Mendocino Imperial Barley Wine Ale
A tasty, warming barleywine.I still remember the first time that I was introduced to Mendocino Brewing. My wife and I were still dating (some 14-15 years ago) and her family had invited me down to a late lunch or early dinner at The Green Leafe in Williamsburg, VA. My interest in craft beer was still in the infantile stages then, but my love of stouts had already been planted. The pub was serving Mendocino’s Black Hawk Stout on draft — I had never heard of the beer at the time, but immediately upon that first sip, I fell in love with the brewery. Since then I’ve had just about every beer from the company that I can get my hands on.
I’m not sure when the brewery started releasing this 11% ABV Imperial Barley Wine Ale, but it appears as though it’s a relatively new brew for the company. The beer is a big one with plenty of warmth to go along with a solid malt sweetness and welcome hop bite. I enjoyed the beer thoroughly, but it could use a little time in the cellar to come into its own.
Appearance
This barleywine pours a crystal clear, reddish amber in color with a rapidly disappearing light tan head.
Aroma
A healthy dose of malt sweetness is the first thing to hit your nose. It’s quickly accompanied by a dark fruit aroma, subtle toffee, peppery hops and a decent amount of booze.
Taste
The flavors are just about right along with the nose as sweet, toasted malts fill the mouth first. Raisin, toffee and a warming alcohol presence all come in quickly before slowly transitioning to bittering hops in the lingering finish. There’s an herbal component in the mix as well, but I can’t really pinpoint the source. The mouthfeel is at first smooth and slick on the tongue before quickly turning dry toward the finish.
Overall
This is an interesting brew. That herbal note in the beer could be from hops, but I’m not sure. It’s certainly not off-putting, but makes for a different take on the style. I’m quite interested to see how the other bottle of this beer turn out with a little time in the cellar.
Rating: 3.5/5