Olde Duck
Hopewell Brewing Co.
- From:
- Hopewell Brewing Co.
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- English Barleywine
- ABV:
- 12.4%
- Score:
- +3 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.17 | pDev: 6.71%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 4
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 23, 2026
- Added:
- Dec 08, 2024
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
NO SCORE
-
-
An English-style Barleywine aged 18 months in third use Bourbon barrels that previously held Deluxe Imperial Stout, and Heaven Hill before that. Rich and malty with notes of toffee, caramel, raisin, vanilla and light oak.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio
4.25/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12 ounce can, 093024 stamped on the bottom of the can so I'm assuming that's the canned on date. Big thanks to Brutaltruth for this one! Served in a Teku glass, the beer pours a very dark brown color with about an inch and a half tan head that stuck around for a long time. Decent amount of lacing. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like raisins, brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, oak and a bit of bourbon. Taste is similar to the aroma, but with the addition of some earthiness, dates, blackberry and some roastiness. Nice amount of bitterness, it's still sweet tasting but not as sweet as I was expecting from the aroma. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's slick and a bit syrupy with a moderate amount of carbonation. I liked this one a lot, definitely worth trying if you get the chance!
Jan 23, 2026
Reviewed by darktronica from Indiana
4.19/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Being aged in barrels that previously held a stout diminishes the oak barrel character but accentuates the char and roasted bitterness. Gives this more of an old-school English barleywine character with more oxidation, before the style started going overboard on sweetness.
Aug 10, 2025
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio
4.41/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.41/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From the 12 oz can in a snifter. This amazing brew pours a dark mahogany
chocolate brown with a moderate head of khaki foam that settles to a thick
ring, thin swirling layer, and sport some faint lacing. Nose of bourbon, vanilla,
dark chocolate, dark brown sugars, toffee, and date bread. Flavors excel.
Bourbon and vanilla drench mellow oak and dark chocolate, dark berry
notes of blackberry and raspberry, light tobacco, light sherry notes,
treacle, and date bread dashed by spicy hops. Mouth feel is medium
full to full, smooth, coating, rich, lightly warming, and finishing with a
lightly bitter malt and spicy hop / bourbon note that is medium dry.
Overall, closer to a stout in many ways, but this has the flavor profile
of a winner!
Cheers
Dec 31, 2024chocolate brown with a moderate head of khaki foam that settles to a thick
ring, thin swirling layer, and sport some faint lacing. Nose of bourbon, vanilla,
dark chocolate, dark brown sugars, toffee, and date bread. Flavors excel.
Bourbon and vanilla drench mellow oak and dark chocolate, dark berry
notes of blackberry and raspberry, light tobacco, light sherry notes,
treacle, and date bread dashed by spicy hops. Mouth feel is medium
full to full, smooth, coating, rich, lightly warming, and finishing with a
lightly bitter malt and spicy hop / bourbon note that is medium dry.
Overall, closer to a stout in many ways, but this has the flavor profile
of a winner!
Cheers
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.49/5 rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.49/5 rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Canned 9/30/24; drank 12/6/24 @ the Yarchives.
Opaque dark brown appearance.
A rough pour yielded a huge dark tan head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lacing remained.
Burnt caramel, orange peel & booze heat notes in the nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Cloying caramel flavor up front; dry, tangy dill pickle & harsh wood notes on the finish.
This smelled good but was a chore on the palate. Not one I'll revisit.
Dec 08, 2024Opaque dark brown appearance.
A rough pour yielded a huge dark tan head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lacing remained.
Burnt caramel, orange peel & booze heat notes in the nose.
Thick, sticky mouthfeel.
Cloying caramel flavor up front; dry, tangy dill pickle & harsh wood notes on the finish.
This smelled good but was a chore on the palate. Not one I'll revisit.
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