Lawyers, Guns & Money

Lawyers, Guns & Money by Crazy Mountain is a Barleywine and is being evaluated as an American Barleywine (2015 BJCP Category 22C) offering according to the BJCP guidelines. For this style expect a bold, even assertive American hop character and a rich, strong ale which lingers and “one ups” its English ancestor, the English Barleywine. Despite being Americanized, this ale should not overwhelm the drinker with alcohol strength or hop bitterness and should mellow as the months and years pass.

Initial aroma is moderate citrus hops, sweet pineapple notes, with rich bready and lightly honeyed malt. Candied fruits reminiscent of warm, fresh fruit cake show next with cherries, peaches, apricots and pears as likely yeast-derived esters, and this fragrance persists. The pour is lightly hazy rich orange, harvest moon in fact, with a medium, creamy off-white head which slowly recedes to a broken film on the beer surface and thicker cordon at the edge. The flavor is candied fruits of apricots, pears and peaches with a rich, honeyed bread malt, nearly caramelized with spicy alcohol notes which dry the palate yet allow some malt and fruit to persist.

A spicy and near perfumey alcohol presents itself aromatically as the beer sits. Somewhat under the radar, a moderate spicy, pine and citrus hop character rides alongside and finally presents a bold hop bitterness which keeps the sweetness at bay. This full-bodied ale provides a moderate alcohol warmth and light carbonation with a lightly creamy roundness which keeps all the characteristics in a tight package, not allowing any one to dominate. Truly a contemplative beverage and one that fits the bill for a bolder version of an English classic.