Cave Bear
Great North Aleworks

 

 

Beautiful on the pour - kind of a strong tea/deep amber color with a half inch of tight tan foam. The foam falls to a pretty ample cap with a thick ring. Excellent cling to the glass. Very slightly hazy.

It smells of malt. Brown bread. Toffee and brown sugar. Lightly sweet. There's some alcohol apparent and a very slightly citrus/pine hoppiness on the nose. I don't get much in the dark fruit arena but I think I'm OK with that. It's a "drink me" smell for sure.

The taste pretty well follows along. Lots of bready malt, toffee and brown sugary sweetness. It's actually fairly hoppy - moreso than the smell suggests. A late kick of bitterness with a fairly noticeable grapefruit and pine flavor. Nothing I'd call out as fruity. It is a tad bit hot on the alcohol. A nice earthiness on the finish.

The feel is a bit north of medium and it's silky smooth until the alcohol and hoppy notes provide a bit of a sting.

Other than the noticeable alcohol this is a pretty solid example of the style. I like that the hop notes offset the sweetness a bit.

Pours a reddish brown with a 1/2F head and light lacing.

Smells of malt, alcohol and sweet fruit.

Tastes of sweet malt, raisins, plums and caramel with a slightly bitter, boozy warm finish.

Medium heavy body with light carbonation. Lush syrupy mouthfeel.

This is a very strong, nuanced, almost cloy sipper.

Wow! Pours a light rich brown with reddish tones when held to the light. You can smell a whiff of alcohol along with rich maltiness at first smell balanced by sweet aroma. The flavor matches the smell and is balanced by hoppy bitterness. overall a good example of style. A nice sipping ale.

 

Can from the Packie.
Mostly clear deep auburn color with a tightly bubbled tan head that slowly recedes. Rich toasty toffee maltiness with a hint of caramel and some bits of dark dried fruits. Light earthy hop and warming alcohol to counter. Well made sipper.

Enjoying a 16oz can from a 4-pack purchased recently at Great North ($16.00).

Poured into a sniftah, it is a clear, lovely, rich amber-chestnut color. Has very light, scattered carbo and a short, fine beige layer of foam. There are a few wisps of lacing left on the glass. The color is a real eye-catcher, though. Aroma has loads of toffee, caramel and brown bread. It is damn inviting! The body is easily medium-plus, bordering on being chewy. And the liquid is silky smooth and light on prickle as it traverses the tongue.

Flavor is right there with the aroma - brown bread, caramel, toffee and caramelized brown sugar. It has all the malt you'll ever need! Hopping is quite light, with perhaps some earthy, tobacco-like notes in the finish, which is nicely warming. Get it while you can, as they have 4-packs available and a limited amount on draft at the Brewery.... A top-shelf Barleywine which should be a shining example of the English style! Cheers!!

4.5/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2255

Poured into a16 oz Snulip glass canned on 1/07/2021. Pours a gorgeous bright amber with a 2 finger sticky off white head with reddish hues, leaving tiny bubbles in thin lines of lace with excellent retention. 5

Aroma biscuit, bubblegum, brown sugar, caramel, toffee, and maybe a faint hint of piney grapefruit. Pretty darn complex. 4.25

Taste follows bubblegum, brown sugar, biscuit, toffee, caramel, and a little piney grapefruit in the balanced yet lingering finish. 4.5

Mouthfeel is above medium, a tad dry, gentle full carbonation, and at 10.7% it is a sipper, but because it is so complex it makes you crave the next sip. 4.75

Overall this one I shall be getting more of. I love a good American Barleywine and this one is fantastic. 4.5