Founded by a chef, and brewed with culinary principles, @moodytongue creates their beers with "balance" in mind. This brew #BourbonBarrelAgedChocolateBarleywine sounds like it would be anything but. Barleywines are typically big malt bombs that often times have a big toffee/caramel like sweetness that generally pairs with a large alcohol bite. Because of those attributes, Barleywines are one of my favorite styles. I was totally intrigued when I saw this beer on the shelf. At $30 a 4-pack, this 9% abv brew comes across a little intimidating. A buddy of ours decided to bite the bullet and pick it up, fortunately for me, he passed a couple bottles my way. Anyway, how does the chocolate and bourbon pair with the base barelywine? Are the added flavors and aromas noticeable? Is it worth the cash? Let's take it one question at a time. The added Chocolate, and the notes of oak and vanilla from the Woodford Reserve barrels pair beautifully together. You can tell that balance is definitely paramount, but the flavors and aromas are totally apparent. The bourbon hits your nose first with vanilla and oak character, but the chocolate vibes aren't far behind. Cocoa helps round out both the aroma and the flavor. This brew tastes like it smells, and the bourbon keeps everything interesting. Balance can be a double edged sword though, this thing drinks easy! This Barleywine from the guys up in Chicago gets my seal of approval, and yeah... it's worth the money. I had to do some number crunching, but there's no doubt I'd pay at least $15/bomber of this, so $7.50 for a 12oz bottle isn't too bad. Give it a try guys, let me know what you think! Cheers!!! #CraftBeer #BeerPorn #Barleywine #InstaBeers #TheBeerHog #CraftBeerInAlabama #MoodyTongue #DrinkCraftBeer #Beer
