Dark burgundy hue, with crimson highlights, sizeable, cream-toned head.
In the nose: a mostly malty affair, with a healthy dose of hops. Nutty, fruity, complex and intriguing. Has a handle on the sweetness.
In the mouth: Meaty, beaty, big and bouncy. Rich and smooth, a medium malt monster. Caramel and toffee at play on the palate. At "only" 7.1% ABV, this is a much smaller version of a barley-wine, hence the "session." But most of the attendant flavors are here, just holding a lid on things, making it nice and easy. Flavors of apple, berry, stone fruit abound, with citrus hop bitterness keeping pace with the malt.
It's a great idea, really. Giving us the flavors we love in a barley-wine, with making us incapable of operating heavy machinery. (Another term used to describe it has been "think of an Imperial ESB.")
The choice of tallboy cans in a 4-pack, versus the bombers of the previous entries in this series, may be another nod to subverting the normal vessel for a barley-wine and re-direct our intentions. And yet, I put away the pint glass and couldn't help myself from pouring into a snifter.
One tasty beer. Let's say I like it.
This beer was designed to celebrate the role of barley in a brewer's arsenal. This "Session" Barleywine ale is a chance to reflect on the role of malted barley in a beer recipe by creating an homage to the style that you can enjoy in a larger glass. Brewed with primarily English malts and yeast, you can expect a nuanced dried fruit/breadiness with a solid supporting a surprising citrus hop presence from the use of citra and cascade hops.
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