Snow Blower
Austin Street Brewery

This one pours a fairly dark brown color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.

Despite this being a few years old already, this has a distinct stale and bitter hop character to it, with not enough malt character on the nose.

I think American barleywine, with a few exceptions, is a flawed style, and it rarely ages into something you actually want to drink. Even with that in mind, I don’t think this is a top tier version of a bad style. As it warms it just gets so bitter and stale tasting. The warming feeling that they are trying to invoke – of coming back in after dealing with the snow all day – is just not here.

This is medium bodied, not super drinkable, and quite spiky and bitter on the finish.

There’s just really not all that much for me to recommend with this one.

 

Split with JLindros. Fairly sure we bought this in the summer of 2019 but there is no canning date.

A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice burnt reddish orange with a fat two finger off white head that fades to leave super stick side lacing and a dense blanket. The legs on this are incredible. Painted on good.

S - Aroma is quite pleasant, little spicy, nicely fruity, malts are not overly sticky or sweet. For a non barrel aged barleywine this is VERY enjoyable. Very aromativ but not super complex.

T - Taste is similar to the nose with really really floral hops, not really that spicy. Good light malt sweetness almost caramel like. Toasted red malts and almost fruity esters. The finish is a little toasty.

M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated, creamy, alcohol hidden nicely. Little bit of warming alcohol.

O - Overall this was a VERY enoyable barleywine. Really, really fruity with a bit of caramel. Stuff is just great for being a non barrel aged barleywine. I would love to see it given the barrel aged treatment. Just lovely.

Serving Type: Can

Picked up at the brewery maybe a year ago, split with rudzud
Pours a giant foamy frothy head almost 2 fingers, off-white, with great retention, thick soapy lacing that sticks everywhere, hazy auburn reddish color and by hazy it;s a little chill hazy but mostly clear ruby light, nice long legs

Nose is nice, sweet candy malt with caramel toffee notes, plenty fruity mostly malt derived esters, lots of toasty reddish malt, bread crust, grain, toasted sweet malt, light earthy hop, a bit spicy, general sweetness, sweet reddish candy malt as well

Taste starts rich malts, fair malt-derived fruits again with reddish fruits, a touch of fig date etc, plum, med spicy hops and bitterness, a little herbal as well and quite floral, candy malt and candied apple, touch of cookie like spices, more bread crust, a flash of alcohol, no barrel but it would be nice with some whiskey there, drier finish a flash of alcohol, med bitterness lingering

MOuth is med to fuller bod, med-lighter carb but OK for the style, light warming alcohol

Overall solid American Barleywine, without much aging or barrel character, the hops really come through as they should, malts are quite nice, not much alcohol, good fruits, etc, enjoyable

 

 

At a craft beer bar draft to a 10 oz tapered glass.
Deep amber color.
Smell of toasted bread with cherry jam.
Taste follows nose, but with a touch of alcohol coming through.
Feel as expected, not remarkable.
Overall, better than Rising Tide's Hesperus that was too much of a diluted shot of Scotch for me, but barleywine is not my cup of tea. May be the thing on a winter's day when you have no where to go, but too toasty for me, not crisp and clean enough.