Archaeometry
Bottle Logic Brewing

Breaking out the big guns, Bottle Logic leaves no flavor bullets in the barrel as they fire away with a barleywine ale with both coconut and brandy influences to win whatever fight this is.

Archaeometry hits the glass with a rounded port-like appearance- tawny garnet with a slightly hazy depth. As a scant froth forms, a billowing scent of toffee, caramel and butterscotch links with a spicy fruitiness and soothing scents of coconut that all lead to a malty molasses upstart. Candied with savory honey, toffee and caramel, the early pallet is powerful and sultry.

As a natural fruitiness of dark, dehydrated and pitted varieties of fig, date, plum and cherry all add complexity to the stubborn sweetness. As the brandy barrels bring a peppery, nutty and toasty taste, its vinous effects add grape, dark berry and sherry sherry flavors. Trending long with a coffee-like bitterness and a boozy brandy finish, the session is as sharp as it is savory.

Quite sherry-like overall, the barley wine’s curious use coconut departs from the brandy barrel narrative and tries to make it more bourbon-like. Although it’s a very good attempt, a regular bourbon barrel aging instead would have been preferred.

500 ml bottle into a snifter. A 2023 release, had 1/19/24.

Pours a darker amber color, semi opaque, with a quickly dissipating quarter inch head and light foamy lacing. Aromas of caramel, coconut, brandy, oak, malt, brown sugar, fig as it warms, light grapes. Flavors of brandy, coconut, caramel, grapes, brown sugar, malt, some fig and oak. Smooth, a solid medium body, appropriately carbonated.

Really enjoyed this one. The brandy barrels are terrific; strong and expressive. There’s a good amount of tasty coconut and big caramel notes. Would certainly buy this again.

poured from a 500mL bottle into a TG DBA tumbler. pours a medium shade of brown but settles in the glass darker brown with a finger of sand colored foam. spirit barrel, vanilla frosting, toffee and some grapes and plums on the nose. taste has grapes, brandy, oak and light coconut. i really would not have guessed coconut based on the aromas of this beer but it’s there in the taste. the brandy. barrels give off grape notes. it’s not nearly as sweet as i thought it would be. medium-full mouthfeel. fairly slick and a little creamy. i was a little skeptical of this brew. brandy barrels instead of the usual bourbon or rye. additives in a style that doesn’t need them. but i really feel like they nailed it. it’s well balanced and quite tasty.

The darkest brown opaque body with a fat finger of beige foam, slow loss of height. Smell has coconut, brandy barrel, brown sugar and barley with a hint of toast and vanilla. Taste starts with brandy, barley, brown sugar, and barrel, finishes with french toast and caramel. Feel is warm and smooth with a heavier body, barrel is evident in a good way.

The brandy barrels take center stage here, deeply vinous, gently boozy, with a mellow oak tingle. I also get brown sugar, fruitcake, and as it warms, sweet coconut and a hint of Belgian chocolate. This all comes together well, not sure about the coconut though. I am absolutely enjoying this, but it's not quite up there with the best from Bottle Logic. Thanks Tim!

 

 

Sweet toffee and brown sugar malty, hint of all-spice and dark fruit, and subdued coconut and brandy barrel nose on this one! Taste follows with a caramel malty, some dark fruity raisins, and a sweet brandy barrel swallow. The coconut is almost hidden while cold...and it starts to get dominated by the brandy barrel backend as it warms. This is pretty good, but as I am still learning/figuring out my palate, I think I prefer bourbon barrels versus apple brandy/brandy barrels with my barleywines and stouts.

Poured at fridge temp into a brandy snifter. Pours dark brown with a very thin layer of light brown head. The nose is incredible. Screaming toffee, brandy, coconut, brown sugar, oak, plums, figs, and raisins. Wow. Intense.

The taste freaking incredible. Huge notes of brandy explode in the mouth on the first sip. Brandy barrels and barleywine go so nicely together. Rich toffee, brown sugar, cinnamon, graham crackers, coconut, vanilla, maple, grapes, and figs. A hint of oak comes through as well.

The mouthfeel is medium to thick bodied, with a nice brown sugar and toffee aftertaste. Lovely barleywine.