Deep Ellum Brewing Numb Comfort
What the brewers say
“We use four of our favorite malts and enough of our favorite resinous piney and fruity hops to balance. We use English ale yeast, and we age a portion in oak whiskey barrels.”
What our panel thought
Aroma:“Floral hops followed by light oak. Honey-like malt complemented by dried fruit esters of plum and cherry. Some earthy or vegetal notes in aroma. Spicy and herbal character, with under- lying vanilla from the oak. Very fruity, like Fruity Pebbles. Sharp wine-like esters.”
Flavor: “Very sweet with a drier finish. Alcohol and bitterness cut through the sweetness. Light oak character—the barrel aging is apparent but appropriate and doesn’t overwhelm the beer. Lots of pears, peaches, and apricots. Almost reminiscent of a Belgian tripel. Alcohol presence is fruity and warming.”
Overall: “A very enjoyable beer, but not necessarily what you think of when dreaming about barleywines (this beer is better suited to an adventurous type than a rigid style adherent). Somewhere between a tripel and a barleywine with some wine-barrel in for good measure.”
