RBA Chow So Cold
Ascension Brewing Company

 

22 ounce bottle into snifter glass; Batch #1, bottled in 11/2016. Bottle #184. Pours fairly crystal clear deep ruby red color with a 1 finger fairly dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin spotty lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of huge caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, raisin, plum, fig, date, apricot, cherry, berry, pear, red apple, spicy rye whiskey, toasted oak, and brown bread; with lighter notes of coconut, molasses, cocoa, roasted nuts, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready malt, fruity yeast, and rye whiskey barrel notes; with great strength. Very slightly boozy in the aromas as it warms. Taste of huge caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, raisin, plum, fig, date, apricot, cherry, berry, pear, red apple, spicy rye whiskey, toasted oak, and brown bread; with lighter notes of coconut, molasses, cocoa, roasted nuts, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate rye whiskey/oak spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, raisin, plum, fig, date, apricot, cherry, berry, apple, spicy rye whiskey, toasted oak, brown bread, light cocoa/nuttiness, and yeast/oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, fruity yeast, and rye whiskey barrel flavors; with an awesome malt and whiskey/oak spiciness balance, with zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light dryness from rye whiskey/oak spiciness, lightly increasing through the glass. Light carbonation and medium-full body; with a smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, lightly silky/sticky/tannic, and slightly chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is well hidden; a small pleasant warming with minimal barrel booziness lingering after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic barrel aged English barleywine! All around outstanding complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready malt, fruity yeast, and rye whiskey barrel flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the huge ABV. Pretty much perfect balance of malt/yeast complexity; outstanding barrel presence and integration, without being overly boozy, tannic, or drying. A highly enjoyable offering.