Saint Arnold Divine Reserve #6

This is a big, malty, hoppy barleywine. Yet with all of the intense flavors, they meld together to create a well-balanced big beer. The nose has a strong resiny hop note. The taste starts with a combination of the malty sweetness and spicy hops with both flavors magnified by the high alcohol level. The spiciness carries through the middle and finishes with a satisfyingly dry bitter. It was brewed with 2 row pale, Caramunich and Special B malts with brown sugar added in the kettle and hopped with 225 lbs of Columbus hops including 44 lbs that were dry hopped. We used our Saint Arnold yeast strain which gives a rich, creamy mouthfeel to the brew. It is unfiltered and will clarify with aging. Enjoy at 45°F or warmer. This beer will age well. Original Gravity: 1.094 Final Gravity: 1.019

3.8

295 reviews

Houston, United States

Community reviews

3.6 Thanks to AmEricanbrew for this. Not sure if this was the original or the 2nd batch of this but it was good either way. Malt up front with mild bitter in the back, good brew.

3.3 30th May 2009 Hazy brown beer. Light and dry palate. Very light barleywine but the components are all here. Salty malt, hop bitterness. but all so very light. The malt is slightly aged tasting and there is a trace of charcoal. Aniseedy alcohol finish.

3.6 Huge thanks to Belgianbeergirl for this bottle. Thanks Amy. Pours out a muddy apple cider color with a thin off white head. Aroma is of sweet toffee, caramel and dried fruits, with a slight tell of the alcohol. Taste is toffee, caramel, coffee, some remaining hop bitterness, citrus, and a little bit of alcohol on the finish. Solid brew.

3.8 Courtesy of gnoff. Pours ruby mahogany a tanned bubbly head leaving some lace. Aroma is madeira, prunes, raisins and hops. Velvety mouthfeel. Flavor is tart, sweet, madeira, raisins, hops and salty. Lean palate. Finishes with a great tart hoppy aftertaste with salty touch.

3.4 Bottle (35 cl), thanks gnoff. Hazy mahogny, small beige head. Malty aroma with dried fruits, spicy hops, and liquorice. Medium bodied, low carbonation. Dry with a bit harsh bitterness.

3.7 Wee bottles shared thc to gnoff, cons 2011-02-26 Göteborg AP: ruby red, wee white head, oily AR: dry fruitiness - grapes, leather belt F: obvious alcholic, grapes, grape fruit, vinos, oily feeling, hard flavors and great bitterness

3.7 (bottle, thanks gnoff) Pours dark copper with a small head. The aroma is of leather, tobacco, earth, caramel, figs, dates and some subtle alcohol. Some resin. Nice nose. The flavour is light to medium sweet, medium to heavily bitter, light acidic and light salty. Lots of citrus, resin, fruits, leather, tobacco, and caramel. The mouthfeel is round but almost a bit astringent. Light carbonation. Lingering bitterness, some caramel on the finish. Medium bodied.

3.8 thanks to the bald wizard for this fun extra! dark bruin-ish pour, small light head that leaves lots of nice lacing. nice salty and spicy old tasting barleywine. good stuff, has held up well and the present oxidation is lending well, should have a couple more good years years on it id say.

3.9 Received this as an extra in a recent trade with BelgianBeerGal. Thanks again Amy! Pours a dark ruby red/chestnut brown color with golden mahogany edges when held to a light source and a one finger yellowish beige head. Decent retention, slowly fading into a lasting ring that coats the glass with ring and splotches of soapy lacing. Earthy aroma with lots of leathery malt, piny hops, sweet alcohol and zesty spice. Hints of caramel, toffee, leather, soil, resinous oily hops, pine, pepper, cinnamon and dark fruit. I’m picking up subtle notes of raisin, fig, grape and plum. The nose is pretty complex and I’m surprised how well the hops have held up in the aroma after 2.5 years. Medium bodied with a balance of sweet leathery malt, heavy spice, sweet alcohol and earthy, dry, bitter hops. The hops and spice give this beer an odd, off metallic like taste up front. The hops have faded but are still prominent in the flavor. Slightly stale, very earthy and bitter with lots of dry pine. This is complimented by a zesty spice character with hints of pepper and cinnamon. Underneath, the earthy, leathery malts that I’m used to in this style are prominent with hints of biscuit, toffee, caramel and rye. The high ABV is well masked and there is only slight heat in the flavor and subtle warmth in the finish. The sweetness of the malts has developed and the booziness has subsided. Ironically, however, as the heat mellowed the hops have gone a bit stale and leave an odd aftertaste. This beer is at an odd stage right now. I would have liked to try it younger and I’m curious how it will continue to develop as the hops continue to fade.

3.8 First rating 12 fl oz bottle thanks to sebletitje, on Jan 31, 2011 Clear deep copper color, pretty big light brown head. Hoppy, citrus, roasted, malty, sweet, alcohol scent. Malty, bitter, caramel taste. Bitter finish. Smooth mouthfeel, high bitterness. 7/4/7/4/15=3.7 Rerate Bottle, thanks to sebletitje! Sampled on February 26, 2011 Clear light brown volor, small orange head. Citrus, sweet, bitter, fruit scent. Sweet, bitter, dried fruits, alcohol taste. Smooth mouthfeel, a bit harsh bitterness. 8/4/7/4/15=3.8

4.0 Received this in trade from Texindy, thanks for the opportunity. Pours a slightly cloudy dark amber with some orange hues. Pours an off white head that dissipates to a cap. Aroma is spicy piney hops hiding a strong malt backbone. Taste is more spicy piney citrusy hops with a bit of alcohol heat in the mix. There’s some malt in there, but its hard to taste behind all the hops. Carbonation is ample, body is medium, mouthfeel is crisp, and a bit sticky. Great barleywine or possibly double ipa. I’ll bet this one will be fantastic in a couple of years, hopefully I can hold on to one that long.

3.7 12oz bottle thanks to mikesgroove.. Aroma : Peachy with nice oxidation. Nice caramel. Taste : Peachy and quite hoppy. Light resinous notes. Oxidation. Some sugar with caramel. Overall : Nice stuff. Nice caramel and hops. Enjoyable oxidation. I think this is keeping quite well.

3.5 Enjoyed this with BuckeyeSammy. pours a deep, caramel brown with thick sediments floating around. Tan head and plenty of lacing. Notes of sweet malts, caramel, resin, pine. Thinking a big malty hop bomb coming our way. Rich mouth feel but something’s awry. there’s an off balance, syrupy notion that leads us to believe this may be past its prime. huge, bitter aftertaste adds to the finish. want to love it more.

3.9 Notes from 10/2008. Received as an extra in my first trade. Was very happy to see this brewery from my home town. A wonderful carmine or coral red with a nice creamy looking head that recedes. Pine and floral hops are first and foremost. Grapefruit and orange juice. Caramel malts complete finish the nose. Can’t wait to try this one. What a surprise! I honestly didn’t expect this beer to have this resiny hop presence, but I’m pleased! Citrus is there as well. I usually break paragraphs for the mouthfeel, but this one is fantastic and holds up the substantial hoppiness well. There is a malty sweetness to it, as well as a bready grainy finish. Sweet as it enters the mouth, actually, but finishes with bitter notes. This is a fantastic mouthfeel, in my opinion. Creamy and thick. I definitely need to get my hands on some more Divine Reserve, as well as on more barleywines. I underestimated the style based on a few samples I had had. Anyways, if you love nice, big balanced hop beers, get your hands on this one.

3.7 My Bottom Line: This classic American-style Barley Wine presents everything you can expect in the style: caramelized cereals aplenty brimming with bitter resinous hops, thriving in a rich body nudged by light oxidation. Further Personal Perceptions: -A sheet of foam tops the dull mahogany. -The hops also develop citrusy angles and earthiness, mostly in the finish. -Strawberry-like esters appear within the caramel. -The resinous bitterness is lengthy. -French toast comes to mind at times... Bottle.

3.7 GREAT nose of caramel, toffee and candied malt. Strong nose that fills the room. Thick mouthfeel. Flavor much like the nose, but a bit unbalanced. Think this one may be a little over cellared. Long finish, a little rotten back end, actually. Enjoyed this one with DDemmingJr on a cold winter night.

4.4 Bottle. Pours clear, with a nice head and decent lacing. lacing sticks around much more on the 6 than the 10. Great aroma, of hops, lots of malt. Taste is metallic oxidation, nice hops, great malt. For me, a perfect barley wine.

3.6 Bottle: Deep caramel in color, very muddy, large pillowy off-white head, sticky lacing. A little dank/musty caramel malt aroma. Smidgen of aged hops. Candyish malty start, aged caramel malts and hops. Seems pretty straight forward. Has a bit of a bite that still lingers. The malts have become a little dank/basement like. Not a big Barley Wine, at least body and mouthfeel seem average. A little orange rind on the exit, along with a citrusy caramel like flavor. By the finish the hops are pretty mellow. I bet a few years ago this would have been pretty damn good, but seems as if its aged a bit and is on the down slide. Still respectable and tasty. Oddly enough, I am getting some dried apricot as this warms. Enjoyable, if a little simple. Thanks to alexsdad06 for the bottle!

3.9 On tap at the Whip-In - a bit over 2 years old at this point. A nice clear ruby-red color with a small foamy head and good lacing. The nose has light caramel, a small amount of citrus hops, sweetness, and a bit of a grassy tone. Flavor is much the same - the sweet caramelly malt dominates, along with a little citrusy hops. A nice barleywine, though it’s not quite as impressive when it’s immediately following an aged Live Oak Old Tree Hugger - DR6 just doesn’t have the same malt body or depth of character. Still tasty, though, and I’m glad I was able to try it.

3.2 Bottled. An uncear red beer with a lazing light tan head. The aroma has notes of malt, hops, and grass. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, grass, and over ripe fruits, leading to a lightly bitter finish.

3.6 Bottle. Pours a nice clear deep copper color with a slight collared tannish head. BIG malt aroma wafting from this one along with minimal hops. I would have guessed this to be an imperial red but indeed find it to be a barley wine. Malty sweet start that does have some hop bitterness in the mid and end of the taste. More floral and citrus rind hop flavors than anything else. Does have an odd lingering aftertaste that isnt that pleasant. Medium mouthfeel.

4.2 A: snifter. nice tawny color with a large peach colored head. great retention rate. nice solid lacing, very full. S: huge aromas of sweet malts, tons of caramel. tons of earthy hop characteristics, major pine tar aromas. T: great tasting barleywine. extremely well-balanced. mild citrus hop taste. very earthy. solid malt backbone. perhaps the best tasting BW I have had. M: full-bodied, but very mellow. carbonation level is a little high. ridiculously smooth. D: ABV is high, but very well hidden. very nice barleywine. glad I am aging several of these. well worth getting.

3.8 A: Pours a nice copper brown with a tan head. Pretty good retention and some light light. S: Very hoppy for a beer that has been laying around for a few years. Lots of caramel and brown sugar as well. Hints of toffee and a dash of summer fruits. T: Pine and grapefruit still stands out. Nice rich sweet malts. Toffee mostly with hints of caramel. Subtle apple and a touch of fig. M: On the fuller side of medium, rich, sweet, with a nice hoppy blast.

3.6 12 oz bottle Lurking in the basement was a four bottle vertical of Divine Reserve. The #5 I have already tried but it was interesting to compare that in relation to the following releases. This one, the sixth, was a solid barley wine. The hoppy edge has been lost and the entire beer is beginning is slip. Regardless for the style it is well made and very enjoyable. Aroma / Appearance - The caramel brown body and creamy vanilla head were a perfect pairing. Fluid with a sticky sheen of lacing it looks just like the prototypical big beer. Caramel, molasses, boston cream filling, and old growth forest mix into a sweet almost syrupy party. In fact it is so dense that it feels a bit overbearing. Flavor / Palate - Dense, thick, and chewy this is like a heavy milkshake. Feeling like melted caramel chews as it washes over the palate the base of this is heavy from the start. Wood, molasses, and a warm bitterness gives this more depth than I originally expected. However by the end I was ready to be done. While this was well made and excellent I can’t say that drinking more than a single bottle would be advisable in one night unless you can handle multiple huge beers.

3.5 Bottle from a trade. Can’t remember who, maybe secret Santa. Pours dark copper color with minimal tan head. Big toffee and caramel aroma with some alcohol. Sweet caramel flavor with some mild pine hops that have faded. Medium body with soft carbonation. Thanks to whomever sent this.

3.6 Bottle at home. Pour is nice orange color with small white head and floaties. aroma is great. Lots of fruit, caramel malt, and light hop. Smells great . Flavor is not quite as smooth. A little roasted caramel malt with some light oxidation. Not as much depth in the flavor as in the aroma. Still great.

3.4 Bottle ah home ... Thank to WAY long time back to a trader ... im sorry i forgot who as its been close on 2 years ... dark copper ... sweet rich pine american pale ale malt nose ... sweet front ... again that creamy pale ale malt ... little smokey wood ... big pine resiny sweetness.. decent but not my style of barley wine

3.8 12 oz bottle. Misty honey brown with some lacy foam that kicks up with a swirl. Nose is caramel with hints of strawberry and pine. Simple but nice. Taste is caramel, orange peel and bitter hops. Finishes with residual alcohol. Good one.

4.0 Bottle, thanks Joey! Pours deep red with nice off white head. Aroma is big aged hops with some wood, vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Taste is real complex, starts with sweet and spicy hops leading into some big caramel and toffee with hints of vanilla, wood, and a strange bitter yet dry and long lasting finish with a bit more oak and vanilla. Awesome barleywine, aged extremely well.

3.9 Bottle from secret santa. Thanks man! Deep amber red pour with thick off white head. It dissipates quickly leaving a film and a ring that clings to the glass. Aroma of spicy hops, caramel, a touch of butter, fruits. Flavor is hoppy and malty, the malts are very fruity and the age on this one has mellowed the hops a bit. Some toffee and caramel as well. Pretty good mouthfeel with good carbonation and a grapefruit finish. A touch of oxidation that works well in this beer. I’m digging this. Pretty good stuff that held up really well.