Old Godfather | Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Brewed by:
Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
California, United States | website
Style: American Barleywine
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.50%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
Re-emerging from the shadows, Old Godfather is the first of the Infamous. Old Godfather pours a light amber with a beige lacing. Aromas of fresh pine and citrus dominate, giving way to deep flavors of nutty maltiness and burnt caramel. A spicy hop bite of citrus peel rounds out the rich mouthfeel. Bittersweet English malts and cut-throat West Coast hops make Godfather a barley wine that is not to be taken lightly. This re-release of Old Godfather is the first vintage of its kind. As a brazenly robust brew, Old Godfather will benefit from years of cellaring, developing new refinements in character over time.
Added by frank4sail on 02-18-2003
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 151 | Ratings: 220
3.99/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
from the bottle to a sniffter
A copper with a big fluffy white head
S apricot warm brandy malty and other fruits
T not as good as the smell the apricot was not as pronounced alchohol was present but not overpoweering
M still could be thicker medium for the style
D a good brew the smell was the best part
★ 313 characters
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
from the bottle to a sniffter
A copper with a big fluffy white head
S apricot warm brandy malty and other fruits
T not as good as the smell the apricot was not as pronounced alchohol was present but not overpoweering
M still could be thicker medium for the style
D a good brew the smell was the best part
★ 313 characters
4.2/5 rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer poured from the bottle with a hazy amber/mahogany color. The aroma was sweet and malty with an apricot character. There was a nice malty taste, but not overpoweringly sweet as with some barleywine ales. There is a mild taste of hops in the finish that quickly gives way to an alcohol warmth. You can taste the flowery bitterness which hides any alcohol in the taste.
★ 376 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer poured from the bottle with a hazy amber/mahogany color. The aroma was sweet and malty with an apricot character. There was a nice malty taste, but not overpoweringly sweet as with some barleywine ales. There is a mild taste of hops in the finish that quickly gives way to an alcohol warmth. You can taste the flowery bitterness which hides any alcohol in the taste.
★ 376 characters
4.07/5 rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
This is one of those beers that I thought was going to thoroughly out-muscle me. It was a long battle but apparently I won. Appearance was very good, nice red color with decent hops and very good lacing. Smell is great, almost scary though- very boozy with a dark fruit plum and fig yeast. Lots of tobacco and very well hopped. Taste is similar but almost too boozy at first for my liking. Only a minimal deduction in my book because the taste is very good. Also brings some spice to the table, peppery.
Mouthfeel is heavy and oily, just the way it should be. Drinkability- a big beer and definately one to session.
★ 615 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5
This is one of those beers that I thought was going to thoroughly out-muscle me. It was a long battle but apparently I won. Appearance was very good, nice red color with decent hops and very good lacing. Smell is great, almost scary though- very boozy with a dark fruit plum and fig yeast. Lots of tobacco and very well hopped. Taste is similar but almost too boozy at first for my liking. Only a minimal deduction in my book because the taste is very good. Also brings some spice to the table, peppery.
Mouthfeel is heavy and oily, just the way it should be. Drinkability- a big beer and definately one to session.
★ 615 characters
3.55/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
A- A nice redish brown color. A ring of foam around the rim.
S- The smell is very potent with alcohol, gin like for the most part. There is a great rich malty/hoppy fragrance that smells good.
T- There is a strong gin hop taste to this. The hops seem faded in a dead way and not bright and crisp. A cherry taste is slight as well. The alcohol is present in the taste, almost tastes like that of absolute vodka.
M- Thin, too thin for what I like in my BW.
D- Fairly drinkable, would have enjoyed more thickness.
★ 516 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
A- A nice redish brown color. A ring of foam around the rim.
S- The smell is very potent with alcohol, gin like for the most part. There is a great rich malty/hoppy fragrance that smells good.
T- There is a strong gin hop taste to this. The hops seem faded in a dead way and not bright and crisp. A cherry taste is slight as well. The alcohol is present in the taste, almost tastes like that of absolute vodka.
M- Thin, too thin for what I like in my BW.
D- Fairly drinkable, would have enjoyed more thickness.
★ 516 characters
4.25/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a darkish amber colour, with a tall frothy head of cream coloured bubbles. Body looks quite thick and viscous in the glass, not so much from the pour. Some lacing. Looks pretty good.
Big, boozy aromas on the nose - port, brandy and cognac. Lots of sweet residual sugar characters, caramel and musk. Certainly smells like a fortified wine, but not in a bad way. Jus big and rich and heavy.
Slick and creamy mouthfeel, with a big sweet alcohol presence. Lots of vinous oak characters, lots of malty rich sweetness, and even a slight alcohol afterburn. Residual bitter character, and a lingering breath of booze fumes - it seems to dare me to breathe in after taking a sip.
A fantastic barleywine. One light on the hops, and focusing just on the big, alcomoholic flavours. Certainly a sipper, but in my opinion, this is what a true barleywine should be. I've had too many that just turn up the hop volume and wind up too similar to a DIPA. Very good indeed.
★ 964 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours a darkish amber colour, with a tall frothy head of cream coloured bubbles. Body looks quite thick and viscous in the glass, not so much from the pour. Some lacing. Looks pretty good.
Big, boozy aromas on the nose - port, brandy and cognac. Lots of sweet residual sugar characters, caramel and musk. Certainly smells like a fortified wine, but not in a bad way. Jus big and rich and heavy.
Slick and creamy mouthfeel, with a big sweet alcohol presence. Lots of vinous oak characters, lots of malty rich sweetness, and even a slight alcohol afterburn. Residual bitter character, and a lingering breath of booze fumes - it seems to dare me to breathe in after taking a sip.
A fantastic barleywine. One light on the hops, and focusing just on the big, alcomoholic flavours. Certainly a sipper, but in my opinion, this is what a true barleywine should be. I've had too many that just turn up the hop volume and wind up too similar to a DIPA. Very good indeed.
★ 964 characters
3.62/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
a: This was a clear, peachy coppery color. It poured with a minmal soapy head.
s: Perfumed, alcoholic fruit aromas of raisins and plums. Muted perfumed and piny hops, plus I swear I smelled some oaky tobacco.
t: Dry, perfumed dark fruits, sweet, oaky tobacco, and a little solvent at the end.
m: Maybe a little thin and watery, with very gentle carbonation.
d: There is "002" written on the label, I wonder how old this is? Other reviewers mentioned how hoppy this is, but I didn't get much in the way of hops. This has mellowed into a pretty nice b-wine. I'll look for a chance to try a fresh one.
★ 602 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
a: This was a clear, peachy coppery color. It poured with a minmal soapy head.
s: Perfumed, alcoholic fruit aromas of raisins and plums. Muted perfumed and piny hops, plus I swear I smelled some oaky tobacco.
t: Dry, perfumed dark fruits, sweet, oaky tobacco, and a little solvent at the end.
m: Maybe a little thin and watery, with very gentle carbonation.
d: There is "002" written on the label, I wonder how old this is? Other reviewers mentioned how hoppy this is, but I didn't get much in the way of hops. This has mellowed into a pretty nice b-wine. I'll look for a chance to try a fresh one.
★ 602 characters
4.5/5 rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
pours a hazy light light brown with copper undertones and a off white head
rich barleywine aromas of malt, notes of caramel, candied sugars, piney hops, slight fruit notes of lemon and faint apple
sweet caramel malt upfront, with candied sugar, molasses, piney hops leading to lemony and grassy notes on the finish. slight biscuity malt as well on the dry, slighty spicy hop finish
medium bodied, good sweet yet not overpowering malt with caramel and bready notes dominant leading to a crisp, present, solid hoppy finish that really balances the beer out. a truly pleasant warming feeling 2 minutes after the first sip
an excellent American Barleywine. medium body, smooth, malt forward but with a sturdy enough hop backbone to provide structure at exactly the right time, and no trace of the alcohol. many flavors are also present that flow really well into each other creating a truly excellent barleywine, I know I'll be buying more
★ 939 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
pours a hazy light light brown with copper undertones and a off white head
rich barleywine aromas of malt, notes of caramel, candied sugars, piney hops, slight fruit notes of lemon and faint apple
sweet caramel malt upfront, with candied sugar, molasses, piney hops leading to lemony and grassy notes on the finish. slight biscuity malt as well on the dry, slighty spicy hop finish
medium bodied, good sweet yet not overpowering malt with caramel and bready notes dominant leading to a crisp, present, solid hoppy finish that really balances the beer out. a truly pleasant warming feeling 2 minutes after the first sip
an excellent American Barleywine. medium body, smooth, malt forward but with a sturdy enough hop backbone to provide structure at exactly the right time, and no trace of the alcohol. many flavors are also present that flow really well into each other creating a truly excellent barleywine, I know I'll be buying more
★ 939 characters
4.27/5 rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I am sampling a cellar temp bottle poured into a snifter. The beer pours a clear golden to amber color with minimal beige hed foaming up and fading rapidly to islands and edge layer. The aroma is not robust but is complex. There is some white grape and light fruity notes, mixing wtih caramel malts, a bit of brown sugar pokes around as well. But also a solid dose of herbal and piney hops. The nose is balanced and enticing.
First sip reveals an average body with some stickiness to the texture, but not a lot. Almost no carbonation is present, the bubbles that exist are incredibly fine and barely register on the tip of my tongue.
Flavor is sweet caramel and brown sugar, lite fruit and some herbal tea like hops on the finish. No real hint of ABV anywhere, a very easy drinker for a barleywine. Well crafted and tasty, I would grab this one again.
★ 852 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I am sampling a cellar temp bottle poured into a snifter. The beer pours a clear golden to amber color with minimal beige hed foaming up and fading rapidly to islands and edge layer. The aroma is not robust but is complex. There is some white grape and light fruity notes, mixing wtih caramel malts, a bit of brown sugar pokes around as well. But also a solid dose of herbal and piney hops. The nose is balanced and enticing.
First sip reveals an average body with some stickiness to the texture, but not a lot. Almost no carbonation is present, the bubbles that exist are incredibly fine and barely register on the tip of my tongue.
Flavor is sweet caramel and brown sugar, lite fruit and some herbal tea like hops on the finish. No real hint of ABV anywhere, a very easy drinker for a barleywine. Well crafted and tasty, I would grab this one again.
★ 852 characters
3.7/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: 1/2 inch head, big carbonation, light brown, some salty looking sediment in the pour
Smell: hops, citrus, malt, and sweet fruit
Taste: the taste is complex. hops and malt dominate, but there are tastes of pine, honey dew melon, biscuity caramel, and alcohol
Mouthfeel: predominately strong, bitter, and dry...a semi-sweet finish
Drinkability: I found this to be more and more complex as I drunk it...Initially I was blown away by the hops, but after the first blast, more flavors are apparent...Not sure if I will get this again, but it is wonderfully complex.
★ 577 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: 1/2 inch head, big carbonation, light brown, some salty looking sediment in the pour
Smell: hops, citrus, malt, and sweet fruit
Taste: the taste is complex. hops and malt dominate, but there are tastes of pine, honey dew melon, biscuity caramel, and alcohol
Mouthfeel: predominately strong, bitter, and dry...a semi-sweet finish
Drinkability: I found this to be more and more complex as I drunk it...Initially I was blown away by the hops, but after the first blast, more flavors are apparent...Not sure if I will get this again, but it is wonderfully complex.
★ 577 characters
3.33/5 rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle poured into Sam Adams high tech beer glass.
Pours a clear caramel color with a thick & frothy 1 finger deep tan colored head.
Smells of sweet malts, some chocolate, toasted aromas, some faint hops & booze.
Bready sweet malts, citric hops, noticable booziness, bitter, somewhat harsh, strong medininal taste and unbalanced to my palate.
Thick, medium bodied, moderate carbonation, lingering booziness.
The flavor profiles here are not my favorite, so this is a one and done for me. Not bad, just not to my liking so much.
★ 538 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle poured into Sam Adams high tech beer glass.
Pours a clear caramel color with a thick & frothy 1 finger deep tan colored head.
Smells of sweet malts, some chocolate, toasted aromas, some faint hops & booze.
Bready sweet malts, citric hops, noticable booziness, bitter, somewhat harsh, strong medininal taste and unbalanced to my palate.
Thick, medium bodied, moderate carbonation, lingering booziness.
The flavor profiles here are not my favorite, so this is a one and done for me. Not bad, just not to my liking so much.
★ 538 characters
3.79/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pretty, rocky head that leaves ring lace after each sip. Dark amber color and crystal clear. Very attractive.
Biscuity aroma; reminds me of play-dough. Not sure how to explain, because this is quite different from any smell I've ever gotten from a beer. Light alcohol in the background.
Strong notable alcohol on the initial sip through the aftertaste, but it is not dominating. Good malt base that gives me the flavor of brandy or sherry. There is light hop bitterness for balance, perhaps more than the "typical" Barleywine. A very nice offering for my palate once I get by the unusual (but not unappealing) smell.
★ 618 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pretty, rocky head that leaves ring lace after each sip. Dark amber color and crystal clear. Very attractive.
Biscuity aroma; reminds me of play-dough. Not sure how to explain, because this is quite different from any smell I've ever gotten from a beer. Light alcohol in the background.
Strong notable alcohol on the initial sip through the aftertaste, but it is not dominating. Good malt base that gives me the flavor of brandy or sherry. There is light hop bitterness for balance, perhaps more than the "typical" Barleywine. A very nice offering for my palate once I get by the unusual (but not unappealing) smell.
★ 618 characters
4/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz ... another of the cellar clearing project.. I picked this up at Belmont Station back in November.... Tonight it is enjoyed out of the shaped SA glass..
1" head.. descent lace.. splotchy and a pretty nice cap.. the brew is crystal clear amber....
Nose is toasted sweet raisin bread and caramel malts.. hops are still there.. citric yet still sorta mild.. quite a bit of brown sugar...
Palate mirrors the nose with a nice balance throughout.. grapefruit zest hoppiness melds well with all the maltiness... the bitterness and hop flavors do wonders to bind this brew with a good overall quality.. It is reminding me alot of Old Boardhead with a year or so on it.. the hops are reigned in and the malts are starting to become on.. tasty without being over the top..
I like this a bunch... not epic.. not blow my lid off... but still a nice BW that deserves respect.
★ 872 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz ... another of the cellar clearing project.. I picked this up at Belmont Station back in November.... Tonight it is enjoyed out of the shaped SA glass..
1" head.. descent lace.. splotchy and a pretty nice cap.. the brew is crystal clear amber....
Nose is toasted sweet raisin bread and caramel malts.. hops are still there.. citric yet still sorta mild.. quite a bit of brown sugar...
Palate mirrors the nose with a nice balance throughout.. grapefruit zest hoppiness melds well with all the maltiness... the bitterness and hop flavors do wonders to bind this brew with a good overall quality.. It is reminding me alot of Old Boardhead with a year or so on it.. the hops are reigned in and the malts are starting to become on.. tasty without being over the top..
I like this a bunch... not epic.. not blow my lid off... but still a nice BW that deserves respect.
★ 872 characters
3.02/5 rDev -20.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Vintage 2006; poured into a pint glass.
A: Not much head; what there is disappears almost immediately. There was a significant amount of yeast in the bottle, some of which made it into the glass. This probably contributed to the cloudiness of the beer. Color is muddy brown with a red/orange highlights.
S: Malty, sweet aroma suggests high final gravity. No hop aroma.
T: The first sensation is the high-alpha bittering hops, followed by a malty sweetness. Not much in the way of hop flavor, but the bitterness is certainly there. It's clearly a big beer and you recognize the warmth of alcohol, but there doesn't seem to be the complexity you expect in this style -- a straghtforward beer.
M: Mouthfeel is decent; I think it may be helped by high FG.
D: Because the style is among my favorites it's a beer that I don't mind drinking. That said, it is not one of the better examples of the style. The simplicity does not suit barlywine, though I suppose it could improve with age. At this point, the beer is hop bitterness, oversweet malt flavor and not much else.
★ 1,069 characters
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Vintage 2006; poured into a pint glass.
A: Not much head; what there is disappears almost immediately. There was a significant amount of yeast in the bottle, some of which made it into the glass. This probably contributed to the cloudiness of the beer. Color is muddy brown with a red/orange highlights.
S: Malty, sweet aroma suggests high final gravity. No hop aroma.
T: The first sensation is the high-alpha bittering hops, followed by a malty sweetness. Not much in the way of hop flavor, but the bitterness is certainly there. It's clearly a big beer and you recognize the warmth of alcohol, but there doesn't seem to be the complexity you expect in this style -- a straghtforward beer.
M: Mouthfeel is decent; I think it may be helped by high FG.
D: Because the style is among my favorites it's a beer that I don't mind drinking. That said, it is not one of the better examples of the style. The simplicity does not suit barlywine, though I suppose it could improve with age. At this point, the beer is hop bitterness, oversweet malt flavor and not much else.
★ 1,069 characters
3.56/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Picked this one up at an unnamed location last week. I've been looking forward to it, and I decided to drink it after work tonight. Poured it into a stemless wine glass.
The color was a lot deeper red/orange than I expected. Nice smooth pour, with a creamy head, not too big but a little sticky and definitely made the beer look nice. The smell was good too, although very, very strong. Sugary at the start, but very incredibly hoppy. Some people have said that the hops are milder but I found them to be really potent.
Hops are less present in the taste, however, and there are certainly some interesting malt textures to the beer. I would call it a harsh alcohol taste though, especially when it's cold. I thought it was more the hops that were bitter at first (and they are), but there is a little too much alcohol in this taste for me, especially at only a little over 10% ABV.
Overall I would say that Old Godfather is not particularly complex, but it is a good barley wine and has some great elements. Appearance for this beer is especially good. But it just didn't do enough for me in terms of complexity or subtlety, and sometimes I find the scent a little overpowering.
★ 1,181 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Picked this one up at an unnamed location last week. I've been looking forward to it, and I decided to drink it after work tonight. Poured it into a stemless wine glass.
The color was a lot deeper red/orange than I expected. Nice smooth pour, with a creamy head, not too big but a little sticky and definitely made the beer look nice. The smell was good too, although very, very strong. Sugary at the start, but very incredibly hoppy. Some people have said that the hops are milder but I found them to be really potent.
Hops are less present in the taste, however, and there are certainly some interesting malt textures to the beer. I would call it a harsh alcohol taste though, especially when it's cold. I thought it was more the hops that were bitter at first (and they are), but there is a little too much alcohol in this taste for me, especially at only a little over 10% ABV.
Overall I would say that Old Godfather is not particularly complex, but it is a good barley wine and has some great elements. Appearance for this beer is especially good. But it just didn't do enough for me in terms of complexity or subtlety, and sometimes I find the scent a little overpowering.
★ 1,181 characters
3.68/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a very nice looking brew. A dark copper color that has a nice hazy unfiltered look to it. Also has a little bit of carbonation but a thin tan head with very good retention.
Smell has a very strong malt smell. There is a ton of dark malts giving a pruney fruit smell. Also, the alcohol is noticeable in the smell along with some good hops.
Taste falls slightly short of the great smell. There are the malt tastes immediately and the pruney fruit tastes. However the alcohol comes in strong and leaves a lingering bite that buries the hops.
Mouthfeel is slightly tainted and sharp because of the strong alcohol shot.
Drinkability is not as good as a smoother barleywine. It has a nice smell and a good taste, but not the alcohol is so strong in the beer that there isn't a ton of subtlety to the beer. It is a good beer to try, but I have had better barleywines.
★ 868 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a very nice looking brew. A dark copper color that has a nice hazy unfiltered look to it. Also has a little bit of carbonation but a thin tan head with very good retention.
Smell has a very strong malt smell. There is a ton of dark malts giving a pruney fruit smell. Also, the alcohol is noticeable in the smell along with some good hops.
Taste falls slightly short of the great smell. There are the malt tastes immediately and the pruney fruit tastes. However the alcohol comes in strong and leaves a lingering bite that buries the hops.
Mouthfeel is slightly tainted and sharp because of the strong alcohol shot.
Drinkability is not as good as a smoother barleywine. It has a nice smell and a good taste, but not the alcohol is so strong in the beer that there isn't a ton of subtlety to the beer. It is a good beer to try, but I have had better barleywines.
★ 868 characters
3.73/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
(A) Amber in color. Pours with a controlled head and then settles nicely.
(S) Aroma of bourbon along with figs and dates. Perhaps some molasses... very earthy.
(T) A nice balance of hops, with a slight medicinal tone.
(M) Thick, borderline "syrupy".
(D) Decent drinkability. Not an overpowering barleywine. Goes down fairly smooth.
★ 332 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
(A) Amber in color. Pours with a controlled head and then settles nicely.
(S) Aroma of bourbon along with figs and dates. Perhaps some molasses... very earthy.
(T) A nice balance of hops, with a slight medicinal tone.
(M) Thick, borderline "syrupy".
(D) Decent drinkability. Not an overpowering barleywine. Goes down fairly smooth.
★ 332 characters
4.02/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance- A nice copper brown body that brightens up towards the bottom of the glass blending with some yellow. An aggressive pour only yields a finger and a half of head that drops down pretty quick leaving some decent lacing. A nice looking body with a so so head. You know, that old chestnut.
Smell- Raisins, sweet bread, grape juice, and a little bit of citrus hops (oranges mostly). I think there is a tiny amount of chocolate and caramel hiding in the background The nose is very sweet and sugary.
Taste- Everything from the nose is there, but on a much smaller scale and not as dominant. There's the addition of some noticeable heat from the booze and quite tannic. There's also more citrus rind bitterness and grapefruit than I was expecting from the nose. I was kind of hoping for some of the sugariness from the nose to carry over to the hops in the taste. Doughy malt makes an appearance and keeps this beer from becoming unpleasantly sharp. Not a "Wow" flavor, but it fits the American BW bill well enough.
MF- Bitterness and some alcohol heat linger on the tongue with every sip. Luckily, this beer pretty much nails the body and carbonation for a BW. It's full bodied but with enough carbonation to keep it from being too heavy.
Drinkability-High abv and bitterness make this beer a one and done for me. It kind of reminds me of Full Sail's Old Boardhead which saddens me because I could have bought a bomber of that for 40 cents more than what I bought this 12oz for. I have no idea how fresh this bottle is so I might revisit Old Godfather when I know I can get a fresh bottle and see if the hop flavors shine more than they are in this one.
★ 1,665 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance- A nice copper brown body that brightens up towards the bottom of the glass blending with some yellow. An aggressive pour only yields a finger and a half of head that drops down pretty quick leaving some decent lacing. A nice looking body with a so so head. You know, that old chestnut.
Smell- Raisins, sweet bread, grape juice, and a little bit of citrus hops (oranges mostly). I think there is a tiny amount of chocolate and caramel hiding in the background The nose is very sweet and sugary.
Taste- Everything from the nose is there, but on a much smaller scale and not as dominant. There's the addition of some noticeable heat from the booze and quite tannic. There's also more citrus rind bitterness and grapefruit than I was expecting from the nose. I was kind of hoping for some of the sugariness from the nose to carry over to the hops in the taste. Doughy malt makes an appearance and keeps this beer from becoming unpleasantly sharp. Not a "Wow" flavor, but it fits the American BW bill well enough.
MF- Bitterness and some alcohol heat linger on the tongue with every sip. Luckily, this beer pretty much nails the body and carbonation for a BW. It's full bodied but with enough carbonation to keep it from being too heavy.
Drinkability-High abv and bitterness make this beer a one and done for me. It kind of reminds me of Full Sail's Old Boardhead which saddens me because I could have bought a bomber of that for 40 cents more than what I bought this 12oz for. I have no idea how fresh this bottle is so I might revisit Old Godfather when I know I can get a fresh bottle and see if the hop flavors shine more than they are in this one.
★ 1,665 characters
4.28/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a gorgeous red that is a pleasure just to look at. A frothy yellow head crowns the beer. Smells as hoppy as any high IBU DIPA with a ton of C-hops in the nose. First sip is sweet malts that quickly shift to a long powerful lip puckering bitterness. Thick clingy lacing heavily coats the glass. The 10.2% ABV is "in your face" and says hello with every sip. A very hoppy American Barley Wine that has the malt to support this hop bomb. I would love to have this on tap.
★ 474 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a gorgeous red that is a pleasure just to look at. A frothy yellow head crowns the beer. Smells as hoppy as any high IBU DIPA with a ton of C-hops in the nose. First sip is sweet malts that quickly shift to a long powerful lip puckering bitterness. Thick clingy lacing heavily coats the glass. The 10.2% ABV is "in your face" and says hello with every sip. A very hoppy American Barley Wine that has the malt to support this hop bomb. I would love to have this on tap.
★ 474 characters
3.88/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear mahogany pour with no head. Aroma is sweet with some hops. Thick mouthfeel. Taste is sweet with a lot of hops. The bleeds over into the Imperial IPA style, but with a lot of malt. Alcohol bite kind of hits you in the end, but is well masked. Nice beer, no matter what category its in.
★ 290 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Clear mahogany pour with no head. Aroma is sweet with some hops. Thick mouthfeel. Taste is sweet with a lot of hops. The bleeds over into the Imperial IPA style, but with a lot of malt. Alcohol bite kind of hits you in the end, but is well masked. Nice beer, no matter what category its in.
★ 290 characters
4.32/5 rDev +13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.
A: The beer is a light reddish brown color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.
S: The aroma is of brown sugar, caramelized malts, floral hops and some fruit.
T: The taste is nicely balanced with sweet flavors of caramel, brown sugar and citrus, a strong but not over-powering hops bitterness and a hearty malt character. There's a mild alcohol sting, which is expected for a beer this strong in ABV. The after-taste is slightly hoppy and slightly sweet.
M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.
D: Very tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, strong kick, very good representation of style, this is a great ABW that is worth drinking for a whole evening and seems a bit more poundable than most other beers of its kind.
★ 871 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.
A: The beer is a light reddish brown color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.
S: The aroma is of brown sugar, caramelized malts, floral hops and some fruit.
T: The taste is nicely balanced with sweet flavors of caramel, brown sugar and citrus, a strong but not over-powering hops bitterness and a hearty malt character. There's a mild alcohol sting, which is expected for a beer this strong in ABV. The after-taste is slightly hoppy and slightly sweet.
M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean.
D: Very tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, strong kick, very good representation of style, this is a great ABW that is worth drinking for a whole evening and seems a bit more poundable than most other beers of its kind.
★ 871 characters
3.86/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12oz bottle. Clear copper color with fluffy tan head. Early the aroma is light with sweet sugary malts and pine hops. Really nice west coast style Barleywine flavor. Caramel malts are big and then pine hops hit. Just beyond midway a faint dark fruitiness emerges to add interest. Really nice drinkable flavor in this 10.2% ABV brew.
★ 332 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12oz bottle. Clear copper color with fluffy tan head. Early the aroma is light with sweet sugary malts and pine hops. Really nice west coast style Barleywine flavor. Caramel malts are big and then pine hops hit. Just beyond midway a faint dark fruitiness emerges to add interest. Really nice drinkable flavor in this 10.2% ABV brew.
★ 332 characters
3.72/5 rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Brown 12 oz bottle acquired in a recent trip to Wine Gallery in Brookline, MA. No freshness date.
Appearance: Not so clear as I expected. A rich mahogany, reddish brown with a thin cream-colored head that fades quickly, leaving a small lace.
Nose: Super-candy-sweet malt, dark wood, caramelized raw sugar, dark German rye, and a slight, whispering note of flowers.
Palate: A great big smack of sugar followed by a rich bitter chocolate wave, which gives way to dark caramel, and is usurped by lots and lots of hoppy bitterness (without the hop flavors though). I also think of sweet tea made with brown sugar, and that floral note is there, but I can't put my finger on it, and it's not a usual "hop floral" thing either. Carnations? And there's a plug of deep tobacco there, too.
Notes: A big, sweet, and rich barley wine. It's aggressive and a little clumsy in that the individual flavors seem distinctly defined and not blurring into one another. A good beer in the interesting manner, unique even, and I'd definitely recommend it. A pipe-smoker's barley wine, I'd say. And better than I was expecting (I'd never had contact with this brewery before...got a bottle of the IPA to review too!)
★ 1,198 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Brown 12 oz bottle acquired in a recent trip to Wine Gallery in Brookline, MA. No freshness date.
Appearance: Not so clear as I expected. A rich mahogany, reddish brown with a thin cream-colored head that fades quickly, leaving a small lace.
Nose: Super-candy-sweet malt, dark wood, caramelized raw sugar, dark German rye, and a slight, whispering note of flowers.
Palate: A great big smack of sugar followed by a rich bitter chocolate wave, which gives way to dark caramel, and is usurped by lots and lots of hoppy bitterness (without the hop flavors though). I also think of sweet tea made with brown sugar, and that floral note is there, but I can't put my finger on it, and it's not a usual "hop floral" thing either. Carnations? And there's a plug of deep tobacco there, too.
Notes: A big, sweet, and rich barley wine. It's aggressive and a little clumsy in that the individual flavors seem distinctly defined and not blurring into one another. A good beer in the interesting manner, unique even, and I'd definitely recommend it. A pipe-smoker's barley wine, I'd say. And better than I was expecting (I'd never had contact with this brewery before...got a bottle of the IPA to review too!)
★ 1,198 characters
4/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Enjoyed this in bottles on a number of occasions and have had some different experiences. Noteworthy: this is not bottle conditioned and there is no sediment.
Pours dark brown, crystal clear, some tan head but not much retention, mild lacing.
Aroma is very malty, deliciously malty. Lots of pale, maybe some brown malts. Now that I think about it, there might be some parallels to a brown ale here. Some hops present in the aroma but I really enjoy these (properly aged of course) after a year or so.
Flavor is sweet, malty, biscuity, moderately bitter, and a touch nutty. Some hot alcohols distract from the taste when fresh or warm but pleasantly mellow and smooth when cold or aged. Not a real complex flavor but so very enjoyable.
Heavy body, maybe a tad undercarbonated but thats up for debate as this is a barleywine. Great on tap but be careful of skunked bottles. Bevmo leaves them on the shelves for ever.
This used to be my favorite barleywine, but then I tried 50-something barleywines. Still a great beer though.
★ 1,032 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Enjoyed this in bottles on a number of occasions and have had some different experiences. Noteworthy: this is not bottle conditioned and there is no sediment.
Pours dark brown, crystal clear, some tan head but not much retention, mild lacing.
Aroma is very malty, deliciously malty. Lots of pale, maybe some brown malts. Now that I think about it, there might be some parallels to a brown ale here. Some hops present in the aroma but I really enjoy these (properly aged of course) after a year or so.
Flavor is sweet, malty, biscuity, moderately bitter, and a touch nutty. Some hot alcohols distract from the taste when fresh or warm but pleasantly mellow and smooth when cold or aged. Not a real complex flavor but so very enjoyable.
Heavy body, maybe a tad undercarbonated but thats up for debate as this is a barleywine. Great on tap but be careful of skunked bottles. Bevmo leaves them on the shelves for ever.
This used to be my favorite barleywine, but then I tried 50-something barleywines. Still a great beer though.
★ 1,032 characters
3.43/5 rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
"Some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me."
What's that Don? You want me to drink this beer? Well, my pleasure!
A thick dark amber, pours almost like syrup it seems. Tan head, with sticky glass-grabbing lacing on the sides.
Huge aroma of caramel, overripe fruit, honey, and hot alcohol.
Alcohol is jsut to big in the taste, overpowering bite and medicinal hot spice. Some menthol and spice. It finishes up bitter despite a sweet honey and malt begining and middle. I liked it, but its a slow drinker and even a whole bottle was a bit much. Felt like i wasted more of my sobriety on this one than I would have liked.
★ 663 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
"Some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me."
What's that Don? You want me to drink this beer? Well, my pleasure!
A thick dark amber, pours almost like syrup it seems. Tan head, with sticky glass-grabbing lacing on the sides.
Huge aroma of caramel, overripe fruit, honey, and hot alcohol.
Alcohol is jsut to big in the taste, overpowering bite and medicinal hot spice. Some menthol and spice. It finishes up bitter despite a sweet honey and malt begining and middle. I liked it, but its a slow drinker and even a whole bottle was a bit much. Felt like i wasted more of my sobriety on this one than I would have liked.
★ 663 characters
Old Godfather from Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
3.8
out of 5
based on 220 ratings.
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a very cloudy dark brown color. A small head remained with a small amount of lacing at the top of the glass.
It had a nice toasty malt smell with hints of what I felt were almost coffee , toffee-ness.
It tasted less coffee than it smells but its definatley got a strong almost sweet maltyness to it. You can taste the alchohol in it but it's not overpowering.
Its got a nice mouthfeel. Not overly carbonated.
It's a very drinkable beer and I would get it again.
★ 472 characters