Left Hand Brewing Widdershins Barleywine
wid·der·shins: in a left-handed, wrong, or contrary direction
I don’t thinks Left Hand Brewing could have selected a cooler name for their Widdershins Barleywine, a 10.7% ABV barrel aged barleywine. Although, there’s nothing really contrary or against the norm of this particular beer — it’s a fairly straightforward brew for the most part — it’s naming is more indicative of the brewery itself.
Widdershins Barleywine, despite it’s potency, is surprisingly smooth drinking. The alcohol is there with a gentle warmth, but it’s masked pretty darn well. And the barrel influence on the brew is at just the right levels — enough to compliment and not take over the conversation.
Appearance
The photos don’t do this beer justice. It pours a bright copper (like a polished penny) in color with a small cap of tawny foam that fell to a thins ring.
Aroma
Loads of vanilla and wood lead the way for caramel, pine resin and citrus (orange) notes. It certainly smells good.
Taste
Like I said above, for as big as this beer is, it glides over the tongue effortlessly. Distant oak and a vague vanilla presence accompany orange notes, pine, caramel and an appropriate level of sweetness that’s quickly followed with a light hop bitterness. The beer finishes semi-dry with a soft warmth.
Overall
I really liked this beer. It’s got a nice earthy hop quality without overdoing it as many American barleywines are apt to do. Widdershins Barleywine drinks incredibly smoothly for a beer of its size. While I had this one relatively fresh, I can see it doing nicely with a little time under its belt. I might just have to hunt down some more for next Winter.
Rating: 4/5
