I am in Hog Heaven and then some... Barley wines!!!

[Zymurgrafi]

YEAH!

Finally made it to the fabled Table and Vine today. Those in New England should know what that means. Those who don't it is fantastic! A supermarket sized package store with loads of beer. It is mostly wine in there, some liquor and specialty foods but they have 4 long aisles of beer and some cooler space as well. Okay, one aisle is all macro swill so that does not count. They have 2 aisles of domestic micros and one of imports. Why has it taken me so long to stop there?!?! I guess I thought I had heard it no longer existed. It does!

Anyway that is not what I am here to talk about. I wanna talk about some barley wines and man did I get some! Those of you who know me may recall I have mentioned from time to time I LOVE American style barley wines. I have not had the pleasure of enjoying too many commercial examples though as I have not found them. That changed today!

My stash.

Okay, well a few of those I had already but it is great to see them all together. We have:

Druid Fluid, Middle ages brewing
Hog Heaven, Avery
2 Holidales 2008 BBC (had those already)
Old Guardian, Stone (had that as well)
6'er of Old Horizontal, Victory
2 Old Foghorn, Anchor Brewing
Cereal Killer, Arcadia Ales
Old Ruffian, Great Divide.
And Green Flash Barleywine

I am enjoying an Old Horizontal right now. FANTASTIC!

Sadly most of these will not be aged very long. I have never tried them so I must! I know it is good practice to buy 2 of everything, but I could not afford it. I look at it this way. If it is really good, THEN I will buy it again. Such is the case with the Old Ruffian. The bottle you see here is going to be aged. I had one recently and it was orgasmic! When I decide on my favorites I will probably get more. I just hope I get back down there while barley wines are still "in season" or I will be very sad waiting 'til next winter.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

Oh, forgot to picture a couple from my collection. 2 or 3 ? bottles of 2007 SN Bigfoot. I am not sure how many because I hid them from myself and have not seen them recently.

The pisser is I have not been able to track down any bigfoot this year. All the places I have seen it before do not have it and claim they cannot get it. Table and Vine did not even have it.I hope I find some. I love Bigfoot!


Maybe that is why it is called bigfoot. It can be elusive!

 

[niquejim]

I'll trade you a 2008 Bigfoot for an Anchor Old Foghorn, as no one sells it here

Clear your mail

 

[Saccharomyces]

Old Foghorn is off the hook. I didn't like the Greenflash at all. I thought it was like a sweet IIPA. I'm curious what you think. The Stone is totally kickin' but would be best cellared about five years. The others there I have not had, sadly. I really should try a Hog Heaven. It's sitting on the shelf, mocking me for not drinking it.

 

[FireBrewer]

Nice lineup! You won't be disappointed.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

I'll trade you a 2008 Bigfoot for an Anchor Old Foghorn, as no one sells it here

Clear your mail

Funny you should mention a trade. I was toying with the idea of setting up a barley wine swap. Then my membership ran out.



If'n I get back down to T&V to buy more Foghorn I would consider it. Right now no though. I bought 2 so I could taste one and age the other.

I suppose you folks can do a swap without me. Boo hoo.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

Changed my opinion of the Old Horizontal. It looked wonderful appearance wise. Huge fluffy head, brilliantly clear orange pekoe color and sticky lacing. Aroma was lovely: resiny and piney hops. The taste was nice initially.

After a while the alcohol heat was a little less pleasant. I think I will sit on those for a while. Hey, I have 5 left so maybe every few months.


Here is a rumination that occurred upon sipping. Anyone know why everyone calls them barley wine "style"? Does Bass (I believe they were the first to use the name?) have a copyright/trademark on the term?

 

[eriktlupus]

the barley wine style ale thing is a federal regulation as i understand it


i was gonna send you one of the cereal killers but couldn't fit it
it's okay but a little on the sweet side for me

 

[Zymurgrafi]

Alas, poor Foghorn... You did not live up to your reputation.


Well, I have been pretty hands off on this lot but I decided to try the Old foghorn today. Not as good as I would have hoped.

Perhaps my hesitancy to sample was my brain telling me my tastebuds where not working or it was not time yet... Should have listened.

Anyway, this is what I made of it.

Served at cellar temp which is currently about 54F in a tulip glass.

The appearance was quite nice. Crystal clear and crimsony orange in color. Not the most impressive head I have ever seen. half a finger of off-white foam which settled quickly to a mere halo. No lacing to speak of. Clarity revealed some intermittent lazy carbonation.

Aroma was caramelly sweet with that lovely "barley wine smell" at first then it faded.

Flavor was the most disappointing. Very sweet caramel up front and not nearly as much hop character as I would like in an American barley wine. There was also a slightly metallic/medicinal flavor. Taste of artificial cherries like cough drops... Finished with a roasty astringency on the tongue not really a hop one.

Mouthfeel was fairly spot on. Nice and chewy and velvety carbonation.

I am left wondering if the metallic/medicinal and other undesirable flavor characters are my own taste abnormalities or a bad batch/bottle. Well, I will wait a year and try the other bottle and see...


Damn you faulty tastebuds! I can't trust nuffin'!

 

[Kriznac]

Picked up a bottle 2006 Old Guardian at the LHBS today and all I can say is WOW! I love this beer. I can't believe that its legal to have a beer of this alcohol content taste so good.

 

[evolute99]

Bought the Old Ruffian the other day, good had to drink it slowly but very wonderful in taste. it has nice chocolaty malt after taste.

 

[ColonelForbin]

just got a hog heaven myself along with a wayerbacher insanity!!!