Dick’s Barley Wine Ale Review

I have to admit, I’m not the most knowledgeable guy around on barley wine’s.  In fact I’ve had very few beers to compare Dick’s Barley Wine with, so overall it seemed like a pretty good beer with a big punch.

Cracking open the bottle the beer poured a very dark amber.  It was actually a lot darker than what I was expecting.  I poured straight down the middle and probably a little faster than normal, and as you can see in the picture, there wasn’t a whole lot of head.

It smelled malty and very fruity with hints of bananas and pine.  The sweet smell though was a bit overshadowed by the great smell of alcohol.  Yes, Dick’s has an ABV of 9.9% so be sure to have some food in your stomach first.

The flavor is pretty complex if you ask me.  I love strong hop flavors and this beer didn’t let me down (too much) in that arena.  It could have been a bit more hoppier for my liking, but it wasn’t that bad.  I would definitely consider this beer a sipper as the alcohol flavor is pretty strong.

For the price, it wasn’t a bad beer, just not the best barley wine I’ve had.  I’d definitely try it again if I’m looking to drink a good barley wine that is easy on the pocket book (I forget how much I paid, but it wasn’t bad compared to most of the other barley wines in the store).

Overall I give Dick’s Barley Wine Ale a B.

ABV: 9.9%
Original Gravity: 1.095

What’s your favorite barley wine?

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