I'm Thinking... 09/09/09 Barleywine

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Yes, it's very satisfying to know I can "fix" this problem now, even on a 11% ABV beast like the 9-9-9 Barleywine.
 
HAHAHA! I just finished clearing a bunch of s#*! out of the way, and I pulled my bucket of Barleywine out of its' cabinet that it has been hiding in (...since 2008... ...on its' primary yeast cake...).

The airlock has been bone-dry for at least a year, so I assumed it was infected.

Not the case. It is CLEAN. It smells like caramel boozy heaven.

I am cleaning a keg to put it into. (At the rate of speed I'm moving at, it might be kegged within 2 more years.) Once I carbonate it I'll let you know how it came out.
 
I am glad to hear there was no abuse of that fine beverage! We look forward to hearing the results of your tasting.


HAHAHA! I just finished clearing a bunch of s#*! out of the way, and I pulled my bucket of Barleywine out of its' cabinet that it has been hiding in (...since 2008... ...on its' primary yeast cake...).

The airlock has been bone-dry for at least a year, so I assumed it was infected.

Not the case. It is CLEAN. It smells like caramel boozy heaven.

I am cleaning a keg to put it into. (At the rate of speed I'm moving at, it might be kegged within 2 more years.) Once I carbonate it I'll let you know how it came out.
 
HAHAHA! I just finished clearing a bunch of s#*! out of the way, and I pulled my bucket of Barleywine out of its' cabinet that it has been hiding in (...since 2008... ...on its' primary yeast cake...).

The airlock has been bone-dry for at least a year, so I assumed it was infected.

Not the case. It is CLEAN. It smells like caramel boozy heaven.

I am cleaning a keg to put it into. (At the rate of speed I'm moving at, it might be kegged within 2 more years.) Once I carbonate it I'll let you know how it came out.

Survey Says?
 
Since it is 9-9-10, I figured I would revisit one of the 15 or so remaining bottles I have left from this HBT epic brew.


Some hasty drunken photo's:

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Appearance: Nice long ruby legs, crystal clear. Little head, but leaves a nice lacing in the glass with each sip.

Aroma: The nose is rich in caramel, citrus and dark fruit like features.

Taste: Nice notes of fig, plum and a touch of raisin. Still a nice punch of citrus present a year later. Alcohol warmth present, blends nicely with malt and citrus character. Lots of complex layers going on here.

I think when I get around to re-brewing this, I would pay better attention to fermentation temp, get the yeast count up a bit higher before I pitch and save more bottles. Overall, I'm very pleased with how this brew turned out.
 
Well. Mine is very ... interesting.

You can tell there is a solid backbone behind it. There are little hints of caramely, bready, malty support behind it.

It's definitely got some off flavor to it - a bit of soy sauce, a bit of thinness perhaps due to overattenuation?? - and it's definitely got a big ol' alcoholic burn to it.

There's a hint of medicinal/phenolic to it as well.

Last time I tried it (at least 9 months ago?) it was near-undrinkable. I had only hit it with a top-up of CO2 but did not leave the bottle connected for any period of time, so the carb was all wrong, it was nearly flat.

Now that the keg balanced out a little, and had most of a year to cold-condition, I would dare say that it's back into drinkable territory.

I think I might make a dessert with some of it. It could make a good addition to a caramel sauce or something. Or combined with bananas in something. Maybe a boozey banana bread?

I'd say that, since we tapped the keg sometime last fall-going-into-winter, that we can't have drawn more than 32oz off the keg.

Now... about those 6 remaining bottles of 8-8-8 Raspberry Brettanomyces RIS. I found them the other day, and moved them out of one cupboard, and in to a different cupboard. I don't have the balls to open one. I'll take it to a local homebrew club meeting sometime. For moral support and such. :)
 
So, what ever happened with that keg?

Basement flooded and I tore apart the bar to get things dry again.

Check on the kegs, now cellering, and they still have pressure. Might be epic, might be trash.

I'll have to toss them in a fridge and put pressure to it and serve.
 
OH GOD NO NOT THE BASEMENT :'(

I am sending you massive Good Karma thoughts. Housetastrophes are no fun at all.

Signed,
Chris' corroded drain pipe that just leaked through the kitchen ceiling, YAY!, time to remodel the bath and the kitchen.
 
You guys got me to crack open one of my few remaining bottles. It is aging gracefully. Strong oxidative/sherry notes in the aroma and following into the palate. Finish is very sherry-like actually. The malt character is really hard to describe. A study in opposites really. Sweet but savory. Sweet but dry. Sweet but bitter. Very weird, in a good way. A bit vinous both in flavor and mouthfeel. Carbonation is low but has a strong, well-integrated presence. It poured with a nice creamy head, but that quickly disappeared completely to the point that there is not even a film of foam around the edges now. The sherry finish is very neat. I can actually imagine that it is sherry I'm drinking after swallowing. This is definitely a beer to be sipped and contemplated. I've got the glass sitting here next to some coke I was drinking earlier, and the beer is the same color as the coke, just a bit less saturated, if that makes sense. Anyway, I'm going to quit writing and just drink it. It would be cool to see other people's tasting notes on their aged 9-9-9, three years later.
 
Opened up the second bottle that Couevas sent, thanks again man!

Appearances: Pours with a thin but long lasting head, beautiful amber/ruby color
Aroma: Malty sweet, fruity, maybe like dates? No hop aroma
Flavor:Very malty sweet, still has a good supporting bitterness, no hop flavor
Mouthfeel: Good and thick, but not syrupy

Overall: Very good barleywine, no sherry or cardboard flavors that I could detect, like it a lot

I'm not great at reviews but working on my palate over time. Thanks!

PS good alcohol warmth following sips, no alcohol flavors though, woot!
 
Wow!
Digging up the dead. Pretty cool it was still decent after all this time. I brewed that batch in July, 2008.

I still have a few bottles....maybe it's time to crack one when I get back from Korea next month!!

Thanks conpewter for the kind words!
 
Who's still sitting on any quantity of this? I've got a wooden crate with a bunch of small Coke bottles full nailed shut in my basement still. Haven't cracked one in a year or two but after tasting the 2012 Boltcutter it might be time to pull one or two out...
 
Who's still sitting on any quantity of this? I've got a wooden crate with a bunch of small Coke bottles full nailed shut in my basement still. Haven't cracked one in a year or two but after tasting the 2012 Boltcutter it might be time to pull one or two out...

I have about 20 in a milk crate in the back corner of my brewshop. The dust is sufficiently thick that I think I might chill one or three and see what happens. :drunk:
 
Didn't even realize it, but the five year anniversary is coming up! Maybe I'll wait...at least until the day I brewed it. Don't know if I can wait until 9/9 now that I've started thinking about it.

Oops. I brewed it on 10/22/2008. Which makes it 5 years, 3 months, and 17 days old.
 
Is anyone still drinking this after 10 years or so? I'm thinking about brewing this... is it worth it?
 
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