This will only be my second Epic beer ever. I tried the Big Bad Baptist earlier in the Spring and absolutely loved it, so I have high hopes for this brew.
Let’s see if we can find some information regarding this brew from the website, epicbrewing.com.
The first sip of this brilliant, red-brown beer reveals a robust mouth feel and complex flavors including raisin, dark bread, some sherry flavors sure to increase with age. With the finish comes the flavor of Columbus hops followed by the alcohol warmth that can be felt down your throat.
Sounds good. Let’s sip.
This beer comes in a 22 oz. bomber and it contained an ABV of 10.1%.
The beer poured a caramel/brown color with an off white head. It was sized nicely, mostly smooth and creamy. The retention time was adequate and the lacing was solid with a clear alcohol film left on the sides of the snifter.
A solid aroma of caramel malt and dark toasted bread crusts. Satisfying piny and earthy hops along with some lighter citrus. A touch of fig too. It smelled quite sweet and sugary as well. Little to no alcohol was found in the nose, which I found surprising considering the relatively high ABV. Solid bouquet all around.
The taste affirmed some sweet and sugary caramel/toffee malt. A fairly strong hop profile of orange citrus and earthy hops. Rather resiny also. Some toasted breads and dark fruits came through at the back end to help round off the flavor profile. I did find a little bit of alcohol in the taste, but it wasn’t overpowering or disturbing.
The mouthfeel was medium bodied. Dry, sticky, chewy and smooth. The carbonation was of medium strength and just a touch of warmth was felt in the chest. A good bit of flavor was left behind after the swallow also.
Overall, I thought this was a pretty good brew. It’s not quite as strong or robust as some other Barleywines out there, but it’s still rather tasty in my opinion. A dependable and sturdy representation of an American Barleywine. The alcohol was barely even noticeable and the hops were out front enough to aide in creating a relatively easy drinkability. I would have no problem trying this again, nor would I have any problem recommending this to any craft beer drinking friend. I think it would be better suited for the cooler weather, however I had no problem putting it down on the warm Summer night in which I tried it. Have you guys ever tried the Epic Brewing Barleywine Release #2? What did you think? Feel free to leave a comment in you would like.
Thanks for reading and commenting guys. I really appreciate it.
Until next time. Cheers.
Score: 3.9 out of 5
Grade: B+
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