Victory - Old Horizontal

My beer of choice this evening is a hearty seasonal.  A winter seasonal to be specific!  That's right, screw summer today.  I'm sick and tired of this Amazonian-like weather we are having and am ready for some snow.  Unfortunately the closest I can get to snow is to stick my head in the freezer and that's not very practical.  The next best thing in my opinion is to grab a beer that reminds me of those cozy winter evenings.  I cant think of a better style to bring back those memories than a nice big barley wine.  Fortunately for me I saved a few from the winter!

Victory's Old Horizontal is on the bigger side of the American Barley Wine style grid coming in at 11% ABV.  A smudged 'Enjoy By' date tells me that I have until December 2nd 2015 to drink this seasonal down.  I wonder if on December 3rd the bottle self destructs...

The short story on the side of the label definitely gets me in the mood for winter.  "Low on the horizon he winter moon reclines, resting up for warmer times.  While inside our homes the warmth abounds, as dearest friends are gathered 'round.  In cheerful moods we gratefully sup, robust Barleywine from the cup!  Brewed of pure barley, rich and sweet, one of natures truest treats!  Fairly scented with fragrant hops, we celebrate this harvest crop.  And as the heavens slumber above, merrily we sip... with the ones we love!  Cheers!"  Yup, I'm ready to enjoy me a big ol' barley wine!

Victory's American style Barley Wine drops into my glass with a rich light mahogany hue and a lofty off-white foam.  Head retention is quite impressive here.  The foam consolidates after a few minutes and creates a nice sensation of creaminess to each sip.  A rustic malt-forward aroma comes together with hints of butterscotch and alcohol.  A faint whiff of fruit is noticeable as the brew warms.  My first sip was a little harsh so I let it sit for another 10 minutes before having another go.  There it is... getting the excess carbonation out of the way helps to bring forward a smooth, creamy, malty and hoppy bouquet of barley wine goodness.  Some chocolate and caramel pop in and out of existence just to toy with my pallet.  A subtle bitterness lingers around after a few sips with a nice alcohol warmth serving to help dry out any remaining sweetness.

Overall - My mission to bring memories of winter back was successful.  Victory's Old Horizontal is a nice example of an American Barley Wine.  Although, when compared to others within the category I would say its less hoppy than most.  Almost straddling the line between and English and American example.  In either case, its a tasty brew worthy of occupying a space within any beer lovers fridge.


Side Note - I just realized that Dunz had reviewed this brew back in February. Whoops a daise!  Its the first time we have reviewed the same beer twice.  But this is also a great opportunity to compare our notes about the brew and see how it may have changed with another six months of age.