Hay Hook
Loophole Brewing

This is my first actual American barleywine. I tend to prefer the English tastes of most styles, but I'm a sucker for barleywine altogether, so I couldn't pass this one up. The brewery is fairly local as well, so I'm happy to support them and check out what they've got

Pours a hazy orange brown with 2 fingers of off white head that quickly fades to a thin cap and leaves spotty lacing

As I would expect, this American take on the style uses hops liberally. I'm picking up on aromas of orange marmalade, a mix of citrusy and earthy hops, rich toffee malt, honey, and a hint of dates

The hops are just as assertive in the taste as the aroma would lead me to believe. The front end of the sip brings flavors of toffee, orange marmalade, sweet honey, and lightly herbal hops. The swallow briefly drives up the intensity of the hops before sweeting again, bringing notes of spicy hops, general citrus, toasted malt, and raisin

A medium full body pairs with tingling carbonation for a smooth slow sipper. Finishes almost entirely dry, somehow making this high abv beer feel somewhat refreshing

I wasn't all too impressed with this one, but having only had English barleywines thus far it seems like this is authentic to the American style. Good, but nothing great

Poured from an undated can into the test glass
A - Burnt orange colored backdrop, a slight haze masks the determined carbonation. The pour yields a robust and quick to exit white knit cap. There are some yeast floaties but nothing offensive.
S - Candied orange, sweet malt, toffee, a bit of dark fruit, mainly raisin, as the offering warms there is a nice hint of tobacco, vanilla, and caramel
T - Toffee, again with the candied orange, lots of Cascade in the late addition? Not sure but sure has that signature.
M - Medium in body, this has edges, almost prickly on the edge, Sweet start, moves toward the center quickly, with hops driving the boat on bittering, then quickly a shift toward candied orange again. Excellent hops execution. Finish hides any of the 10% alcohol, dry and quick.
O - A very good American Barleywine, lovely nose, great flavor and wonderful feel
O -

No can candate, just serial number
Pours a large frothy creamy 1.5 finger off white head with great retention, thick lacing, hazy amber ruby color

Nose plenty of sweet malt, candy sugar and syrup, caramel, toasted reddish malt, little biscuity toffee, a bit of herbal earthy hops, little fruity

Taste brings more sweet reddish malt, little toasted bread crust, biscuity toffee and some sweet caramel, little candy syrup, fair herbal hops with med bitterness, little earthy and spicy late, hops get spicy and almost chewy like an American barleywine, mild sticky finish, lingering med to a bit higher bitterness

Mouth is med bod, a bit creamy,med higher foamy carb, light alcohol warmth

Overall not bad, hits American barleywine well, nice sweet toasted malts, decent hops, alcohol hidden fairly well