Old Knucklehead Tasting

This is a pleasant surprise. This is Bridgeport's 12th bottling of their barleywine, released in early 2008. I think I had this when it was first available, and it was definitely too young back then. The nearly two years of bottle age have helped immensely.

This is a 22oz bottle of 10% beer, so it's not for the faint of heart or liver. It's surprisingly dry, with a great balance and crisp finish. Many barleywines I've had have been either ridiculously bitter or cloyingly sweet, but this exhibits neither of those traits. It's just a really big, nicely malty beer, with some subtle toffee and sherry notes. Quite enjoyable.

Edit to add: A couple quick notes as I continue drinking this. First, the mouthfeel is really nice, amazingly smooth and creamy. Second, the bourbon-barrel aging is only very slightly noticeable, mostly in the nose. I'm really enjoying this beer.