Lagunitas Gnarley Wine

[EdWort]

Anyone try this yet?

 

[brewt00l]

Did they just release some or are you talking previous vintage?

 

[EdWort]

I think it is just released. I just saw it at my local grocery store.

 

[brewt00l]

I think it is just released. I just saw it at my local grocery store.

hmmm...I thought that was a fall release. I'll have to look for it.

 

[blacklab]

Headed down to Marin today - I'll have a look for it.

 

[EdWort]

It's 2008 vintage. 9.7% abv, 69 ibus, 1.096 O.G. and $3.99 for a 22 oz. bottle. I picked up two.

 

[brewt00l]

It's 2008 vintage. 9.7% abv, 69 ibus, 1.096 O.G. and $3.99 for a 22 oz. bottle. I picked up two.

Kewl, I am heading to a local bottle shop on my way home from work this evening...I'll keep my hairy eyeball out for it

 

[Jekster]

Never heard of this brew. I'll have to check my local beer shop today...

 

[brewt00l]

No dice...actually they were quite low on Lagunitas stock.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Wow, didn't know this was so rare. I have one in the fridge right now, bought last week from HEB Central Market, San Antonio. I'm craving a good beer, so I guess I'm gonna have to post a review!

 

[EdWort]

I may just have to pick up a couple more...

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Appearance:
Simply GORGEOUS! Beautiful color (see below) with a very dense foam of fine beige bubbles. Perfectly, sparkling clear. Lacing at first appears very complete, then dissipates down the sides of the glass with wine-like "legs."

Aroma:
Strong grapefruit up front with hints of plum. No doubt this beer is hopped with American hops from the Pacific northwest. Sweet caramel and brown sugar come through nicely. Not much, if any alcohol in the nose.

Flavor:
Like in the nose, the strong grapefruit assaults the palate first. Plum and raisin are in the background as the beer washes back. A distinct, malty, caramel sweetness appears, followed by the sharp bite of citrus hops in the aftertaste. There's another distinct flavor that took me a few moments to place, then it hit me: dates! With another few sips, concentrating on that particular character, I got sweet dates throughout, including the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel:
Full and well carbonated. Though it coats the tongue with both sweet and sharp flavors, the feel is surprisingly light. The alcohol is very pleasant, only making a slight appearance in the latter half of the 22 oz bottle, or if I strongly exhale through my nose immediately after a sip.

Drinkability:
This is what barleywine should be!!! I thoroughly enjoyed it, though I'd suggest sharing a 22 oz bomber with a friend or two, since it "sears" the palate a bit after the first 6-9 oz, making the last half of the bottle a bit less exciting than the first. Though I usually enjoy barleywine by itself as a sort of nightcap or dessert, I couldn't help but crave some more of this evening's filet mignon dinner as I sipped. A rich cut of well prepared meat would pair very well, I'm sure.

So, yes, Ed, pick up a couple more. Real Ale's Sisyphus, while decent, doesn't hold a candle to this.

A text description wouldn't do justice to the beautiful copper/amber color of this beer, so I held a flashlight behind it and took a few pictures:

 

[EdWort]

Excellent work Yuri! Thanks! Now I'm off to HEB tomorrow to buy 2 or 4 and just tuck away till a friend visits.

BrewHaus Raising in less than one week!

 

[Zar]

i just saw that yesterday at the liquor store. i ended up buying the cappacino stout

 

[EdWort]

Stopped by my local HEB at lunch today. Picked up 7 bottles. Still at $3.99 each, same price as Stone Brews in a 22 oz. I have a nice stash of Barely Wines now.

 

[BierMuncher]

Stopped by my local HEB at lunch today. Picked up 7 bottles. Still at $3.99 each, same price as Stone Brews in a 22 oz. I have a nice stash of Barely Wines now.

I see a barley wine brew session in your near future.

I think a BW is the only style I haven't brewed.

 

[EdWort]

I see a barley wine brew session in your near future.

I think a BW is the only style I haven't brewed.

Some day. The BrewHaus has to be built first. Picked up $2k worth of lumber, Dek-Blocks, & shingles yesterday. That should get me started.

 

[EdWort]

What a wonderful Barleywine. Truely enjoyable.

TexLaw should recognize the glass. It's perfect for beers like this.