Hypnic Jerk by Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. is a well-crafted rendition of the 17D American IPA style from the 2015 BJCP guidelines, delivering a very enjoyable overall package. 

Upon popping the bottle, you are greeted with a sweet cotton candy-like aroma with some caramel notes in the background. There is a light floral/woody hop aroma in the mix as well, along with a hint of sulfur like you would get from a pils malt. The beer is an amber color with great clarity and a white, small-bubbled lacy head with moderate retention.

The flavor is of rich base malt augmented by a moderate level of hop bitterness and pleasant biscuity and toffee notes in the background for complexity. It is quite mellow and seemingly a bit aged, though there is no real oxidation character. Some woody hop flavors are evident in the background behind the malt. The middle and finish retain the same character, with pleasant rich malt flavors lingering through the aftertaste up to the point when you take your next sip. The body is medium and the carbonation is moderate. The overall fermentation character is quite clean, which is rather unexpected for the style.  Many times, English barleywines have a higher alcohol bite. No such issue in this one

This is a clean solid English barleywine that is quite enjoyable to drink. You will not be disappointed!