I could claim that this post is my political statement in light of the upcoming election, however, that would be a lie. I just rather like the label on this beer – Ballard’s Duck House.
Now, I’m not entirely sure which beer this is – on the front the label says Duck House, but on the back it tells me it’s Thin Ice. From a brief poke on the internet to find some tasting notes, it seems that Duck House is the more likely, but it could equally be the folks at Ballard’s playing around with their names and relabelling things (and that the online tasting notes are rubbish). Whichever beer it is, it’s an interesting one.
Rather than the barley wine I was expecting (and the label promised), it’s instead more like a Belgian beer. It pours a deep red, with a small amount of sediment that I left in the bottle, and smells sour and fruity. In the mouth it’s quite big, with sour fruit, cherries, balsamic vinegar and a sour bitterness to finish things off, a bit like some of the Flemish red ales I’ve randomly bumped into recently. It’s quite thick, not at all fizzy and slips down alarmingly easy, hiding its alcohol content well. One that I’m definitely going to be seeking out again.
Ballard’s Duck House
9% barley wine, even if it doesn’t taste like one to me.
Also seems to be available in cask if you can find a friendly beer festival.
I grabbed mine from The Beer Essentials