Bare Tree Weiss Wine Vintage 2000
Two Brothers Brewing Company + Tap House

A ginormous thanks to my friend Adam for mailng me this one. Adam: "Hey man, there's this weird beer out here at my packie in Chi-town, buried in the 22 rack. It's called "Bare Tree 2000" Me: "How much is shipping, bro?" Mailed to me in 2004 after enjoying a rest in a corner packie cooler, and sat in my cellar until 2006.
Split with a friend, as any good beer should be. Hazy, make that a full cloud of yellow ochre. A big puff of white head. Aged aroma, replete with honey, soggy paper and soft wheat. Apple skin and yeasty wheat bread. The flaovr is full-aged. Probably a little past its due-date. Tons of wheat malt, in that powdery, soft kind of sweetness. Loads of honey, pressed, cidery apple and paper. Not at all unpleasant, although it may sound that way. Ghostly fruitiness, moving into a yeasty, doughy, wheaty finish. Pretty much all the higher alcohols have dropped out, including the elicious fruity esters and spicy phenols. Great, but was probably so much better in its prime. I did get a crack at a 2004 vintage last year, and it was superb. This one just backs up my claim that wheat doesn't age for shit, since it's all about the high end. Good, but I can tell it used to be better.

2001. I’ve had 3 different wheat wines within the past few weeks and I’m starting to really appreciate the style. This one had a nice orange color. A subtle aroma of wheat, toffee, banana and oak. Light in body considering its strength but the alcohol is masked very well. Notes of banana, light fruits and melting toffee.

Vintage 2001, Sampled September 2004.
Pours a clear copper color, and is topped by a tan colored head that has a reasonable staying power. As I pour this beer I note that it looks a bit lighter in body than I was expecting, and I get some real nice aromatic notes of lemon, banana, and sherry that waft to my nose. It is very well carbonated, which helps to hold up the head. When I go in for a deeper sniff I am surprised by how crisp and wheaty this beer is. For some reason I was expecting an American Barley Wine made with wheat, but that is not what this seems to be, at least in the nose. There are definite crisp notes of wheat that has notes of lemon, banana, apples, and a hint of tropical fruit.

The palate is fairly light, it is sweet and does have a good amount of body. The taste is sweet and fruity up front, with notes of plum, and apple cider. It finishes with a bit of sherry, which is the only sign of slight oxidization after all these years. This beer is so tasty, I was really not expecting this to be so enjoyable after so long a period. I just figured that this wheat beer would just not stand up to the time, but boy was I wrong. There seems to be a slight amount of acidity here, which is typical of wheat beers, and it really goes nicely here. I really like that though this beer is strong, it is not too heavy, it has definite body to it, but it is much more akin to a strong Belgian ale in its alcohol to body ratio.

What can I say other than age some of this beauty if you get a chance. The only bad thing that I can say about this is that I have never had a fresh version, I guess I will have to remedy that.

2001 750ml Capped. After popping the cap off this one the bottle foamed out a continuous stream for several minutes while chunks of yeast floaties rose to the top. After about 5 minutes I was able to get a pour into a snifter. Cloudy orange with just a slight film on top. Lots of caramel and yeast in the aroma along with fruit notes. Oak is faint. Body is really spritzy for a BW but I can deal with it. It’s softening a bit as it settles anyway. Not as full a body as most Barley Wines either. Flavor is complex. A malty caramel takes the lead with lots of different flavors blended throughout. Vanilla, banana, toffee and some spices I can’t identify. Alcohol is well hidden in both aroma and flavor. Overall an interesting Barley Wine that has aged quite well. Goes down quite smooth. Very drinkable.

2001...been saving this for 3 months, hope it's worth it...
Hazy, orange color, slight white head.
Fresh nose, citric, orangey, but a bit flat and metallic. Doesn't jump up much.
Mmmm, tangy, slightly tart taste, very fruit-forward, orange all over, with a banana touch coming through, a bit of pepper, a whisper of apricot, and, yes, a hush of vanilla, too. An interesting approach, but I still am unconvinced of how they can call this a barleywine..there seems to be nothing in common with any bw I've ever had before. Maybe because none of them were wheat beers?
Wonderful texture, though, practically floods the palate, with the bright, full fruit, thick, and tasty texture. Yum, and yum, and yum. Good, goody, McGumdrops!
I'm going to enjoy this big ol' bottle all the way to the end!

2002 "vintage", enjoyed 10-31-04....golden hued, huge bollowy head, a lovely thing, sublime aroma, atmospherically uplifting, magnificent taste, utterly gorgeous, ...I do believe I shall edit my assessment of the previous year's effort, ...doing a bare-bones review, though, and am not attempting on this tasting to dissect every aspect of the brew, but just let it slide down, and it's good for that...wow, I likety-like it.

A bit soapy in the aroma. Nice amber body, but the head is lacking. the alcohol almost unbalances the rest fo the beer. This is lighter and not quite the flavor powerhouse of the other barleywines, but it's got something going for it. It's kind of like a giant hefeweizen and I like it.

I sampled the 2000 Wies Wein last night at our Monday Beer Tasting at the Sly Fox. What an execeptional brew. The Scotch Ale Yeast is very in your face (pleasantly mind you) and the brightness was exceptional.

I'm looking forward to purchasing some of this shortly and thank you Rich and Jeannie for bringing it.

2001 Vintage

Pours to a deep copper color with an off-white head. The aroma is fruity, apples, pears, apricots and bananas. It has an alcoholic aroma as well. It is almost Belgian like. The flavor is malty, with wheat and the fruitiness of apples; again like a Belgian. It has medicinal qualities as well. A very unique, tasty, and strong offering from Two Brothers. I was pleasantly surprised.

2001 vintage

This beer is simply striking in appearance. A careful pour yields a deep amber brew with an impressive, rocky head. It fades to a solid layer, leaving a thick lace in it's wake. Champagne like carbonation keeps it fed.
The aroma is vinous. Grape skins, alcohol & melon are most apparent.
The flavor is also reminiscent of a white wine. Initially a bit sweet, but it soon becomes very dry. As it warms, caramel malts and apple peel come forward in both the aroma and taste. The dryness recedes a bit giving way to a fuller bodied balance.
This beer is called a barley wine on the bottle and also called a weiss. I don't think it falls squarely into either catagory, but I really couldn't care less. Overall a beer worth seeking out and one I will look for again.

Vintage 2002. Originally sampled on 25 February 2003. This beer is honey colored w/ a long lasting bubbly head. It has a nice nose of banana, spices & some other fruit that I can't quite place. The flavor starts out soft & rounded but finishes tingly. It's a nice brew

This beer pours with a suprising reddish orange color, and a 20% yellow head. The lace is sticky but strangely foamy, and suprisingly tasty! Remarkyably fruity smell, and a taste that gets less bitter as the bottle goes on. At $10, I'm not sure I would buy it again, but I'm glad I bought it this time.

It's slightly hazy burnt orange in color with a rather small head. The aroma is odd, something slightly skunky in there. And it covers up anything else that a weiss beer might have, if this IS a weiss beer. It's an intriguing beer. I don't know what to think about it. It tastes good on one sip and bad on the other. I did get some usual wheat beer characteristics out of it. But a surge of hoppy bitterness and alcohol kick in and end it abruptly. In a way, it has the feel of a Belgian strong pale ale, until that aftertaste comes in.

Who knows what some aging will do to this. I reviewed it fresh off the shelf. And I'm kind of mind boggled. It's an enjoyable experience in a way. Go get this champaigne style bottled beer and try it and see what happens.

Acquired via trade. 2002 "Artist Series": So this is a "Barley Wine Wheat". Interesting? Definitely. Great? Not so much. Pours a hazy light orange color with a very thick orangish-white head. Aroma of wheat and fruit (citrus and banana) with a faint skunked aspect as well. Flavor is light and wheaty with a hoppy and lightly spicy finish. This was not bad but it does not make a strong case for blended beers. I like Barley Wines but not Wheat beers, and I think I will head back into Barley Wine territory next time.

I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about whether I would like this beer. I like wheat beers, but I just wasn't sure what to expect out of a "barleywine strength" wheat beer. I have to say that after tasting this beer -- from Two Brothers Brewing Co. of Warrenville, Ill., -- that I'm very impressed. The attractive label of the Vintage 2001 bottle depicts the jagged branches of a bare tree set upon an almost purple background. The back of the label describes the beer as a barleywine strength wheat beer fermented with two different yeast strains: a traditional German wheat and a Scottish Ale yeast. I think this trait -- the use of the two strains -- is what gives this beer it's special character. There is almost an oakiness to this beer, but there is no indication that the beer is aged in oak. The German yeast strain provides some flavors that are bit different than the traditional German wheat beers. I don't know if the blending of the two yeast strains create this flavor profile or not, but the result is a beer that has some of clove-like esters and phenols that are found in some Belgian beers. Bare Tree Weiss Wine seemed to be unfiltered, which could add some additional character, and probably makes this a good beer to keep in the cellar. The wheat is the predominant malt flavor with the hops adding dryness and a touch of spice. The beer is otherwise very clean tasting. I would guess the alcohol content to be somewhere between 9 and 11 percent because the original gravity is 25 degrees plato. Bare Tree comes in a champagne bottle with a foil covered cap. I bought it at the brewery for $8.99, but it is available throughout the Chicagoland area.

Artist Series 2002
Labeled a Barley Wine Style Weiss Beer. And for what it is worth, it comes in one of the most attractive bottles I've seen.
Pours a toasted golden with plenty of haze. Pure white head is not overly impressive in size, but redeems itself in terms of duration.
Nose is full of caramel, bananas and vanilla.
The aroma provides Cliff Notes for the taste. A good overview, but lacks the details.
Begins with the coupling of banana and caramel. Vanilla squats in and take control. Clove and woody notes enter next. FInishes with a heavy dose of hops; Not particularly bitter, but materializes in a lingering tea-like sensation. While not as complex as I'd hoped, still a nice conglomeration of tastes. Alcohol is not perceived whatsoever.
Milky, creamy mouthfeel. This must be 2%. TIny carbonation struggles towards the surface. Eventually it is frozen entirely.
As drinkable as any weiss I've encountered. Dangerously so. Just don't expect any sort of barleywine.
Definately worthwhile.

Artist series, vintage 2001...

Opaque light brown, glowing chill-haze. Medium bubbled head of 1/4 inch at a hard pour. Wow, a sharp whiff of alcohol and candied cherries. Big flavors, smokey oak, candied watermellon, sense of molasses, and a warming spritz of pepper hops and cordial-like alcohol at the finish. Nice body and semi-coating properties. Some fresh fruit flavors linger in the third and fourth sips. I may be very attracted to these flavors because I rate this beer as first rate in all categories, and I noticed last year's vintage didn't rate all that well. I'm picking up the next two to age awhile.

Deep "Chill Hazed" amber color, decent beige head and sheets of lace, although the head does dissipate rather quickly. Nose is malt, hints of wheat, lightly floral, earthy. Start is malt, the middle is full, the finish is dry and a bit hop spicy. Carbonation is light to moderate. The beer gained in flavor and aromas as it warmed up, the ABV is noticed somewhat as it is a "Belly Warmer".

Hazy pale orange color, slight wheat notes in aroma. Flavor is mainly band-aid and wheat, with a substantial alcohol base. I was excited by the prospects of this limited edition, but ultimately felt let-down.

Green bottle...very slight skunk smell..cloves/spicey aroma...orange with little head...tastes like a wheat bananna's and cloves hit the buds..almost like a light belgian..pretty creamy and smooth...bit of sourness on the finish...tastes closer to a Belgian than say Aventius...decent, not outstanding..

A beautiful orange dominated amber color. Pretty swett smell. Raisins and plums come to mind. Not much of a head, but this IS a wheatwine. Great taste. I've had one other wheatwine that was overwhelmingly sweet. This one is not cloying. This is really good. Some tastes that come to mind are DQ-style vanilla, peach and melon. I would recommend this one.