My Sweet Virginia
Ocelot Brewing Company

 

 

 

Bottle shared by Lunch. Thanks Paul.

 

The beer pours a slight creamy tan head that looks decent but dissipates very quickly. The beer itself is a nice brown color. It has a thinner texture than normal and has the slight appearance of a really dark whiskey.

The smell and taste are very good even though it's been aged for nearly a year. The smell is fairly delicious with a nice mix of whiskey notes and dark fruit notes such as a light cherry with dates and a moderate caramel note as well. The taste is pretty good and on par with the smell. The main difference is the taste has a stronger whiskey note than the smell as well as a slightly stronger cherry note.

The feel is good. It's a heavy bodied beer but with a fairly thin and smooth texture. The carbonation is very light and gives it a slight creamy feel.

Overall, this is a fairly good beer but would probably had been much better if it was fresh. Still, it's a fine beer.

 

 

 

Unfortunately age did not do this one much good. Popped the second bottle in March 2017, almost a year after bottling, and this score reflects that tasting (down from a 4.53). The persistent head and lacing are still there - beautiful. The nose is more oak-forward now, with a bit of the bourbon heat sticking around and some oxidation coming on despite the thick wax job. Has lost much of the sweet, complex caramel and dark fruit though. Taste is more of the same with much more subtle flavors. Caramel is there and most dominant up front, with toffee through the middle and a nic esweetness on the back end rounded out by a tannic, dry finish. Gets better as it warms. Mouthfeel is where it dropped off the most - a bit slicker, thinner, and rougher on the finish. Overall, still a great beer, just a lot better when fresh.

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Nice appearance, persistent head and lacing. Caramel, malt, plums, and a good amount of bourbon heat in the nose as it warms. Taste is more toffee caramel and bready malt up front and dark fruit and sweet bourbon on the back. Great mouthfeel, soft and thick but not huge. Could be slightly more full even. Medium side of full bodied with medium-low carb. Really impressive, make more please!!

 

 

 

Bottled in April, 2016. Poured into Lawson's Belgian tulip glass.

L: 2F foamy head with some retention, leaves no lacing, but a little bit of ring and cap. Beer is a very dark chestnut brown.

S: Very sweet malts, caramel malt, pretty good kick from the Woodford barrel in the background.

T: Follows nose. Just, and i mean just short of being oversweet and cloying. Bourbon helps cut it in that regard. A little bit of alcohol heat on the finish.

F: Medium to full bodied, not much carbonation to speak of. Pretty well constructed and good balance. Drinks quite well for high ABV.

O: Very good barleywine. Maybe tone down the sweetness a bit to allow for more complexity, but fine just the way it is.

 

This was a great beer. Bourbon was there, but very balanced. Very malty and smooth and drank better and better as the beer warmed. I'm glad I picked up a few of these and will age a couple.

This had tons of delicious bourbon character, yet it was incredibly smooth to drink. It was a little metallic in the finish, but it was otherwise amazing.