Uinta Brewing Company’s Anniversary Barley Wine, a 10.4% American Barleywine
Uinta Brewing Company began brewing in 1993 in a small, renovated mechanic’s garage located in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2001, they built and relocated to their current 26,000-square-foot facility.
Since then, Uinta has been 100% wind-powered, and they installed solar panels in 2011. They are committed to brewing world-class beer using the best practices and ingredients.
Uinta is named after an east-west mountain range located in northeastern Utah. Many of their beer names are inspired by Utah’s diverse landscapes or have historical importance. The beers are packaged in custom 12 ounce bottles called “compass bottles,” which are branded by a 360-degree compass embossed into the bottle’s shoulder. They say, “You’ll never get lost with a Uinta bottle in hand!”
The needle found in their logo points East-West, referencing the only major range facing East-West in the continental U.S. It also represents Uinta’s sense of exploration and direction as they try to brew the best beer possible. “Earth, Wind and Beer” is printed on every label, referring to Uinta’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
Originally brewed in small batches annually to commemorate Uinta’s anniversary, Anniversary Barley Wine is now part of their Classic Line, available year-round. The all malt barley wine is rich and complex. Hints of dried fruits, toffee and caramel are balanced by an abundance of American hops. Full malt flavor is coupled with pleasant notes of nuts, chocolate, and dried fruit. This strong finishing beer is generously hoppy, yet delicately balances the alcohol content. Anniversary Barley Wine pairs well with cheeses, especially blue cheese.
Anniversary Barley Wine won the 2012 Silver Medal and 2011 Gold Medal at the North American Beer Awards for American Barley Wines.
Appearance
Dark reddish brown with a long-lasting creamy, tan head.
Aroma
Strong malt aroma with caramel and dark fruits.
Taste
Malty with raisins at first; a hint of pine (and citrus notes on some sips) from the hops; finishes sweet with a hint of booze; nice lingering flavor of caramel, coffee and chocolate; oh wait, the bitterness is still there, too!
Mouthfeel
Medium to heavy, well balanced; check out the lacing!
Overall
A very tasty, well made barleywine. I especially enjoy how the sweetness doesn’t linger. Instead, there is a welcome bitterness that remains.
Wanna pick this one up? Uinta distributes to Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., and Wyoming.
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