Maldita Vida
Treintaycinco Fábrica de Cervezas

Bought in Uvita, CR and drank from a pint glass. his was a big malty brew with a bit of a boozy bite near the end, although not so much to make it unpleasant. Lots of molasses and bread here and a warming sensation not unlike getting into a hot tub on a warm summer night. A bit of bitter hops for balance but not a ton. A good find in Costa Rica!

skunky..shmatta. on style..old hops in finish ok. lasting bubbly. drinkable.

 

 

B03

 

 

 

i truly did not expect to find a quality craft barleywine locally brewed in costa rica, yet here one is! the bottle i had said 10% abv, but i found a ton of variation between even menu listings and bottle labels on abv across most brands in the country, lots of batch variation perhaps, maybe things are all still being dialed in, either way thats less important here because the alcohol in this beer, believe it or not, is not a huge factor in the experience. its a light brown to dark copper colored beer with great clarity and a short and short lived white head, less active than a lot of their other beers but appropriate for the style. strong malt aroma, like a simple darker crystal malt base, just boiled super long to really caramelize all the sugars, at least that how it reads to me, sweet but simple, even elegant for the style. i would put it more english than american based on the taste, as there arent a lot of hops present, but the yeast character is also really mild, not that im saying the beer is one dimensional, there is a lot going on with the grain, but its less in your face than is common for the american style. red apple, pie crust, brown sugar, caramel, all very fresh and autumnal feeling to me, sweet but still drinkable because the body isnt all that heavy and the alcohol stays well hidden. relaxed carbonation and very smooth and mature tasting. this isnt for everyone, but its a fun take on the style in a place where barleywine is probably least appropriate (soooo hot and humid all the time), a super pleasant find! love these guys!

 

Sweet, Malty and Hoppy, very low alcohol notes and full bodied, nice beer

 

 

I haven't tried many barley wines but I remember liking Maldita vida alot. This BIG beer has a sweet character with some cocoa notes and well balance with its hop flavors and for a big beer like this I don't think you feel that type of very warm feeling or predominance of the alcohol in the palate.
I like everything about this brew. The logo its pretty neat.