Beer Review: Institutionalized

Reviewing the Institutionalized, a barleywine made by Revolution Brewing Company.
Score: 86

9 oz tap pour served in a snifter glass and enjoyed on 02/24/12 at the Revolution Brewpub. Review is from iPhone notes.

Appearance: This brew is a translucent "deep garnet red" color that turns orangish-red when held up to light. Served with no head save for an off-white creamy ring of head around the glass. Decent oily and frothy lacing mix with average retention. 3.5/5

Smell: Sweet caramel malt, ginger and barley. Some hops. Not a very strong or complex aroma. 3.5/5

Taste: Moderate booziness blended with earthy hops and caramel up front. Barley, piney hops, caramelized brown sugar and spices. There is a very rich malty sweet backbone, a touch of fruitiness and a little black pepper. This is a bitterer barleywine, but not nearly as bitter as the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. There is a distinctly "orange" or tangerine citrus rind in the background of the flavor profile as well. This barleywine is quasi DIPA-like. There is a really nice mix of hoppy and malty sweet goodness. This is a sipper. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied, light carbonation. Dry and rich mouthfeel. Malty and slightly bitter in the finish. 4.5/5

Overall: A super solid barleywine. I am finding myself enjoying this style more and more as time passes. I think the key for me enjoying my barleywines is that they need prominent IPA-like qualities to balance out the barley/caramel maltiness.

Recommendation: I realize that barleywines can be expensive to manufacture, but $7 for a 9 oz pour felt a bit hefty here -- especially with the Gravedigger Billy on tap for $1 more. Casual beer drinkers will probably not enjoy this one, but craft lovers should certainly give this one a whirl if you are looking to try something by Revolution that you have not had before.

Pairings: The cream cheese mashed potatoes at Revolution. Trust me on this one.

Cost: $7 for a 9 oz pour.