Blindman Brewing Perepllut (Переплут) Barley Wine at 9.5% ABV | 45 IBU (C$5.08 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 355 ml, packaged on 27-Feb-2018, acquired 17-Apr-2018, reviewed 20-Apr-2018)
Appearance: clear brown with one finger of loose beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, no lacing. (3/5) Aroma: mild, dark fruit, caramel, berry tartness. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate bitter, light spice. (7/10) Palate: medium-full body, moderate-low carbonation, boozy warming lingering finish. (4/5)
So, a brewery based in Red Deer, AB… is doing a Barleywine style… named after a Slavic god – of alcohol and rivers… whose translated name means either “rogue” or “blessed”… in cans? … sure, fuck it, why not? Why does anything need to make sense any more? (I’ll tell you one thing, though: I’m not ageing this. I might’ve come around to the idea of cans as a superior transport mechanism for light fastness and air tightness, but I’m not going to drink beer that’s spent an extended time exposed to BPA liners. I’ll drink ‘em fresh or not at all.) I spent a lot of time smelling this, both before and after letting it warm, and have to say, it’s surprisingly mild. The tase generally follows suit, but with a mild rye spiciness in the finish. Decent overall, sure, but for a brewery with their track record? A bit of a swing and a miss, pretty much at the bottom of their range. (14/20)
7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
