Boughs of Barley
Cape May Brewing Co.
Story by:
Editorial Dept.
American Barleywine
Special Release
New Jersey
United States
Judges Ratings 93
Aroma: 22 / 24
Flavor: 38 / 40
Appearance: 5 / 6
Mouthfeel: 9 / 10
Overall Impression: 19 / 20
Description
Ah, the Holiday season. Thanksgiving feasts. Christmas decorations galore. Menorahs being lit. Friends and family around a roaring fire. And maybe the unavoidable screaming match over politics or your sister’s latest idiot boyfriend. However you celebrate, the joy abounds.
That’s what Boughs of Barley is for: celebrating the season in all its glory. This brew started off big, and then we made it massive. As a barleywine that spent a few months aging in fresh Kentucky Bourbon barrels, you can expect that classic toffee and nutty malt flavor to dominate, with wisps of bourbon, vanilla, and oak notes coming through, especially on the finish, all topped off with a warm body.
Grab a bottle while it lasts, because this limited release will be gone by the time you give up on your New Year’s resolution!
Beverage Profile
ABV: 11%
IBUs: 60
Served at: (45 – 50º)
Hops: Zythos
Malts: Pilsner, Caramunich II, Caramunich III, Carafa II, Chocolate malt. Also, dextrose.
Judges Review
By Pat Mulloy
Judges Ratings 93
Aroma: 22 / 24 / 24
Flavor: 38 / 40 / 40
Appearance: 5 / 6 / 6
Mouthfeel: 9 / 10 / 10
Overall Impression: 19 / 20 / 20
28C American Barleywine, 33B Specialty Wood Aged Beer. The brewer nails the use of pine, picks barrels with just the right amount of bourbon and lets this beer sit for just the right amount of time in the barrels. Dried berries, and spice, dark sugar and bourbon start the aroma as the pine gradually moves forward. It’s a chestnut brown beer pierced by streams of rapidly rising bubbles and capped by 2” of light tan foam with good retention. The flavor starts malty quickly yielding to fruit and spice with noticeable dried cherry, and nuts. The pine is not at retsina levels but acts more like a spice gently nudging the fruit and adding to the hop bitterness in a pleasant way. It mingles especially well with the bourbon flavors in the finish. The beer has an insanely creamy, chewy texture. The alcohol is pleasantly warming and not hot or harsh.
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