rand (2880) - SWITZERLAND - JAN 5, 2022UPDATED: JAN 5, 2022 Amber nicely tanned, little frothy otherwise a pale beige crown. Intense aromas of malt with dry and candied fruits, nuts, tobacco, spices and honey. Taste is superb and very soft, hearty with alcoholic notes. Bitter orange is well present with raisin-fig-dry fruits, caramel-honey and nuts, notes of Brandy and Plum Pudding. A delight draped in an ideal softness, without excess and perfectly balanced.
nilaobai (16) - - APR 5, 2021UPDATED: APR 5, 2021 First drink barley wine, brown, amber color, no bubbles, tastes like wine, taste to maltose dried fruit dried fruit is given priority to, can feel the sweet smell of butter, fragrance inside collect, overall feeling like a steam of the tao, who said that English is more like a dual buck barley wine to drink (I didn't drink anyway) is indeed a good wine, but there is no kill palate that really is not used
kevinsenn (3112) - Victoria, British Columbia, CANADA - DEC 26, 2020UPDATED: DEC 26, 2020 Bottle (2017) from LCBO. Rich brandy and dried fruit aroma. Like a Christmas cake, which I happen to be pairing with the beer right now. Brandy and raisin notes in the taste, caramel notes in the finish. Very nice.
goozen (5045) - Leiden, NETHERLANDS - NOV 21, 2020UPDATED: NOV 21, 2020 Bottle 0,33 ltr: Cloudy amber colored brew with an heavy sweet taste with an overall present delightful burning alcohol. Load of hints of dried fruit, caramel and butterscotch.
Sammy (17445) - Toronto, Ontario, CANADA - OCT 18, 2020UPDATED: OCT 18, 2020 Tasty, but a tad watery. Still a worthwhile barley wine to try, if even for the maltiness taste.
ozzatoadisback (452) - ITALY - OCT 15, 2020UPDATED: OCT 15, 2020 Pours a pretty murky dark orange, with just a thin layer of head that disappears very quickly. It's ok not to have much head with such abv, but the color is really unattractive. Not very intense aroma for such a strong beer. Strong chocolate notes, fruity notes (red/dried fruits), and a background alcohol/warming feel. Taste notes follow the aroma, with not too much depth in what you would except to be a complex beer. Also, not super defined, with a kinda vague fruitiness where i couldn't pick anything specific. Overall pretty sweet in both taste and aftertaste, but still well balanced. Clear but never overwhelming alcohol presence. Gets too earthy/muddy in the last sips. Dense bodied with quite light carbonation. Overall slightly creamy, but the beer somehow doesn't feel 'full'. The overall experience was certainly not unpleasant, but i was expecting much more.
gyllenbock (14533) - Stockholm, SWEDEN - JUN 20, 2020UPDATED: JUN 20, 2020 Bottle from Systembolaget. (vintage 2015, bottle 7878) Hazy reddish/amber with almost no head. Sweet with caramel, dried fruit, malt and notes of warming alcohol. Quite nice.
Cunningham (12125) - Halden, NORWAY - JUN 1, 2020UPDATED: JUN 1, 2020 Lovely amber looking beer with a small tan head on top
Fine intensity in the aroma
Not to sweet as this beer tend to be. Quite balanced
Mellow fine carbonation level also. Pleasant and easy to drink
Fine duration
Quite port wine ish. Toffee, caramel malt, nutty and dried fruits
Well masked alcohol level.
[Bottle #05765 2017 vintage from Systembolaget in Sweden]
JoeMcPhee (11573) - Toronto, ON, Ontario, CANADA - MAY 17, 2020UPDATED: MAY 17, 2020 2017 vintage. Very deep amber colour with light carbonation. Intense aroma, some sweet toffee, sherry and some pear and sweet fruit. There’s a bit of apricot and light acidity. Full bodied and rich. Moderate bitterness with lingering fruitiness. Delicious.
ElDesmadre (6779) - Jaworze, POLAND - APR 25, 2020UPDATED: APR 25, 2020 Bottle. Liqueurish aroma of dates, nuts, almond, raisins, orange & apricot marmalade, dried cranberries, anise. Thick and chewy body. Astringent boozy cuts through the body and sweetness, turning the flavour rather shallow. Fantastic aroma but disapponting taste.