A few nights ago I was enjoying a Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout from the Bluegrass Brewing Company and I decided to check out their (recently re-worked) website for a gander at some of the other beers in their stable. I soon discovered that they have a winter seasonal offering called the Bearded Pat’s Barleywine. And since the Jefferson’s reserve has become a bit of a go-to stout for me recently, I thought I’d try and find a bottle somewhere in town. As luck would have it, my favorite bottle shop had a 4-pack, so I was on my way. The pour was a mid-brown with a hint of orange and the head was a nice off-white creamy color. I could smell it as it hit the glass as hints of rich caramel and fruit were present even before I took an *official* sniff. A more intentional study of the nose revealed some nutty raisin and fig overtones and a caramel candy dominance. The first sip was really the most obvious indication of the 11% abv, which soon became a non-factor in the overall scheme of the beer. The mouthfeel and carbonation were both relatively light and made the beer easy to drink. The most outstanding characteristic, however, is the terrific balance between the sweetness of the caramel and fruit notes with the bitter and thorough finish from the hops. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a ‘hoppy’ barleywine, but the pure bittering is very present on the finish and it serves the brew very well. As the beer warmed, it seemed to thicken up and improved even more. The silky and slightly oily nature on the tongue was a great compliment to the almost molasses-like character of the body. Overall, one of the most satisfying barleywines I’ve had and kudos to the brewery on this one.
score 4.5
Cheers, ~G
