Deschutes ‘Mirror Mirror’ Barleywine Craft Beer Review

Brewed by Deschutes Brewery

$14.99/bomber

Style: English Barleywine

11.20% ABV

Serve at 55-60°

Availability: Rotating (2014 bottle)

Notes:

Malt: Pale, Victory, Crystal, Maris Otter, Cara-Pils

Hops: Millennium, Cascade

Barrel-Aging: (50%) 10 Months in Oregon Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, and Malbec Barrels

Enjoyed from a snifter

A: Pours a cloudy copper-amber color with a very thin head that fades quickly. Very dense.

S: Sweet toffee, butterscotch, brown sugar, and bready notes on the front end. Dark fruits; raisin, plum, fig, and a subtle peach/apricot presence. Slightly boozy and spicy. Muted oak notes add a faint vanilla aroma.

T: Dark fruit/candied sugar notes up front. The caramel, toffee sweetness yields to plum, grapes, raisin, figs, and grapes, before finishing dry and sweet. Lightly astringent with small amount of heat.

M: Heavy and dry, finishes sweet with a lingering earthy flavor.

O: An exceptional bready, sweet barleywine with a hell of a punch. Please pick up a bottle or two.