Founders Brewing Co.
Black Barleywine
12% ABV
OG?
100 IBUs
12 oz bottle (released September 2010) poured into a New Belgium snifter on 10/28/2010, a little short of two months from the release.
Appearance 5/5
Pours in a clear, silky looking brown stream, with a big tan colored head. Good head retention and excellent lacing, typical of a hoppy beer.
Aroma 4/5
Upon smelling with a blindfold on, I would have guessed this an American IPA: fresh smelling piney, citrusy, and maybe grassy notes. No roast or sweetness from the malts is perceptible in the smell initially, although some sweetness shows up later. I am surprised that I don't smell the alcohol.
Taste 4/5
Taste has a different story from smell: fruity sweet, with fruitiness leaning a wee bit towards the darker kind (think raisins). The hop bitterness doesn't seems to bother initially and it might appear the hops are there only to balance the malts, with no significant presence taste wise. This, however, is wrong. Right before the finish the enjoyable fruitiness gets its ass kicked by intense hop bitterness and worse, roast. What remains after the sweetish finish is a lingering abrasive bitterness and alcohol warmth, that combine to give a burning sensation in the throat. However, over a quick sip, the impression would be of a flavorful hoppy ale that has notes of dark fruit with some (appropriate) bitterness, and a long roasty bitter finish. Given some time for the beer to attenuate and for the malts to come forward in nose, this beer would taste really good, provided the roast doesn't interfere negatively.
Mouthfeel 5/5
Low carbonation, silky feel, and medium body: the mouthfeel on this beer is just right.
Drinkability 4/5
Fresh as it is, it's not all that "hot". The 12% is well hidden, and the drinkability is affected not by the alcohol, but by the astringency of roast.
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