I wouldn't expect something as intense and American as Bigfoot for an old ale, but a more prominent and drying English hop character would likely cut the sweetness. Others like Gale's Prize, The Iron Tankard, Fuller's Vintage, Hibernation, and Ola Dubh 40 have tart, hoppy or roasted flavours to even things out. Still happy to see this one available, though, and it was interesting to try.Derek wrote: Seriously though, I'd say this is a barley wine without the hops & bitterness for balance:
http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style19.php
But American's just wouldn't see this as a barely wine. They expect stuff like Bigfoot.
I'm not a huge fan of Thomas Hardy's either, but I do find it a bit more 'drinkable.'
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Kuhnhenn 4D
- cratez
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"Bar people do not live as long as vegan joggers. However, they have more fun." - Bruce Elliott
I don't find this beer terribly sweet. It has some backbone. Although (like He'Brew 15) letting a part-consumed bottle 'breathe' some O2 for a few days seems to smooth and balance it out with some helpful oxygenation/oxidation! We are blessed and cursed in this day of perfect beer hygiene, which might impair a very strong beer's flavor development at times they need some abuse or aging (aging beer is merely the abuse of intentional degradation). This batch of 4D could age into a monster like any good batch of HOTD Adam.
In Beerum Veritas
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Well the good news is I still have two bottles left so I'll try doing both to see if it becomes more palatable.Belgian wrote:...letting a part-consumed bottle 'breathe' some O2 for a few days seems to smooth and balance it out with some helpful oxidation (and) This batch of 4D could age into a monster like any good batch of HOTD Adam.
"Bar people do not live as long as vegan joggers. However, they have more fun." - Bruce Elliott
It's not really the sweetness that turns me off. I like sweet beers such as Hardy's, Jewbelation, Solstice, Gulden Draak and most other old ales and barley wines. It's the herbal, ricola like taste that turns me 160 degrees away from any of these extral dimensions. The comical price, which gets about 1/2 the BO employees rechecking their scanners, accounts for the other 20 degrees.