Barleywine Style Ale
West Side Brewing
- From:
- West Side Brewing
- Ohio, United States
- Style:
- American Barleywine
Ranked #109 - ABV:
- 11%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #11,234 - Avg:
- 4.16 | pDev: 6.25%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 6
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 15, 2026
- Added:
- Jan 11, 2019
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana
3.77/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz canned 12/20/22 (10 months ago) poured into a teku glass at fridge temp 11% ABV 67 IBU per can. The beer pours opaque medium amber with khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and uneven layer of varied bubbles. Streaks of lacing follow the beer down the glass. The aroma is mild with slightly sweet malt, wet cardboard and fading piney hops. The taste is semisweet caramel malt with dark brown sugar, slight cardboard and pine. Moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with just less that average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. No alcohol notes in the aroma or taste. Overall, good. Maybe this one is better fresh or at least refrigerated. Purchased warm last month.
Oct 10, 2023
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio
4.27/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12 ounce can, canned on 1-1-2021, thanks to Brutaltruth for this one! Served in a snifter, the beer pours an amber/orange color with a little more than an inch off-white head that stuck around a while. Lots of lacing. Aroma starts off hoppy, the brew smells like earthy hops, figs, toffee, brown sugar and some grainy malt. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some floral, date and boozy flavors noticeable too. Good amount of hops with a nice fruity/malty sweetness. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's slick, smooth and well carbonated. I thought this was a good overall barleywine, wouldn't mind trying this one again in the future. Definitely worth trying if you're able to!
Dec 12, 2021
Reviewed by SawDog505 from New Hampshire
4.52/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.52/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured into a 13 oz tulip glass canned 12/26/20? Pours a very attractive amber orange with a 2 plus finger sticky off white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with amazing retention. 4.75
Aroma is fruity esters, fig, dates, vanilla, caramel, toffee, and maybe a hint of warming alcohol. 4.5
Taste follows apricot, fig, dates, caramel, toffee, vanilla, and a little alcohol comes in at the lingering finish. 4.5
Mouthfeel is above average, not sticky or dry, soft gentle carbonation, and at 11% ABV a sipper that holds your attention enough to make you crave the next swallow. 4.5
Overall this is one Damn fine BW. I would stock up on the fella and savor on a cold winters night. Very impressive, thanks jzeilinger for this can. 4.5
May 31, 2021Aroma is fruity esters, fig, dates, vanilla, caramel, toffee, and maybe a hint of warming alcohol. 4.5
Taste follows apricot, fig, dates, caramel, toffee, vanilla, and a little alcohol comes in at the lingering finish. 4.5
Mouthfeel is above average, not sticky or dry, soft gentle carbonation, and at 11% ABV a sipper that holds your attention enough to make you crave the next swallow. 4.5
Overall this is one Damn fine BW. I would stock up on the fella and savor on a cold winters night. Very impressive, thanks jzeilinger for this can. 4.5
Reviewed by jzeilinger from Pennsylvania
4.18/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A - Pours a dark medium amber color with a layer of frothy white head on top and light to moderate carbonation.
S - Sweet caramel aroma with light earthiness and spice, figs, dates, and some delicate graininess.
T - Caramel malt base with earthy spice, some dark fruit (dates and figs), and finishes with a slight bitterness finish and delicate citrus.
M - Thick, slick, and silky soft on the texture with some light lip smacking sugary residue on the lips.
O - Overall flavor is on the lighter side for a 'Barley but really nicely balanced.
May 20, 2021S - Sweet caramel aroma with light earthiness and spice, figs, dates, and some delicate graininess.
T - Caramel malt base with earthy spice, some dark fruit (dates and figs), and finishes with a slight bitterness finish and delicate citrus.
M - Thick, slick, and silky soft on the texture with some light lip smacking sugary residue on the lips.
O - Overall flavor is on the lighter side for a 'Barley but really nicely balanced.
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio
4.19/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Can says 1-1-2019
Poured into a snifter
Look - great amber color with a good white head that doesn't last to long but has a good lacing
Smell - sweet caramel fig with a floral hop to it and booze
taste - booze, still sweet caramel malt backbone with that dried fig. Well balanced though for being so boozy
feel - lots of body with a slight crisp carbonation
Overall - Tasty barleywine. They did a fantastic job on a beer that a lot of breweries screw up on.
Sep 09, 2019Poured into a snifter
Look - great amber color with a good white head that doesn't last to long but has a good lacing
Smell - sweet caramel fig with a floral hop to it and booze
taste - booze, still sweet caramel malt backbone with that dried fig. Well balanced though for being so boozy
feel - lots of body with a slight crisp carbonation
Overall - Tasty barleywine. They did a fantastic job on a beer that a lot of breweries screw up on.
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio
4.23/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From the 12 oz can (!?!?!?!) in a snifter. This SOLID barley wine pours a
nice medium luminous amber color with a nice head of white foam
that subsides to a thick big bubbled ring, thin light layer, and shows
some nice light lacing. Nose of brown sugars, astringent booze, mild dates
and figs, and light floral hop notes. Flavors follow the nose with dates
and figs that dance with golden raisins amongst a bed of brown sugars
with strong herbal and light floral hop notes with a touch of floral
perfume note that I am unable to put my finger on, almost a mild lavender
note. Nice mouth feel for the style; medium body, light carbonation,
and a sweet lightly dry caramel and brown sugar sweet malt and
herbal hop finish.
Nicely balanced, smooth, and....in a can....I am without
other descriptive words other than a SOLID and darn
near perfect example of the style in an American sense.
Overall---very VERY nice. Zid and Bluejacket74 would
enjoy this one!
Cheers!
2020 version is even more mellow and smooth....need to lay this one
down for a bit....just wish it was in a bottle....then again.....who knows.
Jan 27, 2019nice medium luminous amber color with a nice head of white foam
that subsides to a thick big bubbled ring, thin light layer, and shows
some nice light lacing. Nose of brown sugars, astringent booze, mild dates
and figs, and light floral hop notes. Flavors follow the nose with dates
and figs that dance with golden raisins amongst a bed of brown sugars
with strong herbal and light floral hop notes with a touch of floral
perfume note that I am unable to put my finger on, almost a mild lavender
note. Nice mouth feel for the style; medium body, light carbonation,
and a sweet lightly dry caramel and brown sugar sweet malt and
herbal hop finish.
Nicely balanced, smooth, and....in a can....I am without
other descriptive words other than a SOLID and darn
near perfect example of the style in an American sense.
Overall---very VERY nice. Zid and Bluejacket74 would
enjoy this one!
Cheers!
2020 version is even more mellow and smooth....need to lay this one
down for a bit....just wish it was in a bottle....then again.....who knows.
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