Barleywine opinion needed

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bull8042

bull8042

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OK folks, I am a "Barleywine virgin". Never having had it before, I just cracked open a Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale which is labeled as "Barleywine Style". My question is, is this a decent example of the style?
The other one that I have in the fridge is "Hog Heaven" from Avery Brewing Company, which I haven't opened yet.

Opinions, suggestions, stupid/smirky comments?
 
I haven't tried the bigfoot in a while,but honestly every commercial barley wine I have tried is a little different.Victory horizontal is pretty good and stone old guardian is freaking awesome.I'm drinking one right now:tank:
 
I will have to look around for that one. The party shop the road has a great selection of craft brews, but not barleywines.
 
Bigfoot is a classic American BW, It is better with age. Stone's is the same way. Hog Heaven is nice but I prefer Bigfoot. Save one for a year and give it a try.
 
IMO, Sierra Nevada Big Foot is about as good as it gets. If you don't like it, I doubt you will like many others.
 
Actually, I do like it. As a matter of fact, it tastes a lot like the Fat Tire clone I brewed a long while back and screwed it up by adding a bunch of DME to boost the ABV.
Funny now that I think about it.
 
It's been a while since i've had a bigfoot, but i'm a big fan of hog heaven, really i'm a big fan of nearly all of the Avery big beers
 
Hog Heaven is ... heaven. One of my favorites is Real Ale brewing's Sisyphus, it's an English barleywine, available only locally or via a beer swap. (hint, hint)

Bigfoot and Old Guardian are both freakin' awesome but age extremely well.

Anchor Old Foghorn is one of my favorites as well, it's way more malt oriented than the ones you listed.

Old Horizontal is my vote for the best name of a big beer. One of those and you're horizontal... :)
 
Saccharomyces said:
Hog Heaven is ... heaven. One of my favorites is Real Ale brewing's Sisyphus, it's an English barleywine, available only locally or via a beer swap. (hint, hint)

Bigfoot and Old Guardian are both freakin' awesome but age extremely well.

Anchor Old Foghorn is one of my favorites as well, it's way more malt oriented than the ones you listed.

Old Horizontal is my vote for the best name of a big beer. One of those and you're horizontal... :)
Click to expand...

Ooooh.... beer swap. I will send you a case of Bud for the ones you mentioned! :D
 
Beerrific said:
IMO, Sierra Nevada Big Foot is about as good as it gets. If you don't like it, I doubt you will like many others.
Click to expand...

I don't think I agree with this. Although Bigfoot is beloved by many, but it's a hoppier version. I can see someone liking, say, Young's Old Nick and not like Bigfoot.
 
McGarnigle said:
I don't think I agree with this. Although Bigfoot is beloved by many, but it's a hoppier version. I can see someone liking, say, Young's Old Nick and not like Bigfoot.
Click to expand...

You are right. I should amend my comments to represent American Barleywines only.

Young's is a classic example of English barleywine. If you do not like the hoppy nature of the American versions, you may in fact love the distinctly different English versions.
 
The only readily available BW I've tried is Old Crustacean from Rogue. Very hoppy. It was like a BW IPA to some of my friends that don't like IPAs. I liked it though.

If anyone's tried Big Foot and Old Crustacean, can you give me a comparison please?
 

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