Belgian barleywine

So, I'm still trying to get a handle on why beers fall into certain categories, but not others. I'm drinking a (wonderful) brew from Jackie O's in Athens, Ohio that is a Belgian barleywine aged in Woodford barrels. Any idea why this is a barleywine and not a BDSA? Is it because there isn't sugar used?

My guess is that they use an American Barleywine grain bill + hops with a belgian yeast.

Without tasting it, it's hard to determine the proper category for hybrid styles of this. It may not fit into either style comfortably and, even being a delicious beer, score poorly in either category in a competition.

Did the beer taste like a barley wine or a BDSA?

I think that other than in the instance of brewing for competitions, style guidelines can be bent or broken without any real problem.

What's in a name?

Who cares what it's called I want some

I don't know that I would say it tasted like a barleywine, but it sure was no BDSA. I'm not really concerned about where it would fit in a competition. I just wondered why a barleywine. I'll probably email the brewer (I've met him before, he's pretty cool especially to homebrewers) and see what he says.

It was called "bourbon barrel aged 1/ 2sharkalligator 1/2 man". What a great name. he names some brews after Zappa tunes too. Makes me like the beer even more!