiced black tea...cinnamon, ginger, clove, cola, slight orange and caramel pudding. Heavy body, low carbonation, slightly sweet. Good but I wanted soooo much more. Tastes like an alcoholic version of so many holiday teas I try. If this beer were half the price, full recommendation but I doubt I would get this again at the price point.