Uinta Anniversary Barley Wine Ale

Uinta Anniversary Barley Wine Ale is an American Barleywine, 10.4% ABV. Originally brewed in small batches annually to celebrate the breweries Anniversary, this is now in their year round line up. I picked this up a few weeks ago locally, and I now see this has a best by date of 4/29/15. Of course being a big Barleywine I am not at all worried about the extra time this has been sitting around!

Quite often barleywines are not the best looking beers out there, but this pours with a rather clear caramel brown color with some major red tones and light tan head. This has a classic aroma for the style, I’m smelling caramel, brown bread, spicy hops and just a hint of molasses. After some warming a pungent hop onion comes out as well. Great flavor profile with some slightly burnt caramel, prunes, raisins, cherry, and a hint of brown sugar. This is all balanced by spice and earth from the huge helping of hops. The finish is dry, piney and moderately bitter and I would expect all of that to be even more pronounced on a fresh bottle.

Uinta has brewed a classic American style Barleywine, I am going to have to grab a few more of these to have on hand throughout the year.