Solstice D'hiver
11.5 ounce bottle sampled from a large snifter. Bottle reads that the ABV is at 10.2%. Barleywine as a Winter beer...perfect. Pours a reddish-brown--clean-looking but not clear. There was a somewhat strong head with a less than aggressive pour, but that has faded away to only limited bubbles clinging to the side of the glass. Smells of tart fruit, caramel, apples, cinnamon, plum, brown candy sugar, and warm sweetbread. The alcohol presence can certainly be felt with the first sip...right in the nose, and all the way down. There are hints of cinnamon hard candy (like the stuff around Christmas), apples, cranberries, caramel, and maybe some light notes of vanilla in the background. Man, this is a truly warming beer...the alcohol is hot and sticks around a good long while. This is a decent representation of the style, more along the lines of the English style than the more hoppy American version. The alcohol content makes the beer an excellent Winter warmer, perfect for January in Ohio temperatures. Another really good offering from Dieu du Ciel.