Review – Pike Old Bawdy Barley Wine 2006

From Pike Brewing – Named to commemorate the La Salle Hotel, once a Seattle bawdy house and the original home of the Pike Brewing Company. Old Bawdy is a vintage-dated, high-gravity beer brewed with peated Scotch malt. It has a deep golden bronze color, a fruity rich taste, and an aggressive and dominating hop character with smoky undertones that are reminiscent of Scotch whiskey.

Pike Brewing – Old Bawdy Barley Wine, Vintage 2006 – 12 oz. bottle poured into a New Belgium Beer Glass – 9.8% abv.

Appearance:Pours a dull auburn with a pinstripe of white around the top of the glass. You cannot see through this beer, but you will be able to spot a few bubbles dancing to the top.

Aroma: Apricot, peach, toffee, pear,caramel, gingerbread, and a bit of salt water.

Taste: Apple cider at first, followed by caramel, chocolate, and finishes with a spicy hop finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick and syrupy and sticky. The bitterness lingers on the tongue and leaves a feeling I associate with milk chocolate.

Overall: This beer aged very well. I can see the oxidation creeping up, so I would say I got to drink this beer at its peak.