Hillcrest
Olde Hickory Brewery

12oz bottled 03/15/23 (21 months ago) poured into a tulip glass at fridge temp 10.7% ABV. The beer pours opaque medium amber with khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring little else within a couple minutes. The aroma is moderate in strength featuring piney hops, caramel malt, slight ethanol and a hint of wet cardboard. The taste is bittersweet caramel malt with notes of fading pine and old leather. Moderate bitterness. The feel is medium plus bodied with just less that medium carbonation and a semi dry finish. The huge malt sweetness is pretty well balanced by the bitterness and ABV. Overall, very good barleywine. Mine was purchased recently at room temperature, so I'd say best before two years in unknown condition. Maybe longer if refrigerated.

 

 

Picked up a 12 oz bottle from the Appalachian Vintner 10-28-22 in Asheville for $7.99. Bottled 1-20-22; consumed 3-17-23. Poured 55-60 degrees.

Beer poured dark brown with a nice off-white head.

Nose gives me hints of dark fruits that express more loudly as it warms to room temperature mixed with a good dose of citrusy hops.

Taste is a large, caramelized malt base that emits huge notes of plum and fig. Hopping provides a large dose of alpha orange and grapefruit hops which leads to a full-flavored balanced sip.

Mouthfeel is medium to large bodied and very smooth.

Overall a very enjoyable American Barleywine, very similar to Bell's Third Coast.

Appearance: Pours caramel colored with a one finger ecru head; squiggly lacing

Smell: Toffee and toasted brown bread aromatics with a hint of spice cake and earthy hops

Taste: Toffee and toasted brown bread forward with just a hint of spice cake flavors emerging; earthy hop flavors, in the middle, add some bitterness to offset the sweetness

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

Overall: I am so used to BA beers from Olde Hickory that a clean Barleywine is a bit of a surprise