The Bar Towel

Just picked this up tonite and thought I have one to sip when I was reading my book. Little apprehensive because sometimes these long agers are a little caustic when green but I forgot it had already been aged.

Easily ready to drink and can only imagine what aging would do, bottle says BB 2017/01/01. Lots of nice smells and never mind drinking, could sit there all nite smelling it. No hint of alcohol but I knew so took my time. Very nice, very mellow can I say more like a fine wine than a beer?

Price is a little high but....buy more or hope for more offerings from Kuhnhenn?

Dont miss this one!

Ukie wrote:Just picked this up tonite and thought I have one to sip when I was reading my book. Little apprehensive because sometimes these long agers are a little caustic when green but I forgot it had already been aged.

Easily ready to drink and can only imagine what aging would do, bottle says BB 2017/01/01. Lots of nice smells and never mind drinking, could sit there all nite smelling it. No hint of alcohol but I knew so took my time. Very nice, very mellow can I say more like a fine wine than a beer?

Price is a little high but....buy more or hope for more offerings from Kuhnhenn?

Dont miss this one!

Good to hear this has lots of nice smells! Is this the same product as the Kehnhenn 4D or is this a different beer?

liamt07 wrote:

Ukie wrote:Just picked this up tonite and thought I have one to sip when I was reading my book. Little apprehensive because sometimes these long agers are a little caustic when green but I forgot it had already been aged.

Easily ready to drink and can only imagine what aging would do, bottle says BB 2017/01/01. Lots of nice smells and never mind drinking, could sit there all nite smelling it. No hint of alcohol but I knew so took my time. Very nice, very mellow can I say more like a fine wine than a beer?

Price is a little high but....buy more or hope for more offerings from Kuhnhenn?

Dont miss this one!

Good to hear this has lots of nice smells! Is this the same product as the Kehnhenn 4D or is this a different beer?

Same beer, just a typo I guess from the original release. There is an aged 4D and a barrel aged 4D, we got the aged.

Having one now (for the first time) and it is quite remarkable. Wow! To me it is quite literally a "barley wine", both in alcoholic strength and flavours, which are rather Amontillado sherry-like (with an obvious bitter element from the luscious hops). When I bought this I was wondering slightly why i was paying seven bucks for such a small bottle, but now I know.

I wish i was able to try one right now, but I can't because the LCBO that has them, hasn't put them on the shelf yet. And when I asked an employee to go into the back and find them, they didn't have any idea what I was talking about.

Near as I can figure, the real problem is that the LCBO's face is stupid..

Guybrush wrote:I wish i was able to try one right now, but I can't because the LCBO that has . them, hasn't put them on the shelf yet. And when I asked an employee to go into the back and find them, they didn't have any idea what I was talking about.

Near as I can figure, the real problem is that the LCBO's face is stupid..

What LCBO in London, because if it's masonville (which I'll assume b/c they have the worst customer service in London) they're on the shelf but hidden. You'll find them on the same shelf where the Historic Beers of Scotland are.

midlife crisis wrote: To me it is quite literally a "barley wine", both in alcoholic strength and flavours, which are rather Amontillado sherry-like (with an obvious bitter element from the luscious hops).

Hadn't thought of this, but you're absolutely right!

I guess when you look at it in those terms, you are spending 8 bucks on a little less than half of a bottle of wine. Not really that bad.

Guybrush wrote:I wish i was able to try one right now, but I can't because the LCBO that has them, hasn't put them on the shelf yet. And when I asked an employee to go into the back and find them, they didn't have any idea what I was talking about.

Near as I can figure, the real problem is that the LCBO's face is stupid..

I went to my local LCBO last week to get the HopWired and BIA IPA, which I found surprising as it doesn't get too many seasonals. I found out Harold ordered it in for the Bent Elbow and took what he wanted from it, but they won't be going on the shelves (didn't ask why). The lady helping me couldn't find it and got me to come into the warehouse with her to help find it, I found that a bit weird, but I got my beer. She then told me if I wanted anything else ordered to just ask.

Other than one incident a few years ago at a store that's not too close to me, I can't say I've had any issues with the LCBO's in K-W.

Back on topic, I had 4D a year or 2 ago and loved it. I haven't picked up any from this release yet, as it just made it to K-W a day or 2 ago, but should be getting some tomorrow.

JeffPorter wrote:

midlife crisis wrote: To me it is quite literally a "barley wine", both in alcoholic strength and flavours, which are rather Amontillado sherry-like (with an obvious bitter element from the luscious hops).

Hadn't thought of this, but you're absolutely right!

I guess when you look at it in those terms, you are spending 8 bucks on a little less than half of a bottle of wine. Not really that bad.

Absolutely in those terms, maybe only paying dinner-wine prices for desert-wine level beer. What 'half bottle' of wine could you possibly compare in value-for-cost, maybe a 375 ml of Lustau sherry or a decent affordable Sauternes - those might run easily twice or more the cost.

Belgian wrote:

JeffPorter wrote:

midlife crisis wrote: To me it is quite literally a "barley wine", both in alcoholic strength and flavours, which are rather Amontillado sherry-like (with an obvious bitter element from the luscious hops).

Hadn't thought of this, but you're absolutely right!

I guess when you look at it in those terms, you are spending 8 bucks on a little less than half of a bottle of wine. Not really that bad.

Absolutely in those terms, maybe only paying dinner-wine prices for desert-wine level beer. What 'half bottle' of wine could you possibly compare in value-for-cost, maybe a 375 ml of Lustau sherry or a decent affordable Sauternes - those might run easily twice or more the cost.

This is all very well said. I think it is a matter of changing perspective on beer drinking in general. Beers like 4D are intended to be consumed like a wine: sipping slowly over a longer period of time while appreciating the complexity of the flavour profile. If you think like that, the $8 price tag won't bother you. But I can see how that average beer drinker (and LCBO employee) would be shocked by the price tag.

TheSevenDuffs wrote:... Beers like 4D are intended to be consumed like a wine: sipping slowly over a longer period of time while appreciating the complexity of the flavour profile. If you think like that, the $8 price tag won't bother you. But I can see how that average beer drinker (and LCBO employee) would be shocked by the price tag.

But only the price tag for the 'regular' bottle format, and it's only perceptual. In a bomber, suddenly the same beer for $15 is less shocking. In a wasteful ceramic 500ml bottle, $10-12 is less shocking. All of this is a bit illogical, because the 4D in 355 ml offers same or better ml-per-dollar value in a far more pracical size.

This one is stronger than the previous versions I've had, but it isn't plagued with the tertiary/fusel alcohols that some of them were. I find the residual sweetness a bit much, but it is a really good beer.

Thanks Soods!

How would you guys compare the 4D to Jewbelation to something like Hardy's Ale? I personally preferred the latter and found the Jewbelation about equal to 4D and a better value too.

Derek wrote: I find the residual sweetness a bit much...

Same here, to the point where I don't think I'll be buying this again. Was nice to try and the aroma is amazing (easily a "5"), but I would prefer more dryness, bitterness, and noticeable hop flavour to balance things out.

cratez wrote:

Derek wrote: I find the residual sweetness a bit much...

Same here, to the point where I don't think I'll be buying this again. Was nice to try and the aroma is amazing (easily a "5"), but I would prefer more dryness, bitterness, and noticeable hop flavour to balance things out.

Then you'd prefer a Barley Wine.

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'.