This is my first foray into barley wines, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Mill St. in Toronto has quickly become one of the best local breweries around, and has amassed such a following that its' micro brewery status is often obscured by its' huge reputation.
Mill St. Barley Wine is brewed once a year, every year. The bottle is a literal collectors item, made of ceramic, with a wire top and the vintage printed on it. With the high ABV, this is definitely a beer you could cellar, as adding some age would likely repeal some of the booziness and add some complexity. Fittingly, I poured it into a large Bourdeaux wine glass. This type of beer lends itself to a smaller serving size anyway, and it looks pretty cool too. With a wicked pop and a little smoke show, it pours a multi-hued, ranging from chestnut browns at the outer edge of the glass to deep ruby red in the middle. There is no head, and little carbonation. The liquid is visibly more viscous than most beer, with the small amount of carbonation slowly making its way to the surface. It smells like roasted malts, chocolate malts, fresh multi grain bread and aromatic honey. It honestly smells delicous, like you could spread it on toast and eat it. I don't know what I was expecting, but it tastes like a larger than life English Ale. It is very heavy, and slick on the tongue with very little booziness at all. It is an absolute malt bomb, with sourdough bread, and a slight, lingering bitterness that builds through the glass with every drink. There are some dark, sweet dried fruits, like plums, but nothing that plays a forward role. There is also a nice sweet bourbon flavour that along with the hops that builds with each sip, giving the thick sticky sweetness more balance. It is really syrupy and decadent, something along the lines of icewines and apertifs. There is a surprising amount of carbonation, that I would imagine dies down with age.
Overall, this was quite an experience. I expected more complexity, like scotch or cognac, but I won't chalk it up to the style, just this bottle, and it's youth. Taking into the consideration the price, but also the special nature of the beer, I give it a 7/10. I will buy one to cellar, and I will definitely spend some more time on the style.
I bought this for my brother as a thank you present a few days ago and initially we were both a little overwhelmed. I think I described it at the time as kind of like "Jack Daniels without the burning." But a few glasses later it grew on me. Or maybe that %11.5 alcohol content kicked in.
ReplyDeleteIt was definitely a big departure for me as well. I think you have to consider the style, and apply it accordingly like an ice wine. I really got alot more out of it as it warmed too.
ReplyDeleteJD without the burn? If that existed, I might never accomplish anything in my life again!