Barrel Works Series: Sapsquatch
Southern Tier Brewing Company

 

March 2019 batch (500ml). Poured an opaque medium amber color into a 8 oz Bangkok Beer fluted glass. Minimal head that fizzles quickly with no lacing or carbonation to speak of (probably because of the age). Notes of bourbon, maple syrup and earthy malts, present in the nose. Very smooth and a bit syrupy in the mouth with a hint of alcohol burn mid swallow. Has a nice mellow finish which leaves you wanting more. A prime example of what a barley wine should be. One of the best beers I've ever had from Southern Tier; well done guys.

 

 

(10 oz? pour into a plastic cup at the brewery in Lakewood on 12 Aug, 4p~... review just taken from scratch notes)

Pine and sherry (PX)... typical American barleywine... smooth (bodied) but lightly viscous... dry enough, vinous aftertaste... mild warmth, peppery prickle...

add'l thoughts: full-flavored, very much sweetish, sherry and pine-resinous heavy... the alcohol is fairly well hidden... I passed on taking a bottle with me, though I'd be interested to try this from a glass vessel... side note: why do many of these breweries around these parts pour into 16 oz branded nonic pints, yet none sell these glasses to costumers, ugh

Poured hard from a bottle into a snifter glass, forming a bit of head that soon faded to nothing. Dark amber/brown color, still translucent though. Smell is sweet bourbon and honey-like barley, just a bit of maple. Taste follows, with a base of barley wine, bourbon in the background, and maple syrup. Overall on the sweet end. Medium bodied and pretty smooth, not too much carbonation. Excellent if you like barley wine, be wary of the sweetness, especially as it warms.

This one pours a slightly murky golden brown color, with a small head, and a bit of lacing.

This smells like dark, earthy maple syrup, caramel, oak, and bourbon.

This is one of the best Southern Tier beers in a long time. It's not quite as sweet, somehow, as some of Southern Tier's more well known beers, as there's enough barrel and oak to temper the maple syrup. The maple is done judiciously, and doesn't make this too syrupy. There's caramel, breadiness, and molasses as well.

This is medium bodied, and surprisingly, not all that boozy.

I like this one a good bit - it's much better than most people would assume Southern Tier is capable of at this point.

Pours a dark brownish copper color with a thin layer if head. The nose has notes of bread with syrup drizzled upon it. The maple syrup really comes out upfront in the flavor profile. The maltiness is hefty and the finish has a punch of hoo bitterness.

500 ML bottle, born on 3/15/2019, poured into a snifter at 54 degrees F:
L - caramel color with almost no head whatsoever
S - bourbon, caramel, peat, maple syrup
T - caramel and maple syrup, intertwined with bourbon and notes of peat and charred oak
F - smooth, like bourbon, minimal carbonation
O - great beer, flavors blend well together and the bourbon is not overpowering

I usually avoid maple beers, but this one is really nice.
Deep garnet red with essentially no carbonation or head
The aroma is bourbon, oak, caramel, then maple. The taste bourbon, vanilla, oak, caramel, fig & date, maple, rich malts, with a peppery spice background
Tingly and sweet across the tongue with a pleasant, slightly dry and peppery aftertaste
This is really, really good. You can taste the whiskey and the barrel, but the maple takes on a subdued supporting role rather than insisting on being front & center. The alcohol is noticable, but not distracting,
Overall this is an excellent BA barleywine and I'm going to pick up the other three bottles the store has.

 

500 ml bottle into a snifter. Bottled March, 2019, had 11/6/20.

Pours a clear copper color, with a brief flash of a head and a few faint specks of cling. Aromas of maple, bourbon, malt, tobacco, oak, raisins, brown sugar, toffee, some plums and vanilla. The flavor is a little more bourbon forward than the aroma, then maple, raisins, malt, brown sugar, oak, some grapes and plums, some caramel, light vanilla and tobacco, faint cherries. Smooth, a very good medium body, well carbonated.

A solid effort. Lots of expressive aromas and flavors, the barrels and maple syrup are really good. Well balanced. Very enjoyable.

2017 vintage. Poured from a bomber into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Cloudy/opaque mahogany brown pour with thin fizzy white head. reasonable ring of lacing.

S: Decadent and sweet... malts, brown sugar, maple syrup, and baking fruit. Vanilla and booze.

T.F: Follows the nose. Sweet and malty... toasted sugars. Caramel and maple syrup, vanilla and bourbon, oak, raisin, and molasses. Boozy... and at nearly 15% it should be. Medium to think bodied... sticky on the tongue. Gentle carbonation... complex... a bit of spice and hop coming in later for balance. Warming.

O: A big decadent beer... perfect for a cool night as a dessert or nightcap. Loads of flavor... better as it warms... all around solid effort.

 

 

another pull from the ole cellar...

eyes...
super brief hint of carbonation, fizzles into nothingness quicker than my attempts at speed dating, deep ruby tone, really fetching actually, some carbonation noted (I can count the bubbles if I so choose) rising up in the glass, no real legs or lacing, I was expecting bigger legs from a big foot (oh, sue me over my pun-tificating...), pretty standard stuff here

nose...
boozy maple syrup (big surprise eh?), wet oak, prune and dark fruit

taste etc...
subtle - prickly carbonation, really suits the beer well, a layered barleywine, you can taste a normal BW in there deep down but it is only one component, for sure the maple syrup is assertive, initial kick is the carbonation, followed by a bourbon vanilla glaze, then some bittering/warming, finished with strong sweetness from the maple, being maple keeps this just (and I mean just) on the right side of not being too sweet (which is a deal breaker for me), this certainly does not drink heavy (boozy), a sipper because of the big flavors but man it does go down pretty easy

verdict?
a bomber for one might be a bit much after a while (as I am finding out), this would be nice with some dessert, like some legit vanilla bean ice cream, hell yeah, good beer.

 

March 2019, 13.7% ABV

As much as I love huge bourbon barrel notes, I do appreciate a blended beer where the barrel component is more subdued on occasion. This is plenty sweet, charred toffee, maple syrup, and light bourbon flavors. This is kept far from the brink of diabetes however by a robust oaky tingle at the end. Well balanced overall, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Poured into a tulip glass via bottle

Color is a rusty tan with beige foam

Smell is maple syrup, caramel and faint bourbon

Taste is sweet maple upfront mixed nicely with the bourbon barrel..getting some caramel and butterscotch notes as well

Carbonation is low, mouthfeel is thick but not over the top

A very nice barleywine