Headknocker
Happy Valley Brewing Company

For 10% barley wine very nondescript.

 

 

I enjoyed this from a growler purchased at the brewpub -poured chilled into a tulip

The color is dark rust/bronze with translucent clarity and thick ecru head with lasting retention with fine bead and sticky lace. The smell has a strong biscuit and toffee with prune-like aroma with slight pine hop scent and mild amount of alcohol. The malt intensity in the aroma which has a dark toast and sweet odor is noticeable as soon as the cap was opened. The feel is rich with malt and hops are balanced in the feel with medium carbonation that adds levity with spice and toasted grain texture with a semi sweet finish that has a subtle alcohol warmth.

The taste is a mix of spice and bready malt with toasted flavor bordering on roasted with a hop taste which brings a pine-like bitter flavor and accompanies some dark dried fruit which is best described as almost prune-like with mild caramel sweetness mid palate and a slight alcohol flavor in the back with peppery spice continuing into the semi-sweet nuttty yet smooth quality with lasting bitter taste in the finish. Overall this is a lot like other classic west coast/American style Barleywines in that it is pretty aggressively hopped and has a goodly amount of alcohol in the taste yet this is not tough to drink. I like the balance it exudes for a 9% barleywine. The name does a good job of warning what you are in for a real 'Headknocker' all right