A barleywine style ale from California’s 21st Amendment Brewery, Lower De Boom is a big beer in a small can. A Red Bull® sized 8.4oz can to be exact. I can’t say for sure, but I speculate that the smaller can size is in consideration of this brew’s equally massive alcohol level of 11.5% ABV. The overall character of this beer is big, heavy, and boozy. The nose has licorice and fruitcake, and alcohol. The middle has toffee, a lot of citrus, both orange and lemon, and a ton of alcohol. The finish is sweet and it has a bit of toast, raisins, more licorice and a bit of heat right at the end from, you probably guessed it, the alcohol. This is a beer that you want to use as a digestif, and sip it slowly. When you do that, you get the chance to savor all of the rich and varied flavors, and enjoy a particularly excellent beer.

I give it a 4.7 out of 5.