Tag Archives: ba

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Farmhouse Saison, To Øl

To Øl Simple Life

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Brewery: To Øl
Country: Denmark
ABV: 10%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: Brewed & bottled by To Øl at De Proef Brouwerij, Belgium

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Saison ale aged in wine oak barrels.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.65
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 29th January 2025. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy rusty dark orange colour with a big two finger dull orange-y beige head that had good retention and left lots of sticky lacing.
Aroma: Funky, barnyard, mango, orange peel, oak and citrus.
Taste: Funky, barnyard, lightly sour, citrus, lemon peel, lime, light sweetness, dried apricots, oak, earthy, citrus zest and spices, some light bitterness on the finish when cool, while there is light sweetness as it warms.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I preferred the sweetness that came out of it as it warmed over the bitterness I tasted while it was still cool. It definitely doesn’t feel like 10% at all, as it drinks easily, however I don’t get any of the wine barrel that its supposed to be aged in.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, North Coast Brewing Co., Stout - Russian Imperial, USA

North Coast Old Rasputin Bourbon Barrel Aged

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Brewery: North Coast Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 12.2%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: XXI release

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Barrel-aged Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. Stout aged in bourbon barrels.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.3
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A wrapped cap 500ml bottle, XXI release. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a big two finger tanned to brown head that had excellent retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasty, chocolate, bourbon sweetness, oak, caramel, and some raisins.
Taste: Moderately sweet, lightly roasty, chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, oak, light caramel and dark fruit, maybe raisin and plum, also boozy on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice enjoyable sipping. Bourbon may be a little strong versus other flavours, but it’s still good.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Barleywine - English, Beer Reviews, BrewDog, Scotland

BrewDog Abstrakt AB:20

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Brewery: BrewDog
Country: Scotland
ABV: 14.2%
Style: English Barleywine
Other Notes: Tiramisu Oatmeal Milk Barley Wine

Brewer Description: (from website) Our interpretation of the classic Italian tiramisu dessert. A blend of epic English barley wine brewed with coffee, oats and milk, and a twisted complex rum cask-aged imperial stout.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.7
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle, bottle 38,773 of 45,800, bottled on 14th March 2016, poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A cloudy dark brown colour with almost no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Coffee grounds, sweet caramel malt, dark fruit, figs, plum, licorice, brown sugar and alcohol.
Taste: Sweet, caramel, chocolate milk, dark fruit, fig, raisin and a boozy finish.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with no carbonation.
Overall: Nice aromas and interesting flavours, but I would have preferred some kind of carbonation.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Barleywine - American, Beer Reviews, Brouwerij De Molen x Hair of the Dog Brewing Company, Netherlands

De Molen x Hair of the Dog Binkie Claws BA Almond

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Brewery: Brouwerij De Molen x Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
Country: Netherlands
ABV: 11.2%
Style: American Barleywine
Other Notes: Malts – Pils, Crystal and Caramel. Hops – Simcoe and Colombus. Adjuncts – Honey and Almond Extract

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Doggie Claws Almond Bourbon Barrel Aged. BA Barley Wine-ish.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.88
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 330ml waxed bottle, bottled on 6th March 2018, and with a best before date of 6th March 2023. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A deep dark copper amber colour with a thin beige head that sticks around while leaving fine spotty lacing.
Aroma: Marzipan, almond flakes, caramel and alcohol.
Taste: Sweet, marzipan, cherry, almond, caramel, brown sugar, syrupy and boozy.
Mouthfeel: Chewy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: I don’t know, I’m a bit unsure about this one. I’d enjoy one sip and the next sip would be just ok, and I’d keep flipping between the two throughout the whole drink. A strange one for me. After finishing, and much thinking throughout the sipping, I think that the almond was maybe too overpowering, and that it made it taste too pastry like for me.

4 - Good (buy), Barleywine - American, Beer Reviews, England, Siren Craft Brew

Siren Maiden 2016

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Brewery: Siren Craft Brew
Country: England
ABV: 11.2%
Style: American Barleywine
Other Notes: 2016 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The first batch brewed at Siren was to provide the base for our first annual release. This barley wine has been aged in many different barrels, and then using expertise from the wine and whisky world, blended into what stands before you in this bottle. The first brew of 2016 is now the base for the next year’s release.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.11
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 375ml waxed bottle, 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A dark reddish brown copper colour with a thin beige head that stuck around for a bit and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet and boozy, caramel, toffee, red wine, dark fruit, raisin and prunes.
Taste: Moderately sweet, light roast, vinous, red wine, dark fruits, raisin, prunes, and a touch of caramel.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice complex flavours. A good sipper.