Did I score a deal or what? I picked up a few bottles of Mendocino Brewing Companys Talon Barleywine Style Ale for the incredible price of $2.29 a bottle. Mind you, these are 22 ounce bomber bottles, making the value all the more apparent. I do not know if that is the normal price for this stuff, but I did notice that a few online beer retailers like Beverages and More sell Talon for about $6 a bottle.

But I got mine for $2.29 at Greens in Atlanta. Contrast that with comparable brews like Anchor Old Foghorn ($2.09 for a 7 ounce bottle), Bigfoot Barleywine ($9.99 a six-pack, Rogue Old Crustacean ($2.99 for a 12 ounce bottle), or North Coast Old Stock Ale ($10.00 a four pack) and you will see what a great deal Talon is. That is, if the beer is good.

My bottle of Talon was brewed at the company facility in Saratoga Springs, New York. They also operate in California, too. The Mendocino website says this about Talon:

February 17, 2004 -- Mendocino Brewing Company is proud to announce the release of "Talon True Style Barley Wine Ale".
Mendocino Brewing Company is proud to announce the long awaited release of "Talon True Style Barley Wine Ale".

Talon has a rich amber color and a full robust body. Talon has been aged for over a year and has a traditional warming malt flavor with a delightful hop finish.

Distribution: Northern California
Release date: February 2004
Size: 22 oz
Alcohol By Volume: 10.5%

As you can see, Talon is pretty potent stuff at 10.5% alcohol by volume. It is the higher alcohol that gives the beer its complexity. Mendocino also calls this a True Style barleywine, though I am not sure what they mean by that. Is the implication other barleywines are untrue? Anyway, I will say this is truly a wonderful brew.

Mendocino seems to have changed this to a holiday brew of sorts, since the neck label on my bottle says that Talon is ideal to bring cheer to the sharing spirit of the season. We have a whole 22 ounces of this brew to polish off, so let us get started!

Mendocino Brewing Talon True Style Barleywine Ale pours to a deep mahogany color with a medium sized creamy head formation and just a bit more carbonation than many examples of the style. The nose hints at fruit, fresh bread, and sweet caramel.

In the palate, there is a good amount of chocolate along with notes of fresh bread and candied fruit, raisin, plum pudding, banana, pear, and caramel. The chocolate becomes a tad nutty and intensifies into the finish. Overall, the beer is full bodied and luxuriant as you swirl it around the mouth.

And the finish is climactic here. A huge bitterness emerges and lingers on the tongue, along with an intense alcohol warmth and a slightly perfumey character. Talon is definitely a beer for sipping and enjoying on a cold winter night.

If this stuff is supposed to sell for just over two bucks a bottle, it is definitely a steal. I have always enjoyed Mendocino brews, but I think that this one just might be my personal favorite from them. But do not dawdle-this is a limited release and will not be around long. Why not pick up a few extra bottles? This one should age out nicely.


As today is the day before Thanksgiving, I would like to wish everyone reading a safe and happy holiday season. Why not drink less this year, but drink better?

Update November, 2005
After about a year of aging, I'm popping a bottle open tonight. The fruit seems to have subsided, and I'm getting more of the chocolate notes, along with a little caramel. The finish is potent with a big alcohol burn and just a faint amount of hops. A bottle of aged Talon Barleywine makes for a fine nightcap indeed, just the thing for a cool November evening.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft



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