What Year Is It? 2021
Castle Island Brewing Co.

The brewer describes this as a Nitro Red Barleywine. Big, red, and complex. Smooth notes of winter fruit preserves play a big role in this special nitro example of a barleywine.

Ruby red to brown color. Definitely lighter than most Barleywines. Light does pass through the center. Appears clear. Slowly ascending head from the nitro pour. Small but solid head. Some initial blanket lacing but this slides into the glass.

Aroma of figs and confectioner sugar. Toffee/treacle nose. There’s also a cleaning solvent (disinfectant) nose.

Very smooth, rich, and the effervescence is extremely fine. Darker malt flavor of semisweet chocolate and deeply toasted brown bread. There’s some boring hop, but mostly as a spice. Short aftertaste. Not as warming as most BWs nor as cloy, but still a decent, if slightly different (original?) offering.