Black Barleywine
Narrows Brewing Co.

Black BarleywineBlack Barleywine
Beer Geek Stats
From:
Narrows Brewing Co.
 
Washington, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
11.3%
Score:
+2 ratings needed
Avg:
4 | pDev: 12.5%
Ratings:
8 | reviews: 3
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 25, 2017
Added:
Apr 05, 2015
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  2
A strong, black ale aged in Kentucky whiskey/bourbon barrels for 10 months. The resulting beer is rich and full bodied with lots of oak and vanilla flavors from the wood, and subtle chocolate flavor from the dehusked black malt that provides most of the beer’s color. Expect caramel flavor with a subtle roastiness in the background.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by NickThePyro:
Photo of NickThePyro
Rated by NickThePyro from Washington

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Jan 31, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of yesterdayfaraway
Reviewed by yesterdayfaraway from Missouri

3.77/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
L: black in the glass with a film of head
S: bourbon...but not a big aroma, chocolate, bready malt that makes a weird aroma
T: like the nose except the bourbon is bigger. This is not a sweet beer, as it has sharp bitterness in the finish
F: a bit thin and dry finish
Jun 25, 2017
 
Rated: 5 by devilmakesthree from Oregon

Aug 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.85 by Braz from Washington

Apr 24, 2016
Photo of Sanderson
Rated by Sanderson from Washington

3.06/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Very boozy and bourbon heavy. Leaned toward a BA RIS than an actual "barleywine".
Jun 16, 2015
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4.15/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque black in the glass, with a thin light brown head that dissipates to patches with light lacing. Aroma of bourbon, toasted malt, vanilla, hints of dark fruit. Flavor is dark toasted malt, chocolate, bourbon, mild fresh and dried dark stone fruit, vanilla. Finishes with mildly charred dark malt, chocolate and light grassy hops. Medium bodied with light creaminess. This really is reminiscent of a high quality black and tan using barleywine and stout, like Evil Twin's Ying and Yang. Like that mixed character ale, the stout flavors seem to mostly overwhelm the barleywine, but the barleywine fruit is present throughout the taste. These two element are well integrated and taste great together. Except for wishing for a bit more barleywine presence, this was very enjoyable and well made. Warming, but the ABV is well covered. I liked this a lot. A very nice offering from this small local brewery.
May 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4.14 by ccnorthwest from Washington

May 21, 2015
Photo of Thirstygoat
Reviewed by Thirstygoat from Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I've been taking a few stabs on Washington bombers with very satisfactory results.
This seems to be fairly close to what you get if you make a black & tan with BA American Imperial Stout and a fairly high IBU American Barleywine.

Poured from a bomber into a DFH tulip, tan head fades pretty quick leaving a bit around the edge of the glass. smells wood, bourbon, vanilla. Almost as dark as a RIS with just a hint of gold in certain light.

Taste like it smells , with significant roasted malt , plentiful hops and a bit of alcohol burn

Mouthfeel is a bit thin considering all that's going on.

This would be a great beer to have a case of if you were going to be snowed in for a week.
Apr 05, 2015