Dinner:

Until this past Saturday evening, I had not had a decent American ale since the bomber of Rogue some months ago.  Enter La Cumbre’s Barley’s Wine!  A glorious combination of hops and a multiplicity of flavors all harmonized together in a crisp finish.  This is a beer lover’s beer.  The abundance of alcohol, as befits any barleywine worth its salt, is nowhere near the first sip, it is rather a very pleasant warming of the throat after the third or fourth taste.  On the tastes specifically, rum and coke almost comes to mind, a mouthful of sweet and bitter and smooth and crisp that you don’t find in many beers, and it is not overwhelming like a lot of barleywines out there.  If I was to pick a favorite, I’d say that this is pretty well near the top of my list for barleywines, mainly because it is an american ale barleywine.  Simply put, this is an atom bomb of flavor packed with a very adequate punch at the back end.  If you are one who is somewhat hesitant to try barleywines in general, be not afraid, your taste buds will be deliciously rewarded.

Dessert: Cafe Con Leche

Oh, this was a treat indeed.  A beer that encompasses what one of my favorite drinks is composed of — coffee — and a rich, dark, creamy flavor. An intense coffee and milkish aroma introduces what is a very dark beer.  The coffee that is incorporated into this beer explodes onto the pallet like a torpedo straight from the morning french press. And then, after the strong start, it is not unlike an ice cream sundae, with the milk creating a smoothing out sensation on the downtake, leading to an incredibly silky finish.  In short, the front end hits you with a mouthful of strong black coffee and then makes an unexpected shift to soft cream flavors combined with a delirium of dark beer goodness.  Yes, delicious beyond belief.

— Franz Solo