Review – Southern Tier Back Burner (Imperial Barley Wine Style Ale)

Southern Tier Back Burner (Imperial Barley Wine Style Ale)
10% abv

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a glass beer mug.

Appearance
Dark ruby red color with hints of brown interwoven. An abundance of creamy, milky head.

Aroma
Loads of hops overpower any other fragrances. Smelled very dry with vague damp basement whiffs.

Taste
Very sweet with the first sip and then overwhelmingly salty and savory. I had a difficult time finishing this beer because it was so salty. It tasted like I was drinking a salt brine used to cure meats or vegetables. Not very enjoyable.

Mouthfeel
Good carbonation that leaves a slick and bubbly feeling on the sides of my mouth. Sticky feeling from the sweet caramel malts.

Overall
This is the second Southern Tier brew that I have tasted and although I have not given up on them, this was the second beer that I did not care for. The overpowering saltiness of this ale turned me off right away. It tasted like I was drinking a glass of ocean water. I think that if aged for a couple of years, it would likely lose its harshness and be much more gratifying.

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