Sam Adams Griffin's Bow - better than expected

[Taypo]

11.5% Oaked Blonde Barleywine, 22oz for $7

Actually a damn good beer, very light touch on the oak and definite fruit nose/flavor coming off those New Zealand hops they're using. Very pleasantly surprised, was expecting a mess with all the different things going on with it.

So, they can still make a good craft beer.

 

[madcow_number_6]

Just tried this myself last night. My first Barley Wine too.. man! That is some good stuff!

Wifey said 'wtf! I thought you said it was wine!' Haha. She's not much of a beer drinker anyway

 

[malweth]

I can't wait to try this... but I have just the one bottle and I'm saving it until 2013.


On a couple other barleywines:

The Bigfoot is very bitter, but good - it'll hopefully be excellent in a year - I think I like the more lightly hopped ones better. Luckily it was a 6 pack, so now it's 5.

Harpoon Leviathan BW is just excellent. I have 3 left and, again, trying to keep them around for a while.

Unfortunately, I hate barleywine... buying an expensive beer that you can only have, at most, one of sucks -- Hopefully it will pay off in the end.

 

[ao125]

I just found a new one to age: Mendocino Imperial Barleywine Style Ale
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/200/58730/?sort=topr&start=0

Just cracked one open tonight from the 2011 batch and it was good - but I can tell this is going to age into a fantastic little monster.

 

[two_hearted]

I've got a 3 floyds behemoth sitting in my fridge for the last few months. I am terrible about aging beers and I want to try it now.

 

[ao125]

I've got a 3 floyds behemoth sitting in my fridge for the last few months. I am terrible about aging beers and I want to try it now.

I'm getting to be the same way - you just have to tell yourself what would happen if you drank it now vs. waiting.

There could easily be a "penalty for early withdrawl" from your cache of beers you're cellaring, in that you'd be drinking something that wouldn't be nearly as good as what you'd get in another 6 mos. to a year.