Bristol Old No. 23 Barley Wine

Our biggest beer by far, Old No. 23 revives an English farmhouse brewery tradition of making a strong ale to set aside for special occasions. Our version, while tedious and time-consuming to brew, rewards the connoisseur with an ale that has the depth and complexity of a good brandy or single malt scotch. Massive quantities of malt and hops, a long aging time and limited availability make this a special ale worthy of its reputation.

3.6

158 reviews

Colorado Springs, United States

Community reviews

3.7 2011 bottle from wchesser..Pour is very dark ruby red..with a thin cream head with some nice fingers..Nose is sweet brown sugar,caramel,fig,toffee,bready..Taste is caramel, spices, sweet sugar,plum,fig,butterscotch..palate is dry

3.8 2009 bottle. Drank from the bottle. Aroma is candied fruits, dates, and raisins. Taste is rich malt, figs, dark fruity esters, and vanilla spice. Quite enjoyable. Good barleywine.

4.4 2012 vintage, cellared about 1 year and 4 months. Sweet dark fruit aroma with caramel malt and just a bit of booze. Pours a cloudy, caramel colored with a thin white head and very little lacing. Starts with sweet caramel malt and finishes with nice dark fruit flavors and just a touch of booze. Full-bodied with a smooth, rich texture and a sticky finish that lingers in the aftertaste. Ages quite nicely. Probably could have used a little more time for the booziness to wear off, but still damn fine.

3.4 Pour out of bottle at the CO rare beer tasting 2012, dark brownish pour with white head, aroma brought notes of caramel, toffee, some slight fruity notes, hints of cocoa powder, slight grain and spicy tones as well. Taste is a mix of caramel, toffee, earth, slight cocoa, hints of spice, finishing with a slightly fruity finish.

3.5 Bottle. Pours clear brown with a trace of fizzy off-white head. Aroma is caramel, cereal, and cookie malts, figs, dates, floral hops, and light booze. Flavor is lightly sweet malts forward with dark fruit esters, booze, and faint hops; dry, lightly sweet finish. Medium body and low carbonation.

3.8 On tap from brewery poured a clear amber hue w/ small mostly diminishing tan head. Big malty sweet aroma of dark fruit. Initial flavor is moderate sweet and moderate sweet in the finish. Tastes are rum soaked raisins, orange citrus, toffee, plum and brown sugar. Medium to full bodied, soft carbonation, syrupy texture, heavy alcoholic warmth in the mouthfeel.

3.7 Drank in Denver for GABF 2012. Pours a cloudy dark amber color with a medium white head. The aroma is dusty dry malts, some caramel. A nice English style BW with dry caramel and sweet malts, dry palate. Dusty. Earthy. Very good.

3.5 12 fl oz bottle from the Bristol stand at the Coloorao rare beer tasting, Rackhouse, on October 10, 2012 Clear dark brown color, tan to light brown head. Malty, grainy, sweet, alcohol taste. Dry, citrus, fruity, bitter aftertaste. Medium to smooth mouthfeel, high bitterness. Fruity, sweet, alcohol scent.

3.4 From bottle. Pours dark brown, very hazy with little head. Malty, sweet nose. Taste is very sweet, with a mollasses taste and ETOH burn. Full, thick , rich body. A little too sweet for me but a decent winter beer.

4.0 2011 bottle from wchesser, thanks Will! Aroma has notes of sweet caramel, brown sugar, figs, toasted malts, raisin, faded citrus hops and toffee. Hazy dark brown hue with a small off-white head that mostly diminished and left ok lace. Flavor is very sweet and medium bitter. Palate is full bodied and watery soft with a clean light finish. Overall a well aged Barley Wine that has a great nose and good flavor. Aged very well over the past year. Body is a little light but the alcohol is completely hidden. Very well done Bristol!

3.7 Poured a murky brown, almost cola-like color with little to no head. Smells of caramel, toffee, alcohol, vanilla, and wood. Taste starts out malty/sweet, some vanilla & toffee in there and finishes with medium bitterness. Aftertaste is kind of hoppy but also on the boozy side. Pretty good.

3.7 Bottle @ Timbers, Denver. Pours dark brown with a creamy offwhite head, nice sized for the style and the ABV. Aroma of malt, caramel, toast, sweet fruit, raisins, hops. Taste brady malt, caramel, nuts, raisins, fruit, bitter pinelike hops, some booze. Medium body soft carbonation, light warming alcohol in the finish. Nice brew, easy drinking. 030312

3.0 Sampled from a cask at the 2012 Firkin Rendezvous @ Bristol. Dark burnt copper with very little head. Has a big rich aroma of figs, raisin, brown sugar, and plum. Very rich aroma. Flavor isn’t as smooth--kinda harsh with a little soapy tone, but has a rich dark taste of raisins, dark sweet malts, and figs with a slight cherry tone, but the off-flavor of soap is just too much for me to finish.

3.5 Sample shared at Jackie O’s. This Barley Wine is a brown color with a medium light beige head that recedes steadily. Short stringy lacing. Aroma of bready malt, caramel and hops. Rich body with flavors of bready malt, caramel and resiny hops. The finish is sweet and malty at first, resolving to a moderately bitter piney hops aftertaste. Decent overall.

3.5 Bottle shared by Dogbrick. Clear copper/brown pour with a thin beige head. Aroma of grainy malt, caramel, chocolate, crisp hop and some fruit. Chocolate and caramel malt flavor with some graininess and a bit of fruit in the finish.

3.2 2009 bottle. Pours dark brown, very hazy with little head. Malty, sweet nose. Taste is very sweet, with a malty roasty burn on the end. Full, thick , rich body. Granted not my favorite style but this is a decent beer.

3.8 12oz bottle (2010) from Supermarket liquors in Fort Collins Appearance: Pours clear dark amber/brown with a small beige head and some lacing Aroma: Sweet malts, caramel and pine Taste: Sweet malts, dusty caramel, piney, dark fruit and some hot alcohols Very nice, enjoyable. I would love to get a few more and cellar to see what happens.

3.9 Bottle @ home. Dark purple brown appearance with a small tan head. Very sweet, berry, caramel malty, light toffee, light spiciness, mild hoppy nose. Very sweet, smooth caramel malty, red fruity, earthy hoppy flavor. Big sweet caramel malty aftertaste. A surprisingly nice brew.

3.5 12 oz bottle purchased at Dillon Ridge Liquors in Dillon, Colorado. 2010 notched on the side of the label. Pour is quite dark golden brown, with a small and loose tan head. Dissipates almost right away. Aroma is darkly toasted malt, along with a floral sweetness and a less pronounced dried fruit. Hint of iodine as well. Taste is the floral, though it is a spiced dry floral rather than sweet, along with the mildly salty dried fruit. The malt is present, but is a touch thin and dry, opening up to a pretty hot finish. Palate is medium bodied, nice un filtered mouth feel, a bit oily, though that clears up with the hot dry finish. I have not had a Barley Wine in awhile, so I enjoyed drinking this. Nice beer, glad I grabbed it.

4.0 bottle. amber colour with a beige head. Aroma is alcohol, malt, caramel. Flavour is sweet, sugar, malt, alcohol, hop, dried fruit, oxidation. full body. Complex beer.

3.5 12oz bottle 4/7/11 (Courtesy of RSRIZZO)-40° in Snifter-Pours a dark amber with a small tan head which emits an aroma of dried fruit, malt, caramel, and spices. Taste of the same with a bit of alcohol coming thru. This full bodied brew is well balanced and quite tasty. Nice job.

3.7 355 ml bottle. Dim, reddish orange body with a diminishing tan head. Aromas of sweet malt, caramel, dry fruit, raisins, spices and alcohol. Flavor is sweet malt, dry fruit, spices, caramel, balanced bitter and warming alcohol. Nice body, fine balance, a solid barley wine closer to the American style.

3.7 12oz bottle poured into a Snifter at 47°. Color is a deep dark amber with mellow carbonation and a small off white head. Aroma is sweet with a toasted caramel scent and a faint note of fruit. Its full body goes down with a light smooth mouth feel. Flavor is lighter then I was expecting from the aroma. It has some mild dried fruits and toffee, then a little oak and vanilla ending with an even hop bitterness. In the after taste the bitterness stands out a little more with a nice roasted malt taste in the back. Overall I feel its very good, yet lighter then most Barley Wines.

3.8 12 oz. bottle shared by dbsdelight- thanks, Dan! 2005 vintage. Pours a clear amber-copper color with a small white head. Aroma of caramel malts, tons of fruit, nectar, spices, and booze. Flavor of caramel malts, pine resin, earth, tropical fruits, and sugar. Medium-bodied, with low carbonation and a sweet, boozy mouthfeel. Good barleywine that is not doing me many favors this morning.

3.4 Bottle 355ml @ yngwie Pours brown with a off-white head, Aroma has notes of barley, molasses, malt, brown sugar and dried fruits. Taste is medium sweet and light bitter. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft to flat.

3.7 Bottle. Pours a deep caramel brandy-like body with a microscopic, off-white head, just enough to bear evidence of carbonation. Nose is licorice, spruce, hints of toffee and caramel. Taste is similar to the nose, with strong caramel notes being the most prominent. Full-bodied and smooth. Another typical American barley wine, which I do enjoy a lot.

3.9 Bottle, 12oz. It pours a more or less clear body, brown in color and a small, off-white to light beige head. Alcohol, citrus, pine cones, dried fruits, caramel and alcohol on the nose. Complex and pleasant. The flavor has much the same found in the aroma. Full-bodied, warming and sweet on the palate. Low on carbonation, but that’s pleasant. Complex flavor too, with caramel, citrusy, piney hops, bitterness and a meaty touch. Lasting finish. A tasteful, delightful beer that lasts and pleases. Nice. 110301

3.8 Bottle.Pours amber with a small off-white head.Aroma of bread, yeast, caramel, biscuit and dried fruits.Flavor is sweet, warming and malty with some dates, caramel and malt.Full body, soft carbonation.Nice smooth barley wine.

3.6 Pours a deep amber with a thin white head. Nose with honied malt and spicy hops. Thick on the tongue with a start of smooth lightly toasted hops. Moves into a fruity and grassy hop finish. No hint of alcohol over the sweet malts. Not a bad little beer.

3.2 On tap At Euclid Hall in Denver. Pretty standard barley wine. Good hop and malt notes...not too much heat as well, but warming. Good spice character.