‘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.
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