Batch One Thousand
Ozark Beer Co.

Wow, my first Arkansas review. And what a great one to kickoff with.
Thanks to Whyteboar for going through the effort to put this in my hands, received in NBS BIF #14.

A flat mahogany liquid is capped by a slight, sandy head. The foam dissipates quickly leaving a delicate ring. Wispy lacing is sparse.
The nose is a cornucopia of glorious malt notes and barrel. Rye and Bourbon grab my attention first. But they do not bully the subtleties of fig, raisin, caramel and toffee. As it warms, I believe I find some brandy notes as well.
There flavors are very balanced in the beginning. Raisin, caramel, fig, date, prune, and an oh so understated peatiness peaks in. And the boozy barrel notes are gently firm. Rye, Bourbon, oak, and finally a smooth brandy fruitiness.
Mouthfeel is slightly thinner than expected, carbonation keeps things moving along perfectly. The finish is smooth and really presents a complex balance between mildly sweet and bitter.
For those who are hesitant to try American style barley wines due to their higher bitterness, this beauty is perfect.

Poured into a snifter glass, the liquid was a dark mahogany at first glance with little to no light penetrating it. Held up to a stronger light source, the beer took on a deep cherry color that was brilliantly clean. I achieved no head on any of my refills. The aroma was very heavy on the barrel and the libations they once held. Bourbon, rye, and brandy all seemed to waft from the glass with a touch of leather and toffee. The taste was much less boozy than the aroma. The spirits were all present in an amicable blend while also showcasing some raisin and date notes that anchored the beer. The finish was mouthwatering with a healthy dose of brown sugar on the palate. The aforementioned leather was also present, as was some molasses and spice. For no head being present, the feel was surprisingly lively and went down smooth. It had less body than I had anticipated from the look. Overall, this was a very well done barrel aged barley wine from Ozark.

Beautiful barrel aged barleywine. The nose is complex- a mixture of caramel, bourbon, and sweet dried fruits. It's an incredibly smooth beer. Glad I have some extra bottles on hand.

Received from @jdell15 in a BIF. Bottled on 10/22/2019. Poured into a tulip glass. It pours a very dark cola-brown color with a small, lite khaki head and thin sheen of lacing inside the glass. The nose is delightful: lots of caramel, raisin, brown sugar, cola, and plum. The bourbon barrel aroma is also noticeable. The taste spot-on, opening with a nice balance of fruit and brown sugar. As it warms in the glass there is increasing buttery caramel, fig, and mellow bourbon. There are also notes of smoke and earthy peat. For an American Barleywine there is little bitterness at the finish. It's medium-bodied with an appropriate level of carbonation, and the 9.9% ABV is warming. Overall, Batch One Thousand is an excellent BA American Barleywine. It's a great sipping beer on a cool, rainy autumn afternoon.

 

 

Okay, abbreviated review since I hit paste instead of copy...

Pours an effervescent hazel with rapidly falling tan head. Viscous, zero head retention

S: Great nose, figs whiskey, & woodyness

T: Follows the nose, some butterscotch as well up front. Plums mix in with figs as this warm, plenty of peat & vanilla, leafy hops & oakyness. Finishes dry with figs, leafy hops & peat

MF: Medium body, subtle carbonation, warming

A nice take on the style, would buy again if I found it