Very Old Very Special
Interboro Spirits and Ales

Appearance: Small pour on draft. Very dark brown. No head and therefore no lacing. The sinister look is foreshadowing.

Aroma and Taste: Red wine, black licorice, flat cola, bourbon, dark dried fruit, and alcohol.

Feel: Medium-low carbonation with a medium weight. The flavors and alcohol overpower any notes about the feel.

Overall: Classic barleywine. If you like the style, you'll like this one.

Last beer at Interboro's Brooklyn location and boy, was beer a doozy. Every bit as strong and potent as it's listed ABV, this was a beast but at the same time, so enjoyable and worth taking the time to savor since it had more than enough to offer!

A cross between mahogany and cherry in hue, this was dark with a small and fast-settling head that only added to this beer's bourbon slant. No lacing was left behind as this felt thin, but luxurious at the same time. Tons of caramel, bourbon barrel, and booze in the nose. Did I mention booze? I probably should since it nearly drowned out the subtle hints of dark fruit and currant that were barely noticeable. A bit of rye, peat moss, and grain emerged in the taste as the nuance was just enough to overcome the intensity of this beer. Plenty sticky, somewhat slick, and nearly absent of carbonation, this felt like something from Innis and Gunn taken up a few degrees - both in terms of temperature and potency.

The name on this beer makes it seem like it was cognac and in some ways, it reminded me of a bottle of Remy or Hennessy. If you love those, a Kentucky bourbon, or a beer that will put hair on your chest and a smile on your face, then seek this out. It's not for the faint of heart but it's concoctions like this that serve as a reminder of what a malted barley beverage is capable of being, even if a bottling date was missing from it!