Figgy Pudding
Block 15 Brewing - Southtown Tap Room

2011 bottling

Appearance: Pours tea colored with a quick fading ecru head; a few spots of lacing

Smell: Toffee, molasses and fig; with an Apple Brandy undertone

Taste: The toffee and fig provide some sweetness in the foreground though the molasses impact is less than I was expecting; the brew has become somewhat sour, as if the Apple Brandy barrels turned to crab apple brandy; the spices have also faded

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low carbonation

Overall: Part of my cellar cleaning effort, this one really didn't hold up as there is a slight infection; should have consumed it a long time ago; kept my scores higher to give the benefit of the doubt

Aptly named, as I can’t recall another English Barleywine that is so spicy/sweet/dessert-like.
English Barleywine is one of my favorite three or four styles…and I enjoyed this one, though it was a bit sweet for my palate. But! since that is the idea behind this brew, I applaud Block 15 for achieving their target. Alcohol is very well ‘hidden’ behind a curtain of sweetness and spice.

2023 vintage. Bottle enjoyed on 2/17/2025
Look: dark amber/brown body. short but persistent head that leaves some nice fine lacing.
Smell: mild spice with brandy and sweet malt in the back ground.
Taste: follows the nose. There is fig/toffee/molasses showing up here and there. Rather sweet. and rather smooth. Abv is well hidden for the most part. The spice of cinnamon, nutmeg/allspice is there, but it doesn't over power everything else.
Feel is ok not thin or thick, and well carbonated.

A nice medium duty beer for it's style and easy to drink or sip.
4.21/5 overall.
i wonder what would happen if you age this one. Will the spice get stronger with age? I would not want the spices stronger as it would overpower the base beer. But it seems to be holding up very well so far.

Dark brown semi-translucent pour with a beige head. Brandy, spices, and toasty oak lead the smell, with dark fruit and malt supporting. Taste has the date with Brandy right away, then mild malts, a touch of caramel, before finishing Brandy booze and English yeast. Feel is boozy but not hot, malt forward, medium bodied. A holiday sipper

2023 vintage

This is quite the interesting beer. I can’t say I’ve ever had the English dessert this is based on, but it does sound like it would translate well to a Barleywine. Let’s crack it open and find out what it’s all about

Pours a murky medium brown with a finger of creamy beige head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves decent lacing

The nose is very fruity and sweet but it’s executed nicely. I’m picking up on aromas of brown sugar, fig, sweet toffe, molasses, black tea, black cherry, leafy hops, dark bread, walnut, and cinnamon sugar

It’s a little leas expressive in taste but I still dig it. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting milk chocolate, raisin, brown sugar, fig, sweet toffee, earthy cinnamon, dark toast, and molasses. The swallow brings notes of walnut, cocoa powder, fig, black cherry, brown sugar, black tea, leafy hops, and light roast coffee

A medium body pairs with gentle tingling carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes mostly dry and smooth

I dig this one. It’s not overly complex but it’s just fun

 

 

 

 

Bottle from Derek. Murky brown pour, beige bubble head.Big on the pit fruit, figs, dark, English pudding. Smells like fruit cake. Gets better as it warms.

On todays episode of Clearing the cellar: an adventure in flavor, I have selected a 2011 Block 15 barrel aged ale. Still carbonated. Thin mouth feel. Scent is heavy barrel and barrel flavor forward. Quickly gives way to a smooth transition of spices and molasses. The fig is absent at this point. This beer aged very well.

 

 

 

 

Had on tap at Special Brews Lynnwood, WA