Yona Yona 2002 Barley Wine
Yo-Ho Brewing Company

 

 

2002 Vintage, sampled on December 6, 2006. A Michael Jackson selection from last year, let's see what this obscure brew has to offer.

Served in a wide mouthed oversize brandy snifter at cellar temperature.

Appearance- Pours a very predictable caramelized red, much like your typical EBW. The thin, light beige head rises to about a finger and then settles to a completely disorganized heap of confused bubbles.

Smell- Dense, massive aromas of vanilla, bourbon, caramel, oak, malt, and hops greet the nose with an aggressive enthusiasm. As the beer opens up further, the generous amounts of hops added to the kettle become more and more prominent.

Taste- With a "Best By End 2006" freshness date, this should be drinking well right now... but sadly, it isn't. This tastes remarkably close to an old, warm bottle of Arrogant Bastard that's been sitting out open overnight... the hops overtaking the malts so forcefully that the balance is no longer there. For an English Barley Wine, as the style suggests, this lacks depth and interest.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability- The initial carbonation, quick and fleeting, doesn't add anything to this increasingly difficult-to-drink beverage. By the time I swirl in the sediment, the beer is practically flat. Now, any redeeming quality going on here has been replaced with a hot, sharp bite that just doesn't make me want to finish this. This particular offering from the Rare Beer Club was a disappointment.

Vintage 2002, Sampled October 2006
This beer is thoroughly thick and viscously and pours with a brilliantly clear, dark, ruby red color. It is topped by a frothy, quarter-finger thick, tan colored head that disappears fairly quickly to a wispy ring. Chewy notes of caramelized grain and mellowed hops intermingle in the nose. There are some notes of sweet citrus that are still lingering around in the nose even after all this time. Notes of toasted grain, caramelized brown sugar coated biscuits, raisins, subtle cherry and round out the rich malt components. There is a touch of alcohol towards the finish, which adds a bit of warming to my nasal pathway. This beer has quite a contemplative nose, it has aged quite gracefully, and only has touches of oxidation, which at this point, only add to the complexity of the nose.

Quite mellow and smooth up front up front, yet it finishes with a solid hop bite that I was expecting. Heavily caramelized grain notes, yet without being all that sweet. Actually caramelized may be too specific, actually this seems to have a whole suite of Maillard flavor components to it; caramelized sugars certainly, but also touches of brown sugar, meaty complex sugars, and dark fruit notes. Still quite hoppy after all this time; notes of grapefruit, berries, a solid herbal note and a noticeable, astringent bitterness that lingers on in the finish.

Definitely a tasty tipple, this is certainly a beer that has held up well over time. In fact I would say that the entirety of this beer is certainly greater than the sum of its parts. This has aged quite gracefully, and seems to be at a point in its flavor profile that is just about peaking (at least to my taste buds, which like a well aged Barleywine). This is one of those beers that the more I work my way through this glass, the more I am enjoying it. It certainly did not start out this good, but is finishing incredibly strong.

Summer 2005 at Beer Belly in Osaka.

A - Same as before, beautiful dark amber with crimson highlights, insane dense legs.
S - Malty aroma has come out and the hop aromas have toned down a lot in the last 6 months.
T - Big juicy maltiness. Hints of caramel and a mellow sappy bitterness.
M - Very smooth, with low carbonation.
D - This has grown on me in a big way since I first had it. Very tasty, and I am devistated that the last keg of this has been kicked.