Killer Penguin - Boulder Beer Company, Boulder

Boulder Beer's Killer Penguin is the non-Barleywine Barleywine... It has a double digit alcohol by volume percentage and smells a little boozy, but it doesn't have that thick dark flavor/texture that I've come to expect from Barleywines. That's not to say the Killer Penguin isn't a good beer, it has a lot to offer if you're willing to cut this lighter, mellower Barleywine some slack. While pouring this beer from it's wax dipped bottle into my snifter, I noticed the aroma was much lighter than I was expecting. The first thing I noticed was the crisp and sweet cherries and grapefruit on the nose. There is plenty of malted goodness in this beer but it doesn't stand out as much as the other flavors because it isn't roasted or super sweet. This isn't a complaint, but it contributes to the overall blendedness of this beer.

Those malts stand out a bit more when this beer hits your palate. It's a pleasant but neutral flavor. From that malty base you can pick up on cherry and grapefruit flavors that are sprinkled throughout the Killer Penguin. I didn't get the big candied fruit flavors the label mentioned. In some ways, I think it worked out better that I didn't... I enjoyed the flavors and the texture of this beer.

The Killer Penguin is, in many ways, a light Barleywine. The flavors are more mellow and balanced in a way that makes this beer very smooth and easy to drink. While I did enjoy it, I'm not sure I'd go back to this beer the next time I'm looking for a true Barleywine. I'd probably use this beer as an entry level example of the style for someone looking to get into heavier Barleywine style beers.