Barley wines are a winter lovers best friend as far as I'm concerned. They are big, bold, and packed full of aromas and flavors that lend themselves so well to the cold weather. Caramel, chocolate, fruit, hints of spice and the warmth of alcohol all come together to make a wonderful drink on a cold winter night. This style of beer will warm you up and leave you happy and satisfied after its gone. I love barley wines. This is a fact I'm sure you will notice over the next few months as I search for the best ones I can get access to.
Today's review is a barley wine from Canada's Dieu du ciel brewery in Quebec. Solstice d'hiver means winter solstice in Canadian speak. I purchased this as a stand alone 12 oz bottle for about $4.99. Normally I wouldn't pay that for a single 12 oz bottle that I haven't tried yet but I was cravin' me some barley wine! I'm hoping the first one I have of the winter season starts me off on the right foot.
My first observation is this brews very deep ruby red color. Although there is no head at all after pouring. The twist cap surprised me since most microbreweries will avoid these to better prevent oxidation in their beers. The aroma is the unmistakable barley wine smell; malty, hoppy, a little fruity, subtle hints of chocolate as well. You can smell the alcohol in this one too. I'm hoping the time spent aging at their brewery in Canada mellows this out in the taste. My first sip is almost completely flat... not really that surprising by the lack of head. Some roasty chocolate comes through up front as well as an almost dark caramel flavor. The consistency is thin and watery. The finish is oily. I cant get past that fact. The alcohol is still there in a way that reminds me of a bad vodka. After swallowing I can feel a residual burn down my throat. A slick feeling lingers on my tongue. Ugh... this makes me a sad Steve.
Overall this is a 1.7/6.0 - This barley wine really let me down. Maybe I got a bad bottle since it was definitely under carbonated. It may not have traveled well either which is something you always risk with international beer. I didn't finish this one. Its the first time I've poured out a beer in a really long time due to it just being plain bad. The only reason the score is in the upper 1's is because it has a nice color and ok aroma. Maybe if I get bored one day Ill try this again to see if it was a bad bottle. But for the time being go ahead and pass on Solstice d'hiver. There are plenty of other barley wines out there for you to spend your money on.
If you dumped it, it must've been pretty damn terrible. Thanks for the heads up. By the way I got a 4pack of Surly Wet for Christmas, I will be posting a review of it in the next few days!
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