2013 Brewmaster Reserved Barleywine
Bridger Brewing

Had on tap on 4-15-14 and finally reviewed from rated notes-

Served on tap in a snifter
Appearance – The beer is served a super deep mahogany color bordering almost on brown with the tinniest bit of fizzy white foam as a head. The foam fades almost instantly with just the massively thick looking brew, which clings to the sides of the glass when swirled, to sit in the snifter

Smell – A big sweet smell of caramel and toffee are the biggest in this one. These are joined by other aromas of a darker fruit nature with plenty of cherry, raisin, and fig brining a very sweet aroma. Along with these smells are some doughy aromas and a bit of bread. An almost grainy and grassy smell are there as well along with s more smooth but warming alcohol smell to produce a very sweet and sugary barleywine smell.

Taste – The taste begins just as the nose would have suggested with tons of sweetness. A massive caramel and toffee flavor are present right from the start with them remaining strong throughout the taste. These sweet flavors are a bit overwhelming at first as they are the only real flavors present right from the start. Later however some fruit flavors of cherry and plum join the taste with some more doughy flavors balancing out the sweet a little bit. Some light earthy and herbal hop flavors also some to the tongue later on in the taste being joined with a burning rum flavor. The rum flavor mixed with the sweet brings an almost brandy like flavor to the brew and ends up leaving a hop and boozy sweet to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is thick and chewy with a carbonation level that is very low and composed of prickly little bubbles. The feel is quite appropriate for the style, although a slightly thinner body may have hidden some of the massive boozy flavors slightly better.

Overall – An OK barleywine, but a little bit on too sweet and boozy for me. Worth a try, but nothing out of this world.