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Thanks to Scoobydank for holding on to these things for far too long for me. 2009 seems to be getting better and better so I have high hopes for this one as well. Drank from my Ithaca Excelsior tulip.

Appearance- Pours a dark brownish red with hints of ruby and a small light tan head. Surprisingly dark for a Barleywine. A super thin collar remains along with a bit of web like lacing and zero cap.
Smell- Very hoppy and American through and through. The nose is very citric with a healthy dose of grapefruit and orange. A fairly sweet licorice aspect is present along with a fair amount of caramel and/or butterscotch. A touch of chocolate sneaks in too. A touch of vanilla sneaks in as it warms.
Taste- Starts with a light sweetness that’s full of caramel and a sweet candy like thing. At some point the hops do kick in as there is a fair amount of bitterness that sneaks in as well. The hops are citric and fairly intense at points with an almost grassy earthiness at other times. It seems to get more acrid and intense as the beer warms with a sharp lemon notes. A touch of chocolate mixes in toward the finish as the beer is lightly tannic and surprisingly dry feeling considering the touch of sweetness.
Mouthfeel- Heavy duty body with a full on assault from the aggressive carbonation.
Drinkability- Overall not a bad brew in the least. I wish it was just ever so slightly less sweet. I also think it could have improved from a bit more time in the barrels. I don’t quite like it as much as the ’09 Nemesis Wheatwine but it’s pretty decent for a dark Barleywine.

Served In: Pint Glass

12 oz bottle I picked up from Hop City for an absorbent amount of cash. Served up in a snifter.

A: This pours up as more of a black barleywine. A black body builds nicely. Held to the light, the edges have some nice crimson red coming out on the edges. The head is a light tan colored foam but I got less than half a finger. Falls to a thin, but tight ring of foam. Tosses up a little more lace than expected. Gets some pretty nice spotty lacing on the glass. Good looking brew.

S: Hmmm, this is an American Barleywine fo sho. Starts off with the hoppiness. Nice grapefruit and citrus hops presence. Its big and most of the aroma. The malts do kick in with some sweetness, but the hops rule. Touch of earthiness. Getting some tobacco actually. Chocolate, licorice, and caramel. Licorice came from accidentally getting the beer in my nose, but is absolutely there. Very nice.

T: Hops aren't as crazy as they were in the nose (literally), but they are there. Grapefruit citrus presence. Works nicely with the level of chocolate that builds. Chocolate fades into caramel and spicy licorice. Caramel kicks in. Little bit of nuttiness, earthy malt flavors. All of these sweet malt flavors have a wonderful roast quality to them. The nice thing is that the grapefruit and citrus kicks back in again on the back end. Tasty as hell, but it is a bit aggressive.

M: Mouthfeel is light side of full in body. Carbonation is a little heavy for a bw. It does have a nice creaminess to it, but it would be better if it wasn't as carbed. Heat is light, not really getting a warming sensation at all, maybe just a touch on the throat. Aftertaste is all citrus hops and some chocolate and caramel malts.

OA: It is good. Nice tasting. Fresh, it is a little aggressive. Looking forward to how this one devolops with a little bit of time on it. Would be nice to experience once the carbonation and hops wear off a bit. Still it is quite nice and tasty. Don't want to sell it short at all. Tasty, smells nice. Good American, hoppy bw. Worth the cash and damned nice. Looking forward to the aging process. :thumbup:

Served In: Bottle