I'm pretty sure this is my first-ever Deschutes beer. It was sent to me by Youtube beer reviewer monkeycaveman.
Go check out this channel!
Zymurgical Explorations grade: B+
Showing posts with label American Barleywine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Barleywine. Show all posts
09 April 2011
26 February 2011
Great Divide Old Ruffian Barleywine | ZE Beer Review
One last snow video before spring sets in. I review one of my favorite barleywines, a very hoppy American-style barleywine from Great Divide.
(Note: I'm trying a new rendering/uploading method, sorry if quality drops.)
Zymurgical Explorations grade: A
(Note: I'm trying a new rendering/uploading method, sorry if quality drops.)
Zymurgical Explorations grade: A
22 January 2011
Nøgne Ø #100 Barleywine-Style Ale | ZE Beer Review
I review a bottle I've had in my cellar for a while, Nøgne Ø #100 Barleywine Style Ale. It's a nice American-style barleywine, but doesn't quite blow me away.
Zymurgical Explorations grade: B+
Zymurgical Explorations grade: B+
29 November 2010
Bell's Batch 10,000 | ZE Beer Review
Every thousand batches, Bell's makes a specialty-release beer that commemorates their own continued existence. For Batch 10,000, they threw in everything but the kitchen sink, and then tossed in the sink for good measure. Over a hundred types of grains and sixty types of hops went into making this massive barleywine.
Definitely not for the faint of heart.
The list of ingredients in the brew can be found here.
Zymurgical Explorations grade: A
Definitely not for the faint of heart.
The list of ingredients in the brew can be found here.
Zymurgical Explorations grade: A
20 October 2010
Founders Nemesis 2010
Founders Nemesis 2010 (bottle)
Grand Rapids, MI
12.0% ABV
This is video beer review number 99. Awesome.
I had the Nemesis 2009 and was somewhat less than overwhelmed. It was a really good beer, but didn't live up to the hype. The 2010 bottling, though, is amazing -- very much worth the energy needed to buy it. A great American barleywine, perfectly balanced between hop and malt, between sweet and bitter, between dry and cloying.
Zymurgical Explorations rating: 10/10
Grand Rapids, MI
12.0% ABV
This is video beer review number 99. Awesome.
I had the Nemesis 2009 and was somewhat less than overwhelmed. It was a really good beer, but didn't live up to the hype. The 2010 bottling, though, is amazing -- very much worth the energy needed to buy it. A great American barleywine, perfectly balanced between hop and malt, between sweet and bitter, between dry and cloying.
Zymurgical Explorations rating: 10/10
22 August 2010
Mikkeller Big Worse
Mikkeller Big Worse
Brewed at De Proef Brouwerij
Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium
12.0% ABV
This is my first Mikkeller beer. Mikkeller's an interesting brewer, because he does all his brewing at pre-existing breweries, which makes him perhaps the most acclaimed contract brewer in history. This beer is marked on BA as an American Barleywine, but it had strong notes of Belgian character, much like a Quadrupel, and I was pretty much blown away by the overall quality. This was my first Mikkeller, but it certainly won't be my last.
Zymurgical Explorations rating: 9.0/10
Brewed at De Proef Brouwerij
Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium
12.0% ABV
This is my first Mikkeller beer. Mikkeller's an interesting brewer, because he does all his brewing at pre-existing breweries, which makes him perhaps the most acclaimed contract brewer in history. This beer is marked on BA as an American Barleywine, but it had strong notes of Belgian character, much like a Quadrupel, and I was pretty much blown away by the overall quality. This was my first Mikkeller, but it certainly won't be my last.
Zymurgical Explorations rating: 9.0/10
18 April 2010
Stone Old Guardian 2009
Stone Old Guardian 2009 (bottle)
San Diego, CA
11.3% ABV
Shana's dad is in Kalamazoo this weekend, so I took a couple of days off so she and I could spend time with him. They lived in San Diego when she was small, so it was an obvious choice to pop open this bottle of Old Guardian 2009 before bed.
Dear god. Pours dark orange, slightly red, with a tiny bit of haze, but with a very thick cream-colored head that sticks around and leaves some amazing lacing. Smells strongly of dry American West Coast hops, but with a sweet caramel malt balance underneath. Intriguing, interesting.
Flavor-wise, I was expecting a strong crisp hoppiness up front, and that's basically what you get. What I wasn't necessarily anticipating was the sugary sweetness that follows in the malt, along with a lot more caramel and hints of bready yeastiness. Finishes dry. No alcohol astringency on the nose or in the flavor, amazing for a beer that clocks in above eleven percent. Overall impression is of the strong hops and the residual sweetness.
Mouthfeel is creamier than expected, otherwise predictably hoppy and with a high level of carbonation. Dry aftertaste.
I was expecting to like this beer, but I wasn't necessarily expecting to love it this much. The caramel and sweetness make an almost perfect match for the hops, and the alcohol is so well-hidden it's scary. Is Stone the best brewery in America? Maybe.
My overall BA rating: 4.6/5
San Diego, CA
11.3% ABV
Shana's dad is in Kalamazoo this weekend, so I took a couple of days off so she and I could spend time with him. They lived in San Diego when she was small, so it was an obvious choice to pop open this bottle of Old Guardian 2009 before bed.
Dear god. Pours dark orange, slightly red, with a tiny bit of haze, but with a very thick cream-colored head that sticks around and leaves some amazing lacing. Smells strongly of dry American West Coast hops, but with a sweet caramel malt balance underneath. Intriguing, interesting.
Flavor-wise, I was expecting a strong crisp hoppiness up front, and that's basically what you get. What I wasn't necessarily anticipating was the sugary sweetness that follows in the malt, along with a lot more caramel and hints of bready yeastiness. Finishes dry. No alcohol astringency on the nose or in the flavor, amazing for a beer that clocks in above eleven percent. Overall impression is of the strong hops and the residual sweetness.
Mouthfeel is creamier than expected, otherwise predictably hoppy and with a high level of carbonation. Dry aftertaste.
I was expecting to like this beer, but I wasn't necessarily expecting to love it this much. The caramel and sweetness make an almost perfect match for the hops, and the alcohol is so well-hidden it's scary. Is Stone the best brewery in America? Maybe.
My overall BA rating: 4.6/5
13 December 2008
Beer Review, Back Burner
Southern Tier Back Burner Barleywine Style Ale
Lakewood, NY
10.0% ABV
Appearance: Dark orange-red, very hazy (almost opaque), with a thick off-white head that sticks around for a bit and leaves some lacing. Very good appearance. 4.5/5
Smell: Crisp hops up-front, with a nice solid caramel maltiness underneath. Slightly sweet. 4.0/5
Taste: Strong bitter solid hops on the front, very heavily malted in the middle, with a sweet aftertaste. Strong flavors of caramel and brown sugar. Pretty much your standard barleywine, but it doesn't quite gel as well as I'd like it to -- the hops and the malts seem like characteristics from two separate beers, and don't reinforce one another the way I'd like. 4.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thick, heavy hops and low carbonation. Slightly chewy. 4.0/5
Drinkability: A very nice barleywine, one of the better examples of the style. Well worth trying if you can get it. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.1/5
Lakewood, NY
10.0% ABV
Appearance: Dark orange-red, very hazy (almost opaque), with a thick off-white head that sticks around for a bit and leaves some lacing. Very good appearance. 4.5/5
Smell: Crisp hops up-front, with a nice solid caramel maltiness underneath. Slightly sweet. 4.0/5
Taste: Strong bitter solid hops on the front, very heavily malted in the middle, with a sweet aftertaste. Strong flavors of caramel and brown sugar. Pretty much your standard barleywine, but it doesn't quite gel as well as I'd like it to -- the hops and the malts seem like characteristics from two separate beers, and don't reinforce one another the way I'd like. 4.0/5
Mouthfeel: Thick, heavy hops and low carbonation. Slightly chewy. 4.0/5
Drinkability: A very nice barleywine, one of the better examples of the style. Well worth trying if you can get it. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.1/5
05 October 2008
Beer Review, Old Ruffian Barleywine
Great Divide Old Ruffian Barleywine
First beer review while living in Kalamazoo!
Appearance: Dark orange, almost red. Some effervescence from bottom of glass. Thick head that dissipates quickly but leaves significant lacing. Very impressive head considering the abv on this one. 4.5/5
Smell: Strong hoppiness, intense sweet malts. Notes of caramel, a touch of corn. A very strong barleywine, enticing. 4.0/5
Taste: Crisp hops up front, very "hot" with alcohol. Very sweet caramel malts in the middle, with a dry but somehow refreshing finish. The hops and alcohol can be a bit overpowering, but overall this is an amazing example of a barleywine. 4.5/5
Mouthfeel: Thick, low carbonation, heavy on the hops. Coats the mouth admirably. Smooth and clean. 4.5/5
Drinkability: Considering the alcohol, an amazingly drinkable beer. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.35/5
First beer review while living in Kalamazoo!
Appearance: Dark orange, almost red. Some effervescence from bottom of glass. Thick head that dissipates quickly but leaves significant lacing. Very impressive head considering the abv on this one. 4.5/5
Smell: Strong hoppiness, intense sweet malts. Notes of caramel, a touch of corn. A very strong barleywine, enticing. 4.0/5
Taste: Crisp hops up front, very "hot" with alcohol. Very sweet caramel malts in the middle, with a dry but somehow refreshing finish. The hops and alcohol can be a bit overpowering, but overall this is an amazing example of a barleywine. 4.5/5
Mouthfeel: Thick, low carbonation, heavy on the hops. Coats the mouth admirably. Smooth and clean. 4.5/5
Drinkability: Considering the alcohol, an amazingly drinkable beer. 4.0/5
Overall: 4.35/5
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)