Old Godfather, Speakeasy Ales and Lagers, San Francisco California

Our next Barleywine comes from a favorite brewery of mine, Speakeasy in San Francisco. I haven't been there yet, but I've got my New Year Resolutions this year!
Let's sample....

It pours copper with a thin head.

The smell is all sweet wheat.

Two tastings:
Colder: It has a medium body, the wheat and bitterness is apparent straight off. The sugar builds in the body, but doesn't go too far. It's not overly sweet by any means.
Warmer: Fuller body and more bitter. The sugars get thicker, the beer becomes more oak-y.

There is a big strong aftertaste which is fairly complex. There is a slight sourness that rounds off the sweetness. A strong alcohol taste with the wheat remains - it is definitely a warmer! It settles into the palate for awhile.

All-in-all an enjoyable beer. Maybe not as outstanding as their other offerings, but quite a contender.

I find Speakeasy beers here and there - they seem to pop up with some regularity - though mostly their IPAs. I'm not sure how widely released the Godfather is - I found mine at Belmont Station in SE Portland -

Cheers!

Beer #50! Double Daddy IPA, Speakeasy Ales and Lagers, San Francisco California

BEER #50 !!!!
So we are already to beer 50. It's amazing! I had to celebrate this momentous occasion with a beer from my favorite style - the Imperial IPA. It's one my wife brought home for me, one day and I was excited to try it - it will be my first Speakeasy beer....

It pours a brilliant amber hue.

The aroma is all hop with big citrus and floral smells.

The taste slakes my need for big hop. It is both earthy and citrus. The bitterness is quite apparent.

The aftertaste is flowery hop which lingers with the bitterness. A definite for hop heads like myself. There isn't much too blog about, in that the beer lives up to it's style - There is big hop all around - I think it's delicious!

I've had good luck finding these beers, but am not sure at all how limited their distribution is - mine was from here in Portland at the Food Front in NW. I've seen their beers at several finer grocery stores.

9.5%
Hops include 4 varieties (unspecified on website) of Pacific Northwest Hops and three additionals.
Pale Malted Barley and German Munich Malts are used along with Speakeasy Ale Yeast.

Cheers!