Blithering Idiot
Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

Poured a cloudy chestnut brown color into a standard pint glass with a 1/2 finger high tan head that receded quickly and left no lacing, but, steady carbonation is present. Aroma is toasted malt with a caramel and toffee earthy sweetness up front and no hop presence. Flavor follows nose which begins with a complex warm alcohol burn which sits high in the palate and finishes with a sweet nutty flavor. Mouth is chewy, medium to full in body and coats everything it touches. This is a sipper @ 11.1 % ABV and is more in the style of an English Barlywine than an American because of the lack of hop presence, in my opinion. A nice alternative when you're not in the mood for an IPA. Think it deserves a higher average rating than it currently has.

Dark reddish brown, mostly transparent, lots of fine sediments, average light brown head with decent retention and some minor lacing. Smell is pretty average, no particular scents come through to me very strongly. Nice caramel and dark malt notes, unfortunately it is just a bit too alcoholic. Average feel. Like it but not for me.

Poured from bottle into tulip, good 2+ finger light tan head, good retention and lacing. Dark ruby in the glass, some light passes thru. Big caramel malt on the nose, dark fruit and some noble hops peak thru. First sip is sweet malt, caramel, toffee & plum leaning towards prune. Sweetness stays thru the middle and there is almost a candy like sweetness, that comes to an abrupt end on the bitter finish. Nice sipper, here at the tale end of summer, but it is 2 am and the AC is on so all is well. Hides the abv for 11%, good balance of sweet to bitter, without that firm bitterness on the finish this would lean on the sweet side.

Burnt caramelized amber with a thinly dissipating light beige head.
Tastes like Vegemite in brewed form. Good, simultaneously savory and sweet like a salted caramel. Stone fruit with plums prominent There are maraschino cherry notes throughout as well, but it is hard to ignore the umami. Salty.

 

 

Look: It pours deep copper with an off white head. It has low head retention.

Smell: It has strong dark fruit flavors up front featuring dark cherries, and plums. There are some caramel notes with a touch of toffee.

Taste: It has strong caramel and dark cherry flavors with plums. It is a bit sweet with low levels of toffee.

Feel: It has a medium full body with strong alcohol warming.

Overall, good flavors with a bit of booziness to it.

 

Like this much more than the average. Worthy offering from a decent local outfit.
L: from the bottle and it has some swagger this philly guy can appreciate
S: stone fruits, malt sweetness. Rich molasses
T: delivers on the nose and I like it. Raisins molasses sweetness. Bit of heat from the abv. I like it what can I say. Oils use more hippiness but that’s just a quibble.
F: modestly rich and smooth. A bit more richness would be welcome.
O: hey there are better barlwywines out there but this is quite enjoyable. Try for yourself!

Deep copper color with mild carbonation. Mouthfeel is full and creamy. The flavor is malty and wonderful, and the high ABV gives it a nice bite to counter the sweetness of the malt base. It's been way too long since I've had a barleywine; glad I bought a 4-pack.

Pours a beautiful caramel amber that reduces into a finger of caramel foam that follows the whole glass down in a beautiful ring. Aroma is apple, caramel, and toasted malt. Flavor follows suit with the apple bitterness up front, followed closely by a sweet caramel and a delicious toasted/roasted malt or biscuit finish. Feel is very full, and creamy. Loved it.

A little less aggressive than Insanity’s oak presence, but equally enjoyable.

 

August 16, 2021 - A good looking beer, a rich deep orangy amber, maybe a little hazy - hard to tell. A nice cream colored head forms after the pouring is done, from the carbonation bubbles rising to the top. The head recedes to a nice cap with upturned edges; A rich sweet fruity smell aroma; The 11% ABV shows itself in the flavor, but it's not overwhelming. It's rich, with an illusion of thickness - a thick taste?; It comes up a little short on the mouthfeel, not as carbonated as the foaming suggested; I dunno, the jury is still out. I've only had a couple of barleywine ales before and didn't much care for them. This one's not so bad.

 

 

I do love a good barleywine, but seldom know how to explain what I am experiencing. I will try to stay on point. Blithering Idiot pours a coppery reddish brown. A light colored head rises two fingers in a pint glass. The nose is floral, foresty, hoppy, with a touch of alcohol, the good kind, like an old ditto machine.. lol! The taste is like a painters' pallette.. fruity, peachy and apricot, A nice hoppy, piney zing complements the dessert-like fruit presence, creating a pleasing complexity. The alcohol is strong, and every step of the way, there is a heartiness that raises this beer above the one dimensional summer lightweights that make me despise fruit lagers and lambics. The 11.1% ABV is up front and imposing.. It's a headbanger, for sure. I find this beer enchanting. It's a virtual dark and sweet oddball toolbox of fall and winter brew qualities I enjoy. I don't know fully what to make of it, but I know I love it!

Picked up a single from TW-Greenville SC on 5-30-21 for $3.49. Bottling code of 14012134B10341 so presuming the best by date is 01-21-14.

Beer poured a caramel-brown with a nice tan head that has some great hang time.

Nose has hints of dark fruit and alcohol.

Taste is hot alcohol forward with some plums and cherry. Hopping is adequate and the finish fairly balanced.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and smooth.

Overall a booze forward bomb with a subtle English barleywine flavor profile. Probably not one i will pursue in the future.

355 ml bottle, from Vinmonopolet Jørpeland. ABV is 11.1%. Clear reddish brown colour, head goes from minimal to none. Aroma of malts, caramel, dark dried fruits, some vinous and oaky notes. The flavour is medium sweet, with the same elements as the aroma, moderate hops.

It had a smooth taste. Not overdone. For me it was very enjoyable I hope that the company make this for a long time.

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a shaker pint

Look: Opaque muddy brown with a thin tan head

Smell: Big date and molasses notes with hints of vanilla and raisins. There is a strange musty smell I can’t get over kind of like a basement. I can’t tell if I like it or not.

Taste: Molasses, dates, raisins, and whole wheat

Feel: Big but not cloying. Alcohol is quite prominent and the carbonation is very soft. No bitterness.

Overall: A fine barleywine. Nothing I’d search out but nothing really flawed either.

12 oz. bottle into a chalice with a deep red/ruby color, minimal head and decent lacing. Smells of sweet malt, spice, dark fruit and toffee. Taste follows aroma with bittersweet caramel malt, raisins, figs and some alcohol. Medium body with some sticky syrup and light carbonation to balance. Overall, a decent, English style BW, with an alcohol punch.

 

 

 

L; red/amber with a light tan head that quickly dissolves into a ring with a few islands
S: not a lot of aroma, mostly some malts, prunes, raisons
T: kind of bitter-sweet with malts, prunes, raisins, some brown sugar, peppery spice
F: smooth and slightly sticky across the tongue with a slightly bitter, peppery finish
O: This is an okay, bordering on good barleywine. A good value if better options aren't available

12 oz. bottle poured into a Teku
Reddish hazy color, scant fine cream head which leaves a thick ring and small islands. Full curtain lacing.

Nice malty, prune aroma.
Raisin, brown sugar, wine grapes, light saddle and tobacco flavors.

Smooth sweet coating start, some alcohol and dryness develops. Stubborn carbonation.
Enjoyable and a screaming value considering the going rate for barley wine.

 

 

Poured from a bottle it is a reddish amber with minimal head. Smells of malt and raisin with some floral notes. Taste is malt, fruit and alcohol. Very heavy with a good feel for the ABV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dirty pour, half centimeter head. It's a deep opaque reddish brown. Tons of yeast floating about. Smells like cherries. Tastes of fig, raisin, malt, caramel and alcohol. Slightly bitter, maybe 20-30 ibu. It's thicker than a snicker. Overall, it's alright. Nothing substantial except for the high alcohol content.

Bottle, no visible date. Bought this six months ago. Great Lakes tulip.

A: pours a somewhat cloudy reddish amber. One finger of off-white head.

S: it’s a barleywine, all right! Sweet, figgy, plummy, almost Sherry-like character. Toffee and a hint of alcohol.

T: sweet, malty arrival. That sherry-like dried fruit sweetness is big in the mid palate. As it rolls off to the finish, there is a bit of alcohol.

M: hefty and syrupy. Slick, with relatively little carbonation. Standard for the style.

O: I’ve only had a few barleywines, and this is pretty much what I’ve come to expect. Sure, some are hoppier; this is pretty subdued in that department, but it is a syrupy sweet affair, with loads of alcohol. Reminds me of the first one I ever ordered at a bar, not knowing what it was. Oops!

There is a right moment for this beer, but every time I have had it, it has not been that particular moment. The last one was a drain pour because I was 2/3 way through, buzzed, and choking on the sweetness. Pace yourself here; settle in with a good book by the fire, and this will satisfy.