On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, mild helles lager-like barleywine ups the spice-hopped sugaring and honey roasted caramel malting, leaving behind any true ‘winey’ conviction. Butterscotch-candied praline, almondine, and chestnut illusions enrapture zesty citric snip. But it’s too toned down for exalted style.
Elegant lighter-bodied ‘blonde’ barleywine stays smoother and more sessionable than darker, more robust traditional fare, satisfying Chardonnay lovers more than port-burgundy imbibers. Bruised cherry and orange waft through creamy marzipan center, leaving toasted almond, pecan, coconut and oaken vanilla in its wake. Lilting cognac kick and surging maraschino cherry lick sweeten vodka-like ethanol astringency of soft-toned 11.5% alcohol elixir. 2012 re-tasting: Piney citric overtones ride above tangy apricot, nectarine, cantaloupe, melon and red cherry illusions. At the midst, surging grapefruit-peeled bittering contrasts tart pineapple juicing and honey-spiced Mead wining. Tried Batch #2, autumn 2012, and noticed its lower 10% alcohol volume may’ve propeled the white-wined Sauvignon Blanc-related Nelson Sauvin hops above the oak toasted residual sugaring.
Goodly slow sipper pleats buttery cognac warmth beneath sweet almondine sparkle as well as chocolate-roasted toasted almond, honeycomb and caramel illusions. Tart red cherry and vinous grape lightly embitter backdrop of approachable English-styled barleywine.
On tap at Barcade, mellow British-styled winter warmer (aged in bourbon barrels) is a slow sipping medium-bodied digestif. Dry Scotch, sherry and bourbon boozing picks up brown-sugared rye molasses sweetness over dry oaken vanilla satiation. Ancillary fig-date sugaring wavers.
On tap at Barcade, egg-y Challah breaded entry picks up light almond-toasted armagnac, almondine and sherry wining. Dry chocolate spicing lingers in the midst alongside red cherry, molasses and vanilla illusions. Less fruity and hop-fueled than American versions, this English-styled barleywine is more approachable for softer thirsts.
Sublime ruddy-browned bourbon-barreled barleywine is part of brewer’s limited edition Reserve Series 2011. Thickly viscous setting perfectly suits chewy caramel malting, chocolate-caked bruised cherry midst and recessive coconut wisp, smoothing out for a cleanly hop-prickled dark rum-spiced finish. Despite sturdy 8% alcohol burn, bourbon-soaked Scotch, brandy and port boozing never overwhelms tertiary pecan pie, butterscotch, marzipan, toffee, and vanilla sweetness. Quite approachable stuff for the masses.
Thoroughly expressive barrel-aged barleywine takes dry-fruited pomegranate, fig, date and Concord grape adjuncts on an illustrious trip through sweet red-wined brandy-bourbon concourse and creamy Scotch malted chocolate liqueur (or Kahlua) promenade to smoky hop-roasted bittering. Simply divine.
Eccentric Extra Special Bitter-like deviation forgoes stylistic sweet barleywine fruiting for subtly smoked black-green tea bittering and ample fig-dried sugaring. Mild earthen hop toasting and Band-Aid-scented beechwood motif contrast glazed caramel malting of smooth departure. Tertiary tobacco, peat, and resin affinities further catapult unique Boston Tea Party reenactment.
Exquisite amber-glowed ‘2011 Odd Year Release’ bakes almond-pasted marzipan, chestnut, and butterscotch sweetness into juicy peach-canteloupe-melon-banana tropicalia. Floral tangerine-orange tang stays beneath spice-hopped bittering. Chewy caramel malting thickens viscosity and warming 12% alcohol volume never interferes with rich flavor profile. But Belgian yeast influence seems suspect.
Outstandingly celebratory 15th anniversary ale contrasts creamy caramel malting with red-wined brandy, cognac, and rosé nuances atop clean-watered juicy-fruited plain. Stewed prune, candied apple, bruised orange, pureed raisin and medicinal cherry envelop chewy butterscotch-toffee follow-through. Syrupy whiskey kick and buttered rum caking add to the dewy sweetness of ambitious ruby-browned delight.
Quaint bourbon-barreled elixir needs thicker molasses-sapped malting. Creamy brown chocolate thrust fades fast as brown-sugared toffee, marzipan, and almondine illusions contrast alkaloid oak tannins and phenol hop bittering. Cherry, fig, and date spread across subsidiary vanilla spicing. Pleasant, but ultimately uninteresting.
On tap, velvety soft-tongued ‘strong ale’ doesn’t try to knock guzzler over the head with covert 9% alcohol whir. Instead, brisk India Pale Ale-like floral fruiting and sugary caramel-crystal malting overtake relegated spice-hopped bittering. Sweet-buttered peach, pear, and orange tang gains luster over syrupy molasses sapping.
