Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale
Full Sail Brewing Company

Old Boardhead Barleywine AleOld Boardhead Barleywine Ale
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From:
Full Sail Brewing Company
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
Ranked #165
ABV:
9%
Score:
87
Ranked #17,408
Avg:
3.86 | pDev: 11.66%
Reviews:
291
Ratings:
387
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 21, 2023
Added:
May 14, 2002
Wants:
  37
Gots:
  20
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by warriorsoul:
Photo of warriorsoul
Reviewed by warriorsoul from Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Many thanks to skyhand for this one...been sitting on it for a bit and had a hankering for a barleywine bomber...this is my selection.
Pours a light cherry color with half a finger of white head...thin, spotty lacing forms as it fades away.
Semi sweet in the nose...strawberries, citrus, and not much else...quite faint in the aroma.
The taste is where this one takes off...more of that fruity flavor, again strawberries with a bubble gum goodness.
This is the 2005 reserve and the hops are still tremendous...bittering the heck out of this bw and exactly what I was seeking. Too many hoppy barleywines oxidize fast, but this one is holding up beautifully.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied and the carbonation is a touch high...the alcohol is never really tasted, just a warming heat which comes with any beer pushing 9%.
A sipper this evening, but certainly drinkable as any in the style.
Very impressed with this brew from Full Sail...will need to find again.
Nov 29, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.25 by MJSFS from Florida

Nov 21, 2023
Photo of drdiesel9483
Reviewed by drdiesel9483 from Ohio

3.65/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
2004 on tap at the brewery in 2004
Look - thick slightly orangish light brown with a slight head
Smell - caramel grainy and barrel
Taste - grainy slight caramel and wood
Feel- medium syrup with no real carb
Overall - not bad especially for being 18 years old
Mar 07, 2022
 
Rated: 4.06 by Mikexw from New York

Jun 22, 2021
 
Rated: 3.96 by Abe_Froman from Massachusetts

Jan 05, 2020
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.86/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
22 oz bottle of 2011 Reserve served in a Belgian snifter. (from 2015 notes).
The hazy brown body is topped by a thin weak head that leaves minimal lacing.
Fruity appealing aroma with some biscuit and remarkably little evidence of alcohol. There’s little sign of the alcohol upon tasting either ... at first; but eventually the alcohol builds and the finish and aftertaste are actually rather boozy. While the boozy finish detracts from the flavor it is overall good enough, and complex enough, to deserve a 4. More hops than expected for this style.

Feel: light carbonation in a medium-light body with obvious alcohol warming.
Apr 06, 2019
Photo of Sound_Explorer
Reviewed by Sound_Explorer from Washington

4.42/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
2007 (!!!) Vintage that has an amazing aroma with a smooth run down the tongue. After taste is a little almost burnt sugar. Really lucky to get this taste from a friend. Yea I filled spaces for a review.
Dec 23, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by Sir_Goatman from Oregon

Oct 21, 2017
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

4.01/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2012 vintage in 22 oz. bottle Darker amber with thin beige head. Wine like malty aroma with alcohol very much in the forefront. Some oak barrel, peat and caramel. Taste (once past the alcohol heat) is malt, caramel and some spiciness. Excellent winter quaff. Recently sampled 2007 vintage also, ages wonderfully.
Nov 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3.77 by Scott17Taylor from Iowa

Oct 09, 2016
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.31/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Them mahogany and auburn and crimson red notes all together to make this color up. Lots of caramel sweetness in the aroma, hops later.

This one straddles that line between English and American barleywine, I think it has more of the sweetness and lesser hop character that leans slightly English. Viscosity of a caramel/syrup/molasses vein. A little bit of toffee contributing to the English feels.

A little bit of dark fruit bitterness, not full on quad or RIS like, but you know. One the one hand this is an inexpensive bomber and big beer, but on the other hand, its still a bomber instead of the more convenient (and cheaper) 12 oz format.
Sep 20, 2016
Photo of KensWorld
Reviewed by KensWorld from Florida

4.2/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
2012 reserve bottle. Pours a non appealing mudy brown leaving almost no head. Still has nice carbonation with plenty of boubles. Smell is not to impressive either. Slight malty nose. I was never expecting the taste to be any better, but wow was I wrong. Tastes wonderful, extremely mellow and smooth leaving Carmel, toffy, vanilla and honey notes. Semi Sweet malty aftertaste. Seems to be getting even better as it warms. Overall I'm very impressed by this barleywine, it's one of the smoothest I've tried yet. 3 years has aged this beer to perfection. the 4.50
Nov 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4.07 by dshansen1184 from Washington

Aug 22, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by nathanmiller from New York

Jun 13, 2015
Photo of pat61
Reviewed by pat61 from Minnesota

4.69/5  rDev +21.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
A: Slight chill haze clears as it warms to a brilliant deep amber to chestnut under a rapidly dissipating ½” off white foam collar that grips the glass producing thin sheets of lace.
S: Sweet big vanilla caramel nose with traces of wine and alcohol
T: Not as sweet on the palate as on the nose – the finish is a cascade of fruit and candy, some citrusy hops in the finish that grow in the after taste
F: chewy, creamy, warming, lacy, medium low carbonation
O: A big, bold barley wine for evening sipping.
Apr 09, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by Kmat10 from Canada (AB)

Mar 18, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by rspauldi from Texas

Jan 30, 2015
 
Rated: 3.94 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Jan 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.85 by wethorseblanket from California

Jan 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by BeerNW from Washington

Nov 23, 2014
Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale from Full Sail Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 387 ratings