Old Numbskull - Port Barrel-Aged
AleSmith Brewing Company

I wasn't sure about a marriage between American barleywine and port barrels but this is magnificent. Lots of caramel with slightly burnt, bitter edges come through from the base beer. The port barrels add some subtle fruit notes, plums, red raspberries, and of course, lots of port. I also get leather and tobacco. So damn good.

 

Opaque middle brown, short lived cap. Port and raisin waltz as stars in nose, with oak, barleywine, earth, plum skin, and leather as supports. Taste is fruity with raisin, black currant, plum, cranberry, with port, barrel is fainter here barley is decent though. Boozy and smooth, lighter bodied but so well balanced with oak, barley and malt shaping, dries out through sip. This is so well done as the port barrel really does bond with the barleywine. The wife liked it