LongShot Mile High Barley Wine Ale
Appearance: A clear red-brown body capped by a little less than two fingers of densely-packed cream-colored head that features terrific retention and lacing. Aroma: Piney hops and dark fruit over a big, sticky toffee pudding and caramel malt body. There's lots of booze to be found. Flavor: Up front, the same mix of piney hops and banana-like dark fruit lead things off. Underneath, lots of sweet caramel malt rounds out the flavor profile nicely. Unlike the nose, the big alcohol content is masked nicely, adding just a dash of spiciness. There's a coppery metallic component throughout that tends to taint the rest of the flavors just a little. Dark fruit, sticky toffee pudding, and copper in the finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied and sticky with smooth medium-low carbonation and a somewhat drying finish. Just a little burn from the alcohol. Drinkability: In the sipper territory, this is a beer that takes a little time to work through. Verdict: Ben has brewed up a solid and enjoyable little malt-forward American Barleywine here. If only that metallic flavor were kept in check, this could be right up there with the best on the market.