D'Automne
Commonwealth Brewing Company

16oz can poured into a tulip

A- pours ruby in color with a one-finger foamy off-white head that has short retention

S- dark fruits dominate the aroma; raisins, figs, black cherries and dates. Also some stewed apples, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, tobacco, leather and a hint of oak

T- dark fruit flavors follows the nose with notes of raisins, figs and dates, along with dark cherries, even a bit of blueberry.
Mid-palate brings out a malty sweetness that adds caramel and toffee, as well as the barrel treatment, which gives notes of candied apples and oak. The finish gives a nice caramel/toffee note that sticks around for a bit

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel that turns into a slightly creamy, warming finish

O- dark fruits take center stage in the flavor profile with a nice barrel influence

Poured into a small, stemmed tulip. $7.99 for 16oz. A barrel aged apple brandy English barleywine.

This beer is a slow sipper. Is the appleness just from the barrel or has it been further amended? The apple taste kind of threw me off because I was expecting too much alcohol or a beer that was too hoppy, but this beer is a mild English barleywine base gracefully aged in apple brandy barrels. This is a solid barleywine. 4.25

A – Pours a clear, dark amber but is opaque dark brown in the glass with a one-finger off-white/tan head. 4.0

S – Aromas of dark fruit, figs, fig newtons, vanilla, apple pie, faint spiciness with a hint of sweetness and very mild and pleasant notes of spirits. 4.0

T – Malty appleness, cinnamon and brown sugar. This is an English barleywine with apple highlights. Not too strong but clearly evident in the taste. 4.0

MF – Heavy bodied with a slight sweetness in the finish. Good carbonation gives it a nip of a bite on the palate. 4.25

L: Poured from a tallboy can to a pint glass. Had a medium brown color and a thick, opaque consistency. There was a thin, off white head that quickly dissipated. Not a whole lot of lacing to speak of.

S: A very nice aroma of apples, dark fruit, booze, malt, and caramel.

T: Tasted of a decent bit of dark fruit (raisins, in particular), some caramel notes (a subtle sweetness), lots of apples (a major component here), and a pretty good shot of booze (brandy, and its accompanying barrel). This is a big, aggressive, boozy flavor that gets better as you go along. It's never overbearing, but definitely powerful.

F: An average amount of carbonation with a sharp finish. Medium-bodied.

O: An extremely solid barleywine. Drinkable.