Rhythmic Chaos
Moonlight Brewing Company

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From:
Moonlight Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
Ranked #96
ABV:
10.3%
Score:
91
Ranked #9,760
Avg:
4.2 | pDev: 3.57%
Ratings:
13 | reviews: 8
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 17, 2024
Added:
May 23, 2022
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
A showcase of our equipment and process. We boiled this barleywine for 8 hours in our 660,000 BTU direct fire copper kettle for a profound level of kettle caramelization that presents itself as plum jam, Amerena cherry, and fresh caramel in the finished beer.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.91 by travolta from California

Nov 17, 2024
 
Rated: 4.31 by mattmarka1 from Minnesota

May 05, 2024
Photo of DIM
Reviewed by DIM from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
What a wonderfully balanced bruiser of an American barleywine. Earthy, pungent citrus plus candied oranges atop a caramel and shortbread cookie malt base. Just a little raisin and plum in the mix as well. Really good stuff, thanks Tim!
Apr 02, 2024
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Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.21/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a can at fridge temp. Pours dark brown (murky) with minimal off-white head. The nose is jam, toffee, malts, bread.

The taste is really nice. Hops (citrus peel) definitely punch here. This mixes with toffee, oak, raisins, plum, sweet candy, bread. This is definitely a true American barleywine with a nice balance of hops and malts.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a malty/hop aftertaste.
Dec 09, 2023
Photo of augustgarage
Reviewed by augustgarage from California

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Packaged May 13, 2023 - enjoyed on September 3, 2023. This batch is 10.3%. Poured from a pint can info a snifter:

Dark yet clear auburn body with a lasting buff sand/bone cap. Light soapy lacing; thin legs; excellent retention.

Stewed fruit, port, raisins, and caramel give way to candied ginger, orange peel, and earthy hops in the nose.

Potent malt notes detonate on the palate - long and varied with caramel and toast leading to caraway, baker's chocolate, molasses, loam, and leather. Great depth of flavor from the kettle caramelization. Citrus-laden, herbaceous, earthy hops contribute moderate but lasting bitterness. Well balanced, with the ABV concealed. Medium-dry finish with a hint of rooibos and root beer.

Medium bodied, not-quite-creamy with good carbonation.

Just short of outstanding, this should appeal to both English and American barley-wine aficionados.
Sep 03, 2023
Photo of elNopalero
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan

4.24/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This pours from the can with a malty amber ruddy red color. Thin foaming. Aroma has a caramel forward character. Hoppier than I expected, at least fresh(ish).
Dec 30, 2022
 
Rated: 4.5 by Beecham from California

Oct 18, 2022
 
Rated: 3.94 by GClarkage from California

Oct 10, 2022
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Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Appearance: Pours a clear burnt orange with a one finger ecru head; good retention and plenty of lacing

Smell: Overripe stone fruit, caramel, molasses, cherry cough syrup and pine

Taste: Assertive pine and citrus flavors forward, laying down a bitter challenge to the sweeter malts; caramel, molasses and cherry cough syrup underneath; rustic, bitter and sweet flavors blend into the finish

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation; warmth in the gullet

Overall: This is a BIG American Barleywine with a hop profile that is more assertive than I generally prefer; still, quite well crafted with a very complex flavor profile
Aug 04, 2022
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Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Thank you, Chris.

A clear dark amber with a dense, beige head with good retention and lacing. The nose is bonkers. Clear, focused and on point in a way that's rare for the style, there's rich fruit, caramel, toffee, a little nougat, dark honey, layered rich fruit notes with pear, apple butter, plum skins. A masterclass in wrangling ingredients. Plenty hoppy with the citrus and pine notes complementing the fruit and malt notes from the long boil. The palate opens with a blend of bitterness and sweetness, a blend of toffee, caramel, honey, buckwheat and citrus and mild pine. Fruit notes follow with pear, apple, candied cherries, with the mild alcohol adding a mildly festive spice character. Notes of leather and earth struggle to stick their head out here. Medium light in body and softly carbonated. Long finish with delicate flavors of fruit and bitter hops. A light, nimble barleywine, brewed in a style that's rarely done and almost never done this well.
Jun 20, 2022
Photo of Alieniloquium
Reviewed by Alieniloquium from Florida

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 oz. can. Deep amber. Smells of dark fruits, pine resin, and toffee. Taste is dynamic. At first, lots of dark fruit. Toasted malt and dry oakiness take over. Brown sugar and caramel behind it, but dark fruits return in the finish. Long bitter aftertaste. Aggressive flavor. Medium heavy, never too sweet or boozy. This is excellent.
Jun 18, 2022
 
Rated: 4.19 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Jun 01, 2022
Photo of RaulMondesi
Reviewed by RaulMondesi from California

4.12/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Rhythm Rhythm Rhythm - can you feel the beat? Chaos Chaos chaos - can you still see me? Awake, but not alive. Alive, but not awake. I am taken; taken on a journey without a beginning (nor an end). And that’s the point; just being there, the moment (no thoughts of a start or completion). Yes, Raul is floating - not in chaos, not rhythmically, but like a monkey before landing on the moon. And landing on the moon is what it feels like to drink this beer.

I’m gone.
May 23, 2022