‘Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Barleywine’ Craft Beer Review

Brewed by Alltech’s Lexington Brewing & Distillery Co.

$14.99/Four pack

Style: American Barleywine

10.00% ABV

Serve at 50-55°

Availability: Spring

Enjoyed from a Kentucky Ale snifter

A: Pours a pretty copper-cranberry color with half a finger of thin tan head. Fades quickly and leaves spotty lacing.

S: Toasted malts, caramel, herbal notes, raisins, a slight bourbon presence from the brief bourbon barrel aging.

T: Dominating caramel and dark fruit flavors. Sweet malts, fig, raisin, plum, loaded with booze. The killer for me is the overwhelming phenolics/hot booze finish was too much. The thin hop profile adds another nail in the coffin. While you do get a small amount of hops, this is lacking to be called an American barleywine.

M: Medium to heavy mouthfeel. That hot booze…ouch. Leaves an almost earthy soil finish behind.

O: I’m wholly disappointed in my neighbors at Alltech. I’m not a huge fan of the brewery’s beers in-general, but the heavy booze and lack of crisp, bitter hops sank this one for me. Between this and the ridiculous $15 + tax price, I think Alltech really dropped the ball.