Insanity
A: Poured into a tulip from the tap, color is a light brown amber that has a garnet color when viewed at an angle. A coarse 1-finger thick head lingers for a minute or two before fading away. Lacing is minimal, but this certainly looks like a barleywine. S: Sweet malts and caramel notes along with a definitive bourbon barrel aroma come through in the bouquet. A slight boozy aroma is also present. I imagine it has mellowed somewhat since its birth on 2008. T: Absolutely delicious. Sweet, thick, and sticky caramel notes are mixed with brown sugar and toffee flavors. These balanced sweet flavors lead into a finish of oakey vanilla balanced with the bourbon from the nose to round out the beer nicely. The hops have faded from what I remember from Blithering Idiot, though there are still some undertones of pine as well. M/D: Thick and sticky, but what else would you expect from barleywine? Lightly carbonated, the texture is what is expected. Weyerbacher definitely got it right with this barrel aging process. The bourbon is kept in check and really adds to the beer rather than becoming a focal point. I have since waxed the top of the bottle in my cellar and I will be holding onto it for a while to see what even more time can do for this beer, since this has come such a long way from its humble beginnings as fresh Blithering Idiot.