As I’ve mentioned, I’m in Boulder, Colorado for work and stopped at Twisted Pine Brewing for a couple of beers. I started with their flagship IPA, Hoppy Boy, which was a fairly average IPA. Someone had recommended I try their Barleywine, so I did.
According to the brewery, “A dark ruby amber color with a big tan head. BB features a gargantuan amount of Amarillo hops. aroma is flowery, spicy, and has a distinct orange bouquet. at first taste the intense hop characteristic is all encompassing only to be muted by a caramel candy-like malt finish.”
Location: Enjoyed a Duvel style tulip glass at Twisted Pine Ale House in Boulder, CO.
Numbers: 9.1% ABV, 120 IBUs, ~ 282 Calories
Ingredients: Hops: Amarillo, Amarillo, Amarillo
Appearance & Aroma: I was dark red in color with a decent-sized, creamy tan head on it, which left some very nice lacing. There was a good amount of caramel and toffee malt aroma with plenty of citrusy hop aroma in the background.
Taste & Feel: The body was very solid, and it had a smooth and somewhat creamy mouthfeel. The flavors up front were a complex mix of sweet malty flavors, from caramel and brown sugar to toffee and slightly grainy. In the middle, the sweet malty flavors mixed with a grassy, earthy, and slightly citrus-resiny bitterness. The hop bitterness and sweet maltiness carried into the finish, with the maltiness winning out in the end. After a few sips, an alcohol warmth became noticeable in the aftertaste.
Food Pairing: This has a lot of caramel and toffee sweet flavors, along with plenty of bitterness. I would pair this with something a little bland, to help cut through all the sweet and bitterness. Therefore, I would suggest a BLT or other slightly salty and bready food to counterbalance this big sweet beer.
Overall Impression: There was a complex sweetness and big hop flavor that made this a very enjoyable beer. I wasn’t sure what to expect after having their flagship IPA, which was average, but they definitely redeemed themselves with this one. It was big in flavor, body, and alcohol kick, which I really enjoyed and appreciated.
My Rating: 
Reader Ratings[five-star-rating]
