Maiden 2016
Siren Craft Brew

Bottle at Las Buenas Pulgas, served in a snifter glass. Pours hazy brown colour, small off white head with short retention, some sticky lacing. Aroma of chocolate, toffee, nuts, wood, red fruits. Medium to full body, sticky texture, average carbonation. Sweet finish. Taste of caramel, wine, chocolate, dried fruits, nuts, a bit salty. Great.

Pours a dark muddy brown with burgundy hues. Head is two fingers of dense khaki foam. Aroma is raisins, plum, fig, toffee, leather, and molasses. It's a sweet old timey candy bar. Caramel, toasty, and nutty malts round it out, though it still leans sweet. Flavor profile is a smooth induction of raisins, fig, caramel, toffee, molasses, leather, and earthy notes. It still leans sweet, but with some green bell pepper and light boozy heat at the back to break it up. Caramely and nutty malts add some rigidity. Some sticky resiny and piney hops stick to the mouth as the beer warms up. Mouth feel is medium in thickness with a crushed silty texture at the start. Later on, it flattens out to a more watery consistency. Overall, steadfast barleywine notes with a mellow start, and a more laid back finish. It's tempered and mild throughout after that initial heavy hit of sweet. Worth noting the wax was a pain to remove from the bottle, and the bottle cap has a separate oxygen seal. Great for aging.

Served in a 15.5oz Speigalau tulip from a 375mL bottle.

 

Very different from the 2015. Except for the incredibly thick wax. That was the same.

The absence of Scotch barrels is immediately noticeable and is an improvement in my opinion. Close to 60% was aged in a variety of wine barrels and the vinous notes are deep and nuanced, some sweet elements but mostly dry. They absolutely and wonderfully take center stage. The brown liquor barrel notes of caramel and brown sugar are noticeable up front in a subdued fashion and more prominently at the finish which is far sweeter (and better) than the 2015. A much larger percentage was barrel aged this year and it shows. I tasted a little vanilla and more nutty wood. This is a wonderful barleywine, so glad I got to try it!

A 375ml waxed bottle, 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.

Appearance: A dark reddish brown copper colour with a thin beige head that stuck around for a bit and left some nice lacing.

Aroma: Sweet and boozy, caramel, toffee, red wine, dark fruit, raisin and prunes.

Taste: Moderately sweet, light roast, vinous, red wine, dark fruits, raisin, prunes, and a touch of caramel.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.

Overall: Nice complex flavours. A good sipper.

 

 

 

0.375l bottle.
Slightly hazy mahogany beer with 2-finger golden head, good retention.
Complex smell - toffee, caramel, dried fruits, dark fruits.
Taste - toasted malts, wood, vanilla.
Full body, low carbonation, smooth, slightly astringent.