Review - Smuttynose Brewing Company's Barleywine Style Ale
"Deep copper in color. Winter seasonal. Recipe, hops and abv% can vary somewhat from year to year. Now bottle-conditioned." -- Smuttynose Brewing Company
Pours a beautiful dark amber color with a small, tan colored fizzy to frothy head with good consistency. Excellent clarity. Body has settled out to a very nice reddish amber hue. Aroma is moderately malty with some gentle alcohol notes and some fruity esters. Not very indicative of a barleywine. Initial taste is all alcohol, reminiscent of vodka with a flavorless alcohol, turning to perhaps a slightly malty alcohol finish. Medium bodied with an oily film, slightly malty caramel hints. Bitter dry finish with a brandy or scotch like burn, not very well balanced at all. Bottled in 2007.
Reviewed on June 13th, 2008.