Novocaine for the Soul w/ Cherry & Vanilla (2021)
A Few Old Goats Brewing
- From:
- A Few Old Goats Brewing
- Virginia, United States
- Style:
- English Barleywine
- ABV:
- 10.5%
- Score:
- +9 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4 | pDev: 0%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sep 20, 2021
- Added:
- Jul 12, 2021
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
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Novocaine for the Soul moves us further across the pond and closer to an English-style Barleywine. Aged for a year in Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels, Novocaine is dark amber in color and is richer and sweeter than its more American counterpart (Stuck on Stoopid). A strong malt backbone adds texture and sweetness to this one with notes of dark fruit and toffee.
But wait! For this variant we threw in a bunch of cherries and vanilla beans in a portion of this one.
But wait! For this variant we threw in a bunch of cherries and vanilla beans in a portion of this one.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by WickedBeer from Alabama
4/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The pour on this is excellent in coloration; a red-hued amber that glows in the glass. Gravity is a bit low, but good carbonation on the pour that helps to really bring out the aromatics.
The nose on this is just what you'd want from that cherry & vanilla addition. While the base barleywine led with a bit of astringency to accompany the fruit component, this variant hits hard with vanilla sweetness that brings forward more of a caramel aroma, balancing out undertones of cherry pie on the tail.
Much like the base, still a bit estery and malt-heavy. That said, there is far more complexity here with the cherry bringing out more of that fruit and the vanilla helping to cut through that malt potency. Much more balanced, and while the finish initially begs for something more, the swallow nails you with a great boozy warmth and brings it back full circle.
As with most AFOG I've had, these barleywines could use some more weight. Not all barleywines need to be Plato-heavy monsters to be good (see Revolution Brewing), but with these guys still looking to find that sweet spot on overall flavor / aromatics, it would do them well to put some more body into this one. As mentioned above, the warm, oaky, boozy finish is excellent.
Sep 20, 2021The nose on this is just what you'd want from that cherry & vanilla addition. While the base barleywine led with a bit of astringency to accompany the fruit component, this variant hits hard with vanilla sweetness that brings forward more of a caramel aroma, balancing out undertones of cherry pie on the tail.
Much like the base, still a bit estery and malt-heavy. That said, there is far more complexity here with the cherry bringing out more of that fruit and the vanilla helping to cut through that malt potency. Much more balanced, and while the finish initially begs for something more, the swallow nails you with a great boozy warmth and brings it back full circle.
As with most AFOG I've had, these barleywines could use some more weight. Not all barleywines need to be Plato-heavy monsters to be good (see Revolution Brewing), but with these guys still looking to find that sweet spot on overall flavor / aromatics, it would do them well to put some more body into this one. As mentioned above, the warm, oaky, boozy finish is excellent.
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