[Cellar Review] Samuel Adams Griffin's Bow Oaked Blonde Barleywine Ale (Vintage 2012)

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts 
Purchased: 22oz bottle bought at Binny's in IL; [Batch No. 2] 2012
Style/ABV: American Barleywine, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: 45

Back on February 8, 2013, I reviewed the Sam Adam's Griffin's Bow. This inexpensive American Barleywine is both tasty and exotic. Brewed with Nelson Sauvin and Zeus hops, and aged on (or with) toasted oak, the Griffin's Bow is a creative take on the American Barleywine and part of Sam Adam's small batch series of beer. About Sam Adams:

The Boston Brewing Company/Sam Adams is, of course, the brain child of Jim Koch (and Harry M. Rubin and Lorenzo Lamadrid). Founded in 1984, Jim Koch got the ball rolling after college when he decided to resurrect and brew his favorite family recipe. That recipe belonged to his great-great grandfather, Louis Koch, and dates back to the 1870s (where it was brewed in a St. Louis brewery). That infamous family brew is the Sam Adams Boston Lager, of course. You can read more about the history of the Boston Brewing Company HERE, or check out their website HERE.  

Why age this beer? Good question. The bottle says: "Enjoy now or age it to further develop rich and unique flavors." The bottle also notes on the back: "From the aroma and notes of sweet honeysuckle, pineapple, and grapefruit, to richer hints of burnt sugar, and toffee, this intriguing brew is full of complex flavors. The distinct character of toasted oak adds depth and contrasts the light fruit sweetness. This unique take on a barleywine ale surprises with its smoothness and balance of fruit, hop citrus, and warmth." 

With that said, let's get this late 2012 vintage into a glass and see how a little over a year has done to this beer. 

Sam Adams Griffin's Bow (Vintage 2012)

This pours into a hazy, golden-orange body, and kicks up two fingers of dense, sustaining, golden-tinted head. Bright light confirms the hazy orange goodness, and you can see peppery dots of carbonation slowly ascending. Let me reiterate: head retention is really good here, with a finger still hanging around. There's plenty of lacing too. 

Even with the passion fruit/grape you'd expect from the Nelson Sauvin, I'm mostly getting pine, pine sap, caramel, toasted sugars, toasted oak, oak, and maybe some leafy hop aromas. There's some resin on the nose, and maybe some grape leaves, but there's lots of toasted sugars, sugar, and even a little grain/wood/coconut. 

As far the taste goes...this is inviting and warm, with lots of resinous pine, pine sap, and maple syrup up front; and some nice toasty oak, coconut, and toasted grains in the back. I wish this was a bit more complex, but it feels mellowed out at this point in time. There's a slightly harsh and astringent bitterness in here that I can't quite place a finger on...maybe a toasted grain character that shows up mid palate with some hop bitterness, before the beer mellows out into the oak in the back. Once you hit that oak note, you can dial up the wood and grain and things are okay. 

This is full-bodied, with lazy carbonation. It would be smooth and creamy if not for the sugary body that almost pulls like a mead or heavy wine. It's never cloying (imo), and you don't feel the full burden of the 10%. Still, this is a sipper through and through. Complexity is moderate, but the palate depth here leaves a bit to be desired. I feel like this beer could be more expansive and feature more depth across the front to back. Up front you get lots of resinous, sugar-coated pine sap, maple syrup, piney notes, caramel, brown sugar; the mids roll into more sugars, and then you get a bitter and astringent woody note, some grains, bitter hops; the back end is pleasant with nice oak, wood, coconut, toasted oak, toasted grains, lingering fruity sweetness. It's okay.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this beer. I seem to recall enjoying the slightly more when it was fresh. The zesty pineapple notes you get from the hops when this beer is fresh cuts through a bit of the cloying sweetness that has now come out after a year of letting the hops drop off. It's not bad though...I would definitely recommend aging one of these for fun, especially at $7 or $8 a bottle. Food pairings here include creme brulee, fruit cake, fig pudding, and heavily grilled meats and sausages. 

Random Thought: As predicted yesterday, my run tonight was horrible. I guess a weekend of drinking to the point of a hangover will do that to you.