5X Barleywine
Five Threads Brewing Company

 

 

Pours hazy burgundy when light is shown directly through it. Head is a meager finger of off-white foam that bubbles away quickly. Aroma is stale and flat alcohol, which forms a wet blanket above the hot coals of the aroma. Earthy, toasty, bready, caramelly malts and mild toffee and raisins leak out from the sides. The alcohol stalls things out, keeping any one note from singing a melody or upping the sweetness. Flavor profile is the same initial heavy alcohol, but breaks away just enough for the tasting notes to shine through: caramel, molasses, raisins, fig, and bready, earthy, caramelly malts. There is still some stale alcohol at the back, but it does a better job of remaining ingrained, and not predominate, vs. the aroma. It never quite reaches sweet, although it makes an effort. Mouth feel is still, feeling more like a hard liquor than a beer. Thickness is medium. Overall, the alcohol seems to be more the focus than the barleywine notes. At 17%, it fails showcase decadent barleywine notes, landing it in a middle ground between a pour of whiskey / port, and a beer.

Served in a 15.5oz Speigalau tulip from a 12oz can.