New Belgium Brewing Snapshot

**Aroma:** “Bourbon, vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, coconut, molasses, coffee, and a touch of licorice. Cherry, raisin, plum. Strong malt sweetness. Open and bold whiskey/bourbon–barrel notes. Definitely leans more toward the barrel than the base beer. Inviting mild sherry oxidation with a bit of cardboard.” **Flavor:** “Flavor delivers on the nose: intense barrel notes, with the chocolate and vanilla turned up to eleven. Sweet cherry and raisin/dark fruit blend well with the barrel. Great mix of mild phenols, evocative esters, and alcohol warmth. Nice sherry character.” **Overall:** “The barrel is strong with big vanilla and bourbon, complemented by cherry fruitiness that pulls it together. A wonderful sipper, and an amazing example of what a barrel can impart to a beer in the hands of a talented and deft brewer. More, please!”

**Aroma:** “Citrusy orange/grapefruit, light caramel, and raisin pair with sweet malt and bready notes. There’s also a moderate plum and a touch of cherry.” **Flavor:** “The malt and caramel sweet- ness carry over from the aroma with piney, lemony hops bitterness that hits in the front and holds through the nish. There are nutty and toffee notes with touches of toast, chocolate, plum, and cherry. Alcohol warmth is present and keeps this beer from being too sweet. ” **Overall:** “This is a very well rounded, balanced, and straightforward barleywine. The hops choices are boldly resinous without crossing the line into enamel-peeling, and the citrus hops blend well with the plum and cherry notes from the malt. This gains more complexity as it warms. The heat is strong in this one, and it has a nice chewy mouthfeel but is easygoing enough to have a few pints.”

**Aroma:** “Medium strong spicy hop notes blend with subtle sulfur. Light pils malt background supports everything. Faint toasty sweetness. Yeasty with some papery oxidation and a very mild aroma of lemon zest and grass.” **Flavor:** “Faint, soft pils malt and a restrained bitterness complement each other. Lemony and grainy. Some grainy sweetness in the aftertaste keeps it from finishing as clean as it could. Light bitterness and a nice clean lager profile.” **Overall:** “A bit too light? The crisp hop bitterness saves this beer from blandness. It’s very pale, making it refreshing for summer drinking, but a bit more body wouldn’t hurt.”