The guys down at Freetail have just released their Barleywine, Old Bat Rastard, much to the delight of those here in the San Antonio area.
Now to give you a background, Barleywines originated in England. They are fruity, hoppy and very alcoholic by nature, although less hoppy than the American Barley Wine. Typically one of the strongest beer styles, I have only encountered one other more strong (a double dry hopped IPA). English Barley Wines usually balance out the malt and hops more evenly than their American cousins.
Freetail brews Old Bat Rastard in the American Barleywine tradition, with a Texas twist that I just can’t place, brought on by brewmaster Jason Davis. American Barley Wines like their English cousins can be stored for years, much like a fine wine. But don’t wait for this one, the cool winter weather won’t last much longer in Texas!
Poured into a pint glass at the brewery, Old bat Rastard pours a very deep mahogany, with a nice 1-2 finger head and lacing that sticks to the glass very nice.
It has a strong hops aroma, again common in American Barley Wines, citrus undertones and nice alcohol presence. The foam hits your nose while sniffing this one!
Ready to dive into this one, I awaited what I expected to be an overpowering alcohol taste. What I got was a very nice balance of the hops with a nice caramelized malt presence. What I couldn’t place was whether I tasted citrus or not. I have a feeling Jason snuck something in.
Overall, this was a nice Barleywine. A slightly more alcohol presence would have been nice, but weighing in at 9.1% ABV, it does sneak up on you. It is enough to deter one from bringing a growler home! What’s great about this one, is that it makes you warm on what has been cool evenings for South Texas. It begins to warm immediately as it goes.
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