Style: Barrel Aged Barleywine

ABV: 14.0 IBU: 40.0

100/100
Aroma: 12
Appearance: 3
Flavor: 20
Mouthfeel: 5

Pelican Brewing Company Mother of All Storms

What the brewers say

“Based on our English-style barleywine, Mother of all Storms spent many months aging in Kentucky bourbon barrels. It delivers avors of toasted malt, bourbon, and oak with whispers of vanilla, toffee, and caramel.”

What our panel thought

Aroma: “Dark fruit, tobacco, coffee, vanilla, and fresh-cut grass. Moderately strong alcohol, rich malt with caramel and toasty notes, cherry, light pineapple, coconut. Hints of chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, and toffee. Candy in a glass for short.”

Flavor: “Tawny port, pie cherries, leather, and cacao nibs. Incredibly rich malt. Velvety caramel with toasty coffee edges. A very smooth, peppery/ spicy alcohol edge. Coconut and vanilla provide the barrel character, along with a fair amount of bourbon. This is big, but very avorful. Great mouthfeel for the sweet side of the style.”

Overall: “Deceptively smooth—every taste is as rich as the last. This one has tons of candy-like elements, with caramel, toffee, chocolate, vanilla, and coconut all making it a perfect after-dinner beer to sip on to replace your dessert. Exquisite”

What our editors thought

Review printed in: Big Beers (December 2015-January 2016) (View All Issues)


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“Nicely balanced sweet/earthy/funky/tart apple character throughout. Slight hints of mushroom and tar enhance the tannins on the finish.”

Boochcraft Apple Jasmine

“Orange peel, lemon meringue, lime, apple, and green tea in the nose create a clean, fruity, and inviting aroma. The apple flavors are supported by a cinnamon-like spice and a tart, citric acidity that balances the sweet spice. The package comes across like an autumn-spiced version of the style.”

Saint Arnold Brewing Company Bishop’s Barrel #10

**Aroma:** “Rich malt—caramel, coffee, and cocoa, lots of cherry esters, some coconut. Very friendly but subdued nose overall with a touch of alcohol.” **Flavor:** “Flan with cherries! Vanilla, toffee, and pie cherries. Cacao nibs and caramel. Malt is well blended with some nice caramel and toasted notes. Molasses and caramel combine with vanilla and subtle fruit character to make for a complex flavor, balanced between malt and barrel with fruit to support.” **Overall:** “Rich and complex. Lighter in body than the appearance suggests. A great sipping beer that comes off as much lighter than it actually is. Nice example of the style. Complex malt flavors work well with the barrel character to form a very balanced, smooth, and surprisingly drinkable barleywine. Find this one immediately.”

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