Iron & Barleywine
Funky Buddha Brewery

Funky Buddha Iron and Barleywine
22oz bottle into a snifter
no bottling dates
rated fresh, recently found notes so posting


A: Slightly hazy, burgundy with ruby hues, 1 finger of tan head, decent retention and a good amount of lacing. 4.25

S: Sweet grapes, booze, sugary notes. Smells like sugar cheap wine mixed with grape flavored Four Loco. 3

T: Tastes better than it smells, but still not great. Lots of grape flavors, some candied sugar, subtle bitterness. 3.25

M/D: Medium body, carbonation medium, ABV well masked, drinkability is fair. 3.5

O: This is easily the worst beer I’ve ever had from FB. It also has no semblance of an English Barleywine at all (which it claims to be on the label). Bonus point for uniqueness I guess though. 3


Of note: I recently drank one that I had cellared first several years and it was much better; had developed a lot of quad like characters and the artificial grape faded quite a bit. Full review can be found on Cellar Reviews 2020 thread if interested.

22oz bottle poured into a snifter
I believe that this is around 2.5-3 years old

A- pours a clear ruby-amber color with a one-finger foamy off-white head that reduces to a ring around the edge

S- grape-forward aroma gives a vinous aroma up front, along with notes of plums, figs, blackberry jam, caramel & booze

T- grape notes up front, along with flavors of red wine, figs, raisins, honey and caramel. The finish gives more grape and leaves a linger of wine

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that continues into a velvety finish, just a hint of alcohol on the linger

O- this beer reminds me a lot of Midas Touch, doesn't really drink like an English barleywine but still enjoyable

 

 

 

Aged 1.5 years. Has a nice tea colored body with some murky brown streaks, and a nice fluffy pink-white head.

Aromas of grape, barrel, vine, and hot caramel. Tons of polyphenols.

The flavor is down right delicious. The grapes really kick into high gear here, and it's a welcome change from many other BW's. Has an almost Cabernet-like quality to it, very tannin-like; mixed with grape Kool-Aid, finishing off with notes of thick caramel, butterscotch, and oak barrel.

Feel is right where it needs to be - medium bodied bordering on thick, with a tight carbonation and a sticky, velvety wine-like dryness that does not quit.

Overall, this beer is really something to be considered if you like Barleywines at all. I love this beer. So surprised at the low ratings.

 

 

 

Pours a dull copper color with a hazy clarity and a tight band. Nose expresses grape must. Taste follows nose with just the merest hint of caramel and honey. That said, I don't much of an English Barleywine quality here. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body with a mild carbonation and a kiss of acidity. Overall, solid but closer to a wine than a beer and overall character.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewed from notes. Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a Cigar City El Catador teku glass.

A: Ruddy brown, fairly hazy, with a half-finger of off-white head that fades quickly. This was quite a bit of visible carbonation as well, especially for the style.

S: Vinous, with caramelized sweet malts and toffee. There's some oaky vanilla as well. The grape juice/vinous aspect is the most prominent aroma though. Honestly, this doesn’t smell very appealing.

T: Well, if you’ve ever been motivated to dump Welch’s grape juice into a pedestrian barleywine - apparently Funky Buddha wondered the same thing. Bready malts with the grapey flavors lead to an old raisin bread aspect (though without the cinnamon). Light caramel flavor in the malts. And then the grape juice wells back up again in the hang and the exhale.

M: Medium body and very tame alcohol presence for style. Average carbonation sensation.

O: I don’t know, maybe I'm just missing the appeal. This isn't at all like a wine barrel-aged barleywine. I guess it doesn’t seem awful for what they said it would be – a barleywine with grape must. But it is not *anything* I would recommend to anyone, unless they were really, really, really sure that grape juice in a barleywine seemed like a good idea. It’s just absolutely not appealing. Drain pour, ultimately.