mwedge
08-23-2009, 09:07 PM
http://www.beeraday.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Victory-OldHo.jpgI’ve been looking forward to trying a bottle of Victory Brewing’s “Old Horizontal”. The beer is a Barleywine-style Ale, and the 11% ABV elixer has an “enjoy by” date of November 2013! Combine these powerful stats with the image of a snoozing moon (as if to say, “After you drink this, we’ll be calling YOU ‘Old Horizontal’!”) and you’ll understand why I’ve been anxious to try out this Barleywine.
The note on the label reads, poetically:
“Low on the horizon the winter moon reclines, resting up for warmer times. While inside our homes the warmth abounds, as dearest friends are gathered ’round. In cheerful moods we gratefully sup, robust Barleywine from the cup! Brewed of pure barley, rich and sweet, one of nature’s truest treats! Fairly scented with fragrant hops, we celebrate this harvest crop. And as the heavens slumber above, merrily we sip . . . with the ones we love! Cheers!”
Such a stiff drink should be parsed out slowly, so I poured Old Horizontal into a snifter. My first pour was too chilled to do the drink justice; but as my belly warmed, so did the beer.
Old Horizontal was an almost electric mahogany color, rich and dark with ruby highlights. I was surprised by the energetic, fizzy head. The off-white foam faded slowly, receding to a thin coating of bubbles. The Barleywine had a sweet, almost raisin-like malt aroma. Hops weren’t very present in the aroma — but that could have been because I was taking notes when the beer was still quite cold. For an 11% ABV beer, the alcohol was surprisingly hidden among the rich aromas.
http://www.beeraday.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Victory-OldHo-Label-Detail.jpgPiney, grapefruity, herbal hops circulated my tongue during the first sip, creating a rich and profound bitterness that completely took me by surprise. The malt is sweet and just falls short of syrupy, but the hops power through the sweetness and combine with the alcohol astringency to create a liqueur-like sensation. It was delicious, but nowhere near the relaxing nightcap I was expecting.
As the aftertaste washed over me, I realized I’ve tasted this bittersweet combination before. But just what did it remind me of? I stalked through my living room, beer sloshing in my snifter, nearly mad from the taste association that kept slipping through my fingers. Both the beer and the name were poised at the tip of my tongue!
And then, with blinding clarity, it came to me: Old Horizontal’s aftertaste is strikingly like the Italian aperitif, Campari!
Campari (http://www.campari.com/) is a type of bitter, but — like Jerry Lewis to the French — I understand it’s all the rage in Italy. Campari is an acquired taste, but I’ve grown to love it with soda water or simply on the rocks. Try it mixed as a Negroni, and you’ll love this Italian aperitif for the rest of your life.
But I wish I could say I found myself as enamored with Old Horizontal as I am with Campari. Though I enjoy hoppy Barleywines — anybody remember Bigfoot Barleywine? — I couldn’t get the Campari association out of my mind while I drank Victory’s Old Horizontal. The association did neither drink justice, so I plan to give this beer another try after my one-a-day challenge has concluded next year.
Are you a fan of Old Horizontal? Please do this beer a favor and stick up for it in the comments below!
Use Social Bookmarks (http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.beeraday.net%2 Fbeer%2Fvictory-old-horizontal%2F&linkname=Victory%20Old%20Horizontal)Related posts:
Victory Storm King Imperial Stout (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/victory-storm-king-imperial-stout/)
Victory Prima Pils (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/victory-prima-pils/)
Victory HopDevil (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/victory-hopdevil/)
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The note on the label reads, poetically:
“Low on the horizon the winter moon reclines, resting up for warmer times. While inside our homes the warmth abounds, as dearest friends are gathered ’round. In cheerful moods we gratefully sup, robust Barleywine from the cup! Brewed of pure barley, rich and sweet, one of nature’s truest treats! Fairly scented with fragrant hops, we celebrate this harvest crop. And as the heavens slumber above, merrily we sip . . . with the ones we love! Cheers!”
Such a stiff drink should be parsed out slowly, so I poured Old Horizontal into a snifter. My first pour was too chilled to do the drink justice; but as my belly warmed, so did the beer.
Old Horizontal was an almost electric mahogany color, rich and dark with ruby highlights. I was surprised by the energetic, fizzy head. The off-white foam faded slowly, receding to a thin coating of bubbles. The Barleywine had a sweet, almost raisin-like malt aroma. Hops weren’t very present in the aroma — but that could have been because I was taking notes when the beer was still quite cold. For an 11% ABV beer, the alcohol was surprisingly hidden among the rich aromas.
http://www.beeraday.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Victory-OldHo-Label-Detail.jpgPiney, grapefruity, herbal hops circulated my tongue during the first sip, creating a rich and profound bitterness that completely took me by surprise. The malt is sweet and just falls short of syrupy, but the hops power through the sweetness and combine with the alcohol astringency to create a liqueur-like sensation. It was delicious, but nowhere near the relaxing nightcap I was expecting.
As the aftertaste washed over me, I realized I’ve tasted this bittersweet combination before. But just what did it remind me of? I stalked through my living room, beer sloshing in my snifter, nearly mad from the taste association that kept slipping through my fingers. Both the beer and the name were poised at the tip of my tongue!
And then, with blinding clarity, it came to me: Old Horizontal’s aftertaste is strikingly like the Italian aperitif, Campari!
Campari (http://www.campari.com/) is a type of bitter, but — like Jerry Lewis to the French — I understand it’s all the rage in Italy. Campari is an acquired taste, but I’ve grown to love it with soda water or simply on the rocks. Try it mixed as a Negroni, and you’ll love this Italian aperitif for the rest of your life.
But I wish I could say I found myself as enamored with Old Horizontal as I am with Campari. Though I enjoy hoppy Barleywines — anybody remember Bigfoot Barleywine? — I couldn’t get the Campari association out of my mind while I drank Victory’s Old Horizontal. The association did neither drink justice, so I plan to give this beer another try after my one-a-day challenge has concluded next year.
Are you a fan of Old Horizontal? Please do this beer a favor and stick up for it in the comments below!
Use Social Bookmarks (http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.beeraday.net%2 Fbeer%2Fvictory-old-horizontal%2F&linkname=Victory%20Old%20Horizontal)Related posts:
Victory Storm King Imperial Stout (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/victory-storm-king-imperial-stout/)
Victory Prima Pils (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/victory-prima-pils/)
Victory HopDevil (http://www.beeraday.net/beer/victory-hopdevil/)
http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Wjgxz5nVTF9vIFZLjxKG699K40Q/0/di (http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Wjgxz5nVTF9vIFZLjxKG699K40Q/0/da)
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