Barleywine (Sprecher)

During the winter I decided to stock up on barleywines and see if I can top Old Foghorn and some of the other greats. This just seems to be a type that I am a bit picky about. This wax-coated beauty seemed to convey a nice smooth brew to me. I did find that the factory wax was really hard to get off. I was thinking about how well it would probably age. I looked at the bottle and it said to age up to 5 yrs....but I had already cracked the seal. I have it on my list to pick up to age if I can find it again.

General Thoughts
Look and Smell: This cloudy, amber, ale had a light bubbly head that dissipated quickly. I could smell grain and a sweetness like honey. A little citrus too. It was a weird combo.

Taste: It was super creamy and good. I could taste the grain, but it wasn't strong. I'd actually say that this is the smoothest barleywine I've ever tasted. It was almost like a Belgian. I could taste some sherry flavor and then that port dark fruit. The aftertaste was fruit and barley. A very interesting combination all around. A good complex flavor to savor. I would say that it's very different than Old Foghorn. Very smooth, but Old Foghorn has the strong grain flavors. I guess that it's more of a mood than a comparison.

From the Sprecher site:
A lengendary top-fermented brew with a deep amber/orange color, a strong fruit and malt aroma, and a potent alcohol nose accented with hints of Port. A complex flavor of malt, fruit & sherry delicately balanced with hops.