Canis Lupulus
Champion Brewing Company

Lip smacking sweetness and a savory spice that just won't quit fuels the bourbon barrel aged, British styled barleywine of Champion Brewing Company. Not backing down from strength, flavor or complexity really helps this brewery champion their cause.

Deep garnet and glossed with hazy shades of rust give the initially frothy but eventual still ale a brandy-like appearance but with greater visual density. Powerful aromas of deeply caramelized sugars come with a big hit of stone fruit, dried fruit and pitted fruit with an earthen tone of tobacco, pepper and oak. Sweet on the palate, those toasted sweetnesses slather the early palate with brown sugar, toffee, sweet cream and sorghum.

Sweetness rolls onto the middle palate before opening up to a complex fruitiness of date, fig, cherry, grape and prune, but in the most fortified, grappa emboldened impression. The spice of young whisky applies its own caramels, vanilla and light coconut nuances before the broad, light, woodsy bitterness offers a balance of peat and pepper.

Full bodied and with a strong succulent tone, the oxidized flavors of sherry, port and madeira carry the heat of cognac and white lightening for a numbing, prickling heat that flares up boldly in an extended sweet and spicy aftertaste.

Poured from tap into sniffer, 1finger light tan head, recedes after a few, good lacing. Dark amberish red in the glass, light passes thru. Smells of toffee and vanilla, not much bourbon on the nose. Taste is toffee, caramel, and burnt sugar, that is why I came back for another pour of this beer. That burnt sugar taste has been with me for 3 weeks. There is also way more going on, fig, raisin and some earthy floral hops. Mouthfeel is good, and for 11 abv this drinks incredibly well. Some slight booziness as it warms up.

 

 

 

Although a little sweet for my liking this is an exceptionally fine barley wine ale. It's smooth and boozy without being too much. Dangerous because it's easy to drink but at 11% abv this will make you hit on the closest person next to you. Ah, it was a warm, welcome, tasty brew for a cold night. Go Champion!!

 

 

Aroma is sweet bourbon, a little vanilla, with medium caramel notes.
Caramel malty with very sweet bourbon heavy with slightly earthy, herbal hoppy finish mixed with modest success with the barrel character of vanilla.
Body is very drinkable, medium, with low carbonation.
Not bad but the sweetness makes it hard to drink as you continue through the bottle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance: pours a deep orangish, earthy red, hinting towards brown. a half finger of a white head with weak retention and little to no lacing. small alcohol legs while it swirls. almost opaque but strong brightness in places when held to the light.

Smell: vanilla, bourbon, bold hop character with herbal to citrus notes, some toasty grains and a rich malty backbone.

Taste:opens up with a velvety barrel to boozy character. bourbon, fusel alcohols, and vanilla to cinnamon hints. a strong hop bite kicks in with notes of herbal to citrusy hops, maybe minor notes of spicy and earthy. the malty back bone is always present but not quite as prominent as the other flavors. notes of toasted grains, rich caramels, slight toffee, and dried fruits such as plums, figs and raisins.

Mouthfeel: heavy, slick and sticky. at times velvety. huge bitterness that lingers. hot and warming/lingering alcohol. residual sweetness and barrel notes left behind.

Overall: a huge and insanely complex beer. the barrel notes are perfect with notes of wood and spirit. the balance between malts, yeast and hops is spot on. the alcohol heat is strong and adds to the flavor perfectly. Champions bottle series has been top notch since it started but this one takes it over the top. shows signs of aging like a champ, but drinking well now. Easily my favorite champion beer so far.