Brooklyn Hand & Seal
It’s seems that I’ve been lucky enough to come across a string of world-class beers this Winter. Brooklyn Brewery’s Hand & Seal is the latest in wonderfully crafted beers from the New York company that I’ve encountered in recent months.
The 13.2% ABV barleywine is part of the company’s Quarterly Experiment line of releases. Every three to four months, the brewery releases a one-off, limited brew. Hand & Seal is the latest to be unleashed.
This English-style barleywine is created with floor-malted Maris Otter barley before spending a brief amount of time in retired Four Roses bourbon barrels. The result is a beer that is full-flavored and refined. Much like a few of the other limited-release brews from Brooklyn as of late, Hand & Seal is a sophisticated beer with a great deal going on within the bottle.
Appearance
A cap of creamy beige foam rests atop the dark amber brew before falling to a thin ring around the surface.
Aroma
Wonderfully smooth bourbon-y notes, light wood, caramel, vanilla, a moderate sweetness, soft bread and a bit of dark fruits all come together effortlessly.
Taste
A solid wash of bourbon and wood are joined by caramel, dark fruits and toasted bread in this well-rounded brew. It has a ton of flavors playing about with hints of orange peel, pine, toffee and vanilla all making an appearance, but it’s also incredibly smooth. A warming finish allows a moderate level of sweetness time to fade gently.
Overall
I’ve had a good number of impressive beers as of late and Brooklyn’s Hand & Seal is another to add to that list. The beer is refined and full flavored. If it weren’t for the price point, I’d have a case of this stuff in my cellar to enjoy for years to come.
Rating: 4.25/5
