Avery Brewing Company - The Czar

Avery Brewing Company's "The Czar" pours a deep dark black opaque, tannish golden head of one finger that dissipated to a nice crown. It smells of a nice roasted malt aroma, with some hop characteristics finding their way through. The taste is malts again, very prevalent, some crisp bitterness on the finish. Feel has a crisp carbonation, and an oily finish. Overall "The Czar" is as drinkable as the style can be given the sweetness and abv's prevalent. A good imperial stout though I typically prefer a bit more balance of hops to the malts.

Rating: Better

ABV: 11.03%

Deschutes Brewing - Mirror Mirror

Pours a dark copper color with light loose head of a tan color. Less than one finger of head. Nice smell of caramel and alcohol very malty and sweet aromas. Taste is much the same, sweet, with alcohol on the back end, caramel with maybe a slight fruityness. Feel right with light carbonation, very loose but nice. Alcohol warms nicely. Good enjoyable beverage with nice smell, taste and aromas.

Rating: Better

ABV: 11.0%

Brasserie de Rochefort - Trappsites Rochefort 10

Poured a deep dark brown, with a slightly off-white quarter inch head that dissipated quickly and laced a little bit. Smell has notes of yeast and fruity notes of banana. Taste is sweet with malty notes and followed by the fruity flavors and the alcohol. Mouth feel is deep with some thickness, medium aftertaste. Overall a good drinking beer, with ample complexity and feel.

Rating: Better

ABV: 11.3%

Lagunitas Brewing Company - Olde Gnarleywine

Poured from the bottle into a goblet. A dark ruby color with a one finger tan head that dissipated quickly. Laced pretty well throughout. Initial alcohol aroma doesn't last long, as the malts take over. Flavors have an initial strong malt but the hops balance nicely on the finish. Feel is definitely warm from the alcohol with some distinct oiliness in this medium-bodied beer. Overall very good barleywine with great balance and appropriate flavorings.

ABV: 11.0%

Rating: Better

J.W. Lees & Co (Brewers) Ltd - Vintage Harvest Ale (2001 Vintage)

2001 Vintage

Poured cloudy brown with ruby hints. Virtually no head. Great aromas of malty sweetness, very little if any hop aromas. Malty aromas are dark fruits. Definite alcohol in the aroma as well. Taste is very sweet, with some fig, raisin type fruity flavor as well. Alcohol doesn't really appear until the end, pretty well masked. Feel is smooth, syrupy and has very little carbonation. Overall a very good Barleywine with great characteristics. Really enjoyed the beer.

Rating: Best

ABV: 11.5%

Russian River Brewing Company - Pliny the Younger

On tap at the Falling Rock Tap House in Denver on Tuesday and was very lucky to have gotten the two glasses of it that I did as the first keg was gone after about 10 minutes, and the second very shortly thereafter.

Poured a great golden amber almost honey color with about three fingers of off-white head that lasted quite some time and laced very well as it went down the glass. Aroma was a strong citrus grapefruit smell with little alcohol present on the nose given the ABV. Taste is similar to the smell as the citrus grapefruit flavors are very prevalent, with some sweetness as well. Feel is smooth and slightly syrupy with a slight tickle of carbonation on the tongue. Overall the beer was great, and if more had been available could have been dangerous given the alcohol content combined with the enjoyability of this beverage.

Rating: Best

ABV: 11.0%

Stone Brewng - Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale 2009

Poured a nice caramel/amber color with a light tan head and good retention. Laced pretty well, with the head dissipating to a nice crown and a bubbly island in the middle. Sweet malts on the nose, with some fruity hop presence. Tasty sweet maltiness gives way to some alcohol spiciness. Feels well with light carbonation tickling the palate, and some oiliness on the finish. Drinkable for the style though the ABV prevents mass consumption.

Rating: Better

ABV: 11.3%

Deschutes Brewery - The Abyss (2009 Vintage)

Held on to this as long as I could (which wasn't very long) before I had to crack it open. Poured a deep dark opaque brown with a golden dark khaki head that changed into a lighter tan as it sat. Creamy, tiny bubbles and a solid two finger height on a less than vigorous pour. Head retention is excellent and it laces well.

Smell is very complex with multiple aromas with bitter chocolate leading the way, but a citrus sweetness follows with the licorice and bourbon notes as well.

Taste is equal in complexity to the smell with the bourbon more prominent, chocolate bitterness presents afterward along with some alcohol.

Mouthfeel is excellent, creamy and chewy with the extremely tight carbonation and alcohol warming.

Overall drinkability is limited by ABV only, but consistent with the style. If not for the potency, this balanced brew could be enjoyed for days.

Rating: Best

ABV: 11.00%

Deschutes Brewery - Black Butte XXI (21st Birthday Reserve)

Limited offering brewed once in June 2009. Poured from the bottle into a rounded tumbler, deep dark brown (almost black color) that has some slight ruby at the edges, head is one finger that doesn't stick around very long, yellowish brown in color. Aromas of the roasted malts some burnt malts seem to be apparent. Chocolate malts provide some definite bitterness. Sweetness limited by the bitterness of the chocolate malts, the taste is very balanced between the chocolate malts, coffee flavors, and the roasted malts. Medium to full bodied feel that has some slight dryness as well. A drinkable beer for the style and very good though the ABV limits consumption.

Rating: Better

ABV: 11.0%