Beer of the Weekend #1,065: Olde Dirty Kent's

The beer of the weekend is an expensive, boozy little thing I plan to sip: Olde Dirty Kent’s, brewed by the Confluence Brewing Company of Des Moines, Iowa.

Olde Dirty Kent's

Serving type: 12-ounce can. No freshness date, which is weird because Confluence usually prints the canning date on the bottom.

Appearance: Poured into a snifter. The color is dark, opaque caramel. A finger of buttery, light tan, bubble-spotted head leaves an even skim and a short trail of foam on the glass.

Smell: Lots of caramel and fruit. The Foxy Lady says it smells like Amber Bock. I also get scents of toffee, cherry licorice, real maple syrup, honey, raisin, and a touch of maraschino cherry.

Taste: Smooth, fruity, and dark. It is sweet and a touch boozy; the alcohol tickles the taste buds at the end of each sip. Caramel, toffee, dark fruits, maple syrup, and honey. It is a complex and enticing blend, that’s for sure. The Foxy Lady says it reminds of her climbing the rope in gym class; raw fibers, leather, and Jamie Fraser’s barn, she adds. I don’t get those.

Fun facts about ODK:

• Style: English-style barleywine.

• Price: $15.99 for a four-pack of 12-ounce cans at John’s Grocery in Iowa City. Pricey!

• Alcohol content: 9.4 percent ABV.

• Here is the description via Untappd:


Candid, astute, and always quick with a quip, Kent Middendorf has been a staple of Confluence Brewing for over six and a half years. As a brewer, cellarman, analyst, and handyman, Kent’s contributions have been instrumental to our success and the quality of our beer. We’ve crafted this English-Style Barleywine in honor of his retirement from brewing. Rich with notes of toffee, caramel, and dark fruits, it's the perfect beer to toast to our departing friend. Here’s to Olde Dirty Kent!

• It looks like Confluence revamped their website, at least their beer page, which I really liked. It was a little clunky but it included each beer’s description and prominently featured their amazing and locally made label art.

• Obviously, no review of this beer would be complete without a reference to Ol’ Dirty Bastard.


The Quiet Man’s grade: A.

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