Uncompromising 11.5% alcohol-laden aged barleywine retains luscious creamy richness and chewy butterscotch center culminating sweet bourbon warmth. Thickest syrupy Scotch malting coats floral honeysuckle-dandelion dalliance and candy-sugared medicinal nuance bracing bruised cherry, ripe raisin, curacao orange, and purple grape illusions, gaining fulsome aggressive prominence to everlasting liqueur finish. Luxuriant slow sipping masterpiece provides awesome buzz.
All posts by John Fortunato
J.W. LEES HARVEST ALE (CALVADOS CASK) 2003
Stubborn 11.5% alcohol invades 9.3-ounce bottle of marvelous reddish amber Calvados cask barleywine. Deep whiskey malt thickness and succinct bruised orange follow-up provide creamy cognac assertion to candied medicinal finish.
J.W. LEES HARVEST ALE 1999
Limited edition 11% alcohol ruffian with dense rust hue perfectly matches Scotch-malted cognac sweetness to oncoming port succulent. Sticky prune thickness goes way beyond grain-defined “harvest” barleywine tag. Busy moonshine finish elevates creamy butterscotch, chocolate, and brown sugar influence.
J.W. LEES HARVEST ALE
Spectacular 11.5% alcohol content bodes well for absolutely perfect 9.6-ounce crimson-hued barleywine. Blood-thick malt extract and choice English hops provide rich luster to mocha creaminess. Sharp barleywine sweetness, rum raisin remnant, and raspy floral spiced bouquet soften dried fruit finish. Compares favorably to robust European Double Bocks and first-rate French Ales in both presentation and attention to detail.
JOSEF BIERBITZCH GOLDEN PILSNER
Icelandic-styled light-bodied golden-amber pilsner coddles wheat-chaffed fresh-cut hay dryness as sour green apple tartness rises, but drab diacetyl finish puts this in mainstream territory.
JORDAN PUBLICAN’S CHOICE OLD STYLE BROWN ALE
From the plains of Iowa comes this truly enjoyable brown ale (brewed by New York’s Middle Ages after 2004). Aromatic mocha frisk and dark chocolate richness combine with honeyed caramel overtones to bittersweet nut finish. Resplendent barleywine illusions tucked deep inside.
JOPEN KOYT
Askew rust penny-hued herb-spiced lager with off-putting swampy cellar mustiness picks up tart berry-cherry souring and dried fig-raisin nuance, nearly concealing roasted oats bottom.
JOPEN BOKBIER
Despite viscous bronzed copper dramatics, fleshy yeast sediment, and punctual raisin-date theme, vacuous gauzy fizz engulfs wood burnt earthiness and toasted barley restraint, fading precipitously to metallic sour orange murk. Mild sour ale fans might appreciate its astringency.
JOPEN ADRIAAN GRUIT WITBIER
Likable bottle-conditioned herb-spiced clear-hazed wheat beer with mild viscosity renders honeyed butterscotch regalia to dry coriander finish, picking up tobacco, tea, and lavender illusions. Beneath banana-breaded cracked wheat stipend lies lemony orange, peach, and grape tartness pleating sharp cider briskness.
(JOLLY PUMPKIN) ORO DE CALABAZA ARTISAN GOLDEN ALE
Listen closely for fizzy snap, crackle, and pop of this swooning golden-hazed medicinal-candied treat. Then, relish its cognac midst, tart lemony twist, and spicy coriander-clove dalliance. Musty yeast-protruded alcohol-licked finish drops off as cork-y orange seltzer dryness amplifies oaken lactose musk.
(JOLLY PUMPKIN) LEELANAU WHALEBACK WHITE ALE
Nearly fluorescent khaki-beige Belgian-styled ale offers tart gueuze-like pucker intermingling extremely sour lemon pungency with leathery oak-aged white grape esters. Lively yeast stirs up green apple bittering, herbal earthiness, peppercorn seasoning, and coriander nicety.
(JOLLY PUMPKIN) LA ROJA ARTISAN AMBER ALE
Cascading tan bubbles settle above thick penny-rust body as peculiar candy-wrapped sweet liqueur frontage boosts oncoming bourbon-sherry whim and vanilla bean illusion. Ripe orange, plum and red apple overtones pick up frisky white-peppered coriander-mint-currant spicing by oak-dried grape tannin finish.