Beerfection

Tag: English Barley Wine

  • Arctic Ale 2025 | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

    Arctic Ale 2025 | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

    Score: 80/100 – Good

    Appearance 5/6

    The beer pours a clear dark brown with a low, thin, tan head. Poor foam retention. A good looking brew.

    Aroma 19/24

    Strong aroma with good balance. The aroma is musty, deep, and unique. There’s a distinct wild yeast character which is deeply earthy. Fruity esters and alcohol notes blend smoothly, complementing the yeast-driven profile. A moderate presence of dark and specialty malts adds depth without overwhelming. Noticeable oxidation contributes positively to the complexity. No apparent hop character.

    Flavour 34/40

    Follows the aroma with strong intensity, good balance, and assertive perceived bitterness. The musty flavour is driven by a blend of fruity esters, wild yeast, and alcohol. Dark and specialty malts follow, supported by pleasant oxidation which adds depth and complexity. No apparent hop character. The flavour is very good and notably unique, with a vinous quality that stands out. As with the aroma, the elements occasionally feel a bit disjointed.

    Mouthfeel 8/10

    Medium body with lively carbonation. The mouthfeel is prickly and slightly chewy with noticeable alcohol warming and a sweet finish. No astringency or harshness of any kind. Quite pleasant considering the strength.

    Overall 14/20

    Albion’s Arctic Ale is a good beer. The appearance is enticing, though slightly better head formation and retention would elevate it further. The aroma is complex and intriguing, but the components struggle to harmonize, creating a tension that detracts from the experience. The flavour follows suit – distinct and characterful, yet lacking cohesion. There is much to appreciate, but it falls short in finesse. The mouthfeel is pleasant and unobtrusive, though it lacks the weight expected at this strength. The alcohol is well hidden, but this is clearly a sipper.

    Overall, the sipping experience is enjoyable and Albion’s Arctic Ale is certainly worth trying, though it leaves a sense of something unresolved. The profile is layered and engaging, but the elements do not always align seamlessly.

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  • My Lord | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

    My Lord | Brasserie Artisanale Albion

    Score: 86/100 – Great

    Appearance 3/6

    The beer pours a slightly hazy amber with barely any head. Poor foam formation and retention. Ok appearance.

    Aroma 21/24

    Medium-strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is interesting, perfumy, and straight up offbeat.

    Significant brett character pairs well with notable alcohol and fruity esters. Gentle malt character rounds out edges while low hops add layers.

    Flavour 38/40

    Strong intensity with bitter balance and assertive perceived bitterness.

    The flavour is distinctive to say the least. Prominent earthy-fruity brett character is complimented by citrusy-herbal hops and a firm mix of pale and specialty malts. Mild floral tones and a splash of alcohol. Complex and intriguing.

    Mouthfeel 7/10

    Medium body with very low carbonation. The mouthfeel is a bit slick with mild fizziness and restrained alcohol warming. Medium-dry finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate but it’s a little lifeless.

    Overall 17/20

    My Lord is something I tried for the first time a few months ago. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it as it’s an eccentric beer. I decided to pick up another bottle before they were gone in order to write about it.

    Overall this is a great beer. There’s a lot of flavour presented in a balanced and complex whole which on its own is enough reason to try this. The appearance is lacking just like the mouthfeel. If those were improved, this brew would stand out. If you manage to find a bottle somewhere, grab it. One thing is for sure: drink this warm!

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  • Captain Swing | Microbrasserie Hopfenstark

    Captain Swing | Microbrasserie Hopfenstark

    Score: 94/100 – Outstanding

    From a 473ml can served warm at 18 degrees Celsius into a TeKu glass. Canned on 15 11 2022 – making this two months old.

    I picked up the can recently from a local specialty store after having originally grabbed one sometime early December 2022 in order to write about this beer. The details are blurry, but I ended up enjoying Captain Swing without deeply assessing it. A handful of weeks later, I knew I had to say something… because it stands out.

    Appearance 6/6

    The beer pours a clear copper with 5cm of moderately dense, frothy, tan head which dissipates into a craggy cap within 3+ minutes. Good lacing and head retention. A great looking brew.

    Aroma 22/24

    Strong intensity with good balance. The aroma is malty, perfumy, and enticing.

    Pleasant floral tones and perfumy alcohol provide a counterpoint to significant earthy-woody hops. Deep malt character of bread crust, biscuit, caramel, and mild nuts forms the center while gentle dried fruit, butterscotch, and orange marmalade add colour. There’s a pleasant tea-like quality and barely any perceptible oxidation. At times, the alcohol can have a slightly solventy note.

    The dry nose is strong and pleasant with notes of toasted bread, mild hay, low woody-earthy hops, and a touch of butterscotch.

    Flavour 38/40

    Follows the aroma with strong intensity, great balance, and assertive perceived bitterness.

    The strong palate opens up floral and tea-like with notable caramel-sweetness and boozy dried fruit making way for a toasty-bready center also loaded with floral tones, perfumy alcohol, mild herbs, firm woodiness, caramel, and mild citrus.

    The long finish is strong and balanced with notes of dried fruit, toasted bread, orange marmalade, caramel, herbaceous-woody hops, earth, and alcohol.

    Mouthfeel 10/10

    Medium-full body with low carbonation. The mouthfeel is smooth, mouth-coating, and round with noticeable alcohol warming and a medium-sweet finish. No astringency or harshness on the palate even though the impact is heavy.

    Overall 18/20

    Microbrasserie Hopfenstark’s Captain Swing is an outstanding barleywine.

    Great appearance sets the stage for an incredibly English aroma with significant hop-contribution. The flavour follows with loads of character and smashing balance while the mouthfeel compliments sippability with smooth yet heavy texture.

    Overall, Hopfenstark’s Captain Swing is a beer worth seeking out. It’s loaded with character, balance, and perspective. I’m only missing a certain wow-factor which would truly place it in the top 1%. If you find a can, don’t hesitate picking it up. Barleywine is life.

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