Recommend a barleywine

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DonnieZ

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It's getting to be cold, so I know it's getting to be Barleywine season.

I'll admit that I've recently picked up on the craft beer scene earlier this year, and homebrewing not that far afterward, so I've not been in season for many barleywines. I do like bigger beers though!

I've got my hands on a few bottles fo DFH Olde School and I find this to be a very enjoyable beer. I love the date and flg flavors combined with the generally big beer. I've had three so far this season, and I've got 5 more that I'm going to sit on. Maybe I'll drink one here or there as long as I can find it on the shelf still, but this is definitely a candidate for ageing - this beer still has some pretty strong alcohol aroma (but less than the flavor would have you believe..).

Over the summer one of the local pubs had a keg of Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine from '09 on tap and I got a draw of that and it was superb. Very carmely and smooth, with a big mouthfeel. I'm going to try and snag at least two bombers of that if it hits shelves this winter.

I'm looking for some more recommendations to try, and approximately when they are released if you know. I think next year I'm going to try and brew one early in the year so it will have a little age on it by barleywine season.
 
to brew, check out beerpastor's barleywine recipe, as that gets great reviews.

to dring, I like hogheaven by avery, bigfoot by sierra nevada, dogfish has one called olde school that is pretty good.
 
One of the old classics is Anchor Old Foghorn. It's awesome. It's not crazy hoppy or crazy strong like some of the newer ones. I'd say it's sort of in between a British barleywine and an American one. Very nicely balanced.
 
to dring, I like hogheaven by avery, bigfoot by sierra nevada, dogfish has one called olde school that is pretty good.

I hate to not add anything to the thread, but I'm going to second the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine, that's my favorite of the style, with Avery Hog Heaven in second.
 
I brewed barleywine once about two years ago (Midwest's Bigfoot, AG), and it turned out very well. The gravity on this one isn't super high (about 1.085), so I had no trouble at all getting it to ferment out. Bulk secondaried it for 4 months, then bottled. It was 6-8 months in the bottle before it started to get really good. I've still got over half the batch on the shelves downstairs....I enjoy it, but usually evenings in the Winter. Tastes about as good as any commercial barleywine I've ever had.
 
Old Horizontal by Victory Brewing Co., unfortunately you'd have to cross the IN state line to get it.
 
Victory isn't doing old horizontal this year, and believe me I'm upset about it. One of my favorites.
 
Olde school is the best. Had a 2 year old big foot 6 days ago. Amazing

underground and under the influence
 
Guess I was fortunate to get a bottle of Old H earlier this summer. I'd also recommend blithering idiot by weyerbacher, but the OP wouldn't be able to find it most likely.
 
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