Founders Bolt Cutter Barley Wine Ale, our 15th Anniversary Ale, 15% alcohol by volume. I don't have time, money, or transportation to get to the right stores at the right time to snag beers like this. i've certainly heard all the hoopla, but couldn't participate in the frenzy. Finally got my first taste at HopLeaf in Chicago, but couldn't take notes, because I was with friends, having fun. I don't pull out the notebook in such situations. I got my hands on a bottle through good ol' Joe, who brought it to my birthday gathering a few weeks later, and since we didn't get to it, he let me keep it for myself. So, now, at last, here we have it:
Clear, bright crimson hue, short white head, looks great.
Aroma: Bold fruit flavors, cognac, leather, big, huge, fat, fantastic. Someone told me this was a bourbon-barrel barley-wine. They must have been wrong, I'm getting none of that, just an overly boozed-up version of the classic English-style barley-wine.
No gobbledygook on the label so I'm on my own here. Despite the hotness of this, it's surprisingly smooth, and astonishingly consumable.
Very rich and fruity, very strong and hearty, but I don't feel the full 15%. 15 % for 15 years. What will they do for their centennial?
Oh, me, oh, my. Toasty, malty, tasty, big fat toffee and caramel.
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