Barleywine is good!

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nukebrewer

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Before tonight, I have tried three or four different barleywines and hated them. I keep trying them because I keep hearing such good things about them. Well, I decided to try again tonight and found that as long as I didn't take my typical sized sips, then it was actually pretty good. Just thought I'd share for those who have been put off by barleywines for the same reason I was.
 
Before tonight, I have tried three or four different barleywines and hated them. I keep trying them because I keep hearing such good things about them. Well, I decided to try again tonight and found that as long as I didn't take my typical sized sips, then it was actually pretty good. Just thought I'd share for those who have been put off by barleywines for the same reason I was.

I have never had a Barleywine, but I find them intriguing. What do they taste like?
 
English style barley wines range from tawny copper to dark brown in color and have a full body and high residual malty sweetness. Complexity of alcohols and fruity-ester characters are often high and counterbalanced by the perception of low to medium bitterness and extraordinary alcohol content. Hop aroma and flavor may be minimal to medium. English type hops are often used but not necessary for this style. Low levels of diacetyl may be acceptable. Caramel and some characters indicating oxidation, such as vinous (sometimes sherry like) aromas and/or flavors, may be considered positive. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.
Original Gravity (ºPlato):
1.085-1.120 (21.5-28 ºPlato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (ºPlato):
1.024-1.032 (6-8 ºPlato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume):
6.7-9.6% (8.4-12%)
Bitterness (IBU): 40-60
Color SRM (EBC): 14-22 (28-44 EBC)
 
English style barley wines range from tawny copper to dark brown in color and have a full body and high residual malty sweetness. Complexity of alcohols and fruity-ester characters are often high and counterbalanced by the perception of low to medium bitterness and extraordinary alcohol content. Hop aroma and flavor may be minimal to medium. English type hops are often used but not necessary for this style. Low levels of diacetyl may be acceptable. Caramel and some characters indicating oxidation, such as vinous (sometimes sherry like) aromas and/or flavors, may be considered positive. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.
Original Gravity (ºPlato):
1.085-1.120 (21.5-28 ºPlato)
Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (ºPlato):
1.024-1.032 (6-8 ºPlato)
Alcohol by Weight (Volume):
6.7-9.6% (8.4-12%)
Bitterness (IBU): 40-60
Color SRM (EBC): 14-22 (28-44 EBC)

Beer Smith huh? But what does it taste like? Silky? Pungent? Strong?
 
Beer Smith huh? But what does it taste like? Silky? Pungent? Strong?

Liquid ambrosia...


mmmmmmmmmmmm. barley wine.
drooling-5.gif
 
Blithering Idiot I like, but theres another one that I didn't care for but I can't remember what it was right now. I think those are the only two I've had...
 
Dont remember the name of rogue's barleywine but I've had it on tap at their newport brewery restaurant a while back and it's GOOD! Packed one HELL of a punch too!
 
Yeah... old crustacean... seems like it was $10 or so for the pint (my wife's family rocks...). Bombers are super spendy out here too - thus, I've only had it once (it's good - probably not $22 good).
 
I prefer the English barleywines myself- Thomas Hardy, Blithering Idiot, Fuller's Golden Pride- although I do enjoy Rogue's Old Crustacean.

Barleywines are special treats, and should be treated as such.
 
I've had a couple, and seem to prefer the American Style more. Lots more of everything. Sweet, malty, hoppy, alcohol... Best drank slow and in smaller batches, not very cold.
 
Dogfish head Immort Ale is decent.

I think I might have brewed an english style barleywine.

Partial mash
11 lbs. of steeped grain for 1 hr. (forgot to ask what it was) (it was caramel color and the grains were some what darker than 2-row)
6.6 lbs LME
1 lbs belgian amber candy
3 oz. hops (75, 30, 10 mins)
pitched rehydrated yeast.

10 days in primary, 10 days in secondary, bottled for 2 weeks. ABV ??

its very nice. kinda boozy. really sweet but the aftertaste is great.

Would this be a barleywine?
 
Beer Smith huh? But what does it taste like? Silky? Pungent? Strong?

It really depends on the brewer, they are usually very malty but if they are crafted well have a hop profile to balance this. Many taste like a IPA that has had half of the water boiled off and the later additions of hops aged out. They are a sipping beer but with the exception of a few I have liked most. A good representation of the style that wont set you back much is Sierra Nevada Big Foot if you can get it.
 
My Barleywine experience is limited, but I've had a few.

Train Wreck from Butte Creek was decent
Old Crusty was good, but I was pretty hammered before I started and was forced to drink it one night by Brewtopia while in chat.

My favorite. SN Bigfoot. I love the overpowering malt and insane hops. I still have four bottles from earlier this year, and it still kicks butt. Head retention totally off the hook, and decent flavor.

Least favorite Lagunitas Gnarlywine: Underattenuated sweet syrup.
 
Blithering Idiot I like, but theres another one that I didn't care for but I can't remember what it was right now. I think those are the only two I've had...

Blithering Idiot is awesome, and at about 11%abv, quite potent as well. It's great for taking the edge off a stressful day at the office.
 
Did someone say barleywine? Mmmmm, my favorite subject. I loves me some Thomas Hardy and Old Stock Ale. Talon isn't too bad either...for only $7 bomber. :cross:

Flying Dog is the only one available in my town. Sometimes I have to go on Barleywine expeditions.
 
+1 blithering idiot..i really need to hit their brewery sometime since Easton is on the way back to my hometown and less than an hour from here.

I tried Avery Samael and that was far too wine-like for me. less malt flavor, more heavy alcohol burn. i like some less aggressive ones, so im chalking that up to Avery just being extreme or something.
 
I tried Avery Samael and that was far too wine-like for me. less malt flavor, more heavy alcohol burn. i like some less aggressive ones, so im chalking that up to Avery just being extreme or something.

Samael is 15% ABV, which is out of the barleywine range and somewhere closer to "insane". :D

North Coast's Old Stock Ale is really easy going down, it's not very aggressive at all. Real Ale's Sisyphus is my favorite, it's a local micro's English-style barleywine.

I have to say I've had more barleywines I hated than ones I liked. Too hoppy, too agressive, or too sweet, it's hard to find very many that are well balanced and drinkable.
 
Tampa Bay Brewing Co. has figured out how to put heaven on a plate. They have a barleywine meatloaf that is every bit worth the $13.95 price tag.

Good thing they are across the state or else I'd have to buy bigger pants.
 
Dogfish head Immort Ale is decent.


while i agree, i believe Immort Ale is a little to unique to be stuffed in a cattergory.
i suppose you could call it a specialty ale.

anyway, some barleywine is amazing, some is not, ya have to read up on them before you buy, some are too malty, some are hop bombs.... but those well balanced ones are amazing.

Southern Tier - Backburner
Anchor - Old Foghorn
Weyerbacher - Twelve (barleywine made with a large portion of rye in the grain bill, mmmmmmm)
 
By far my favorite is HOG HEAVEN, but i am a hop head.


but i do like BEESLEYS BARLEY WINE ALE, which is my own recipe.
 
North Coast's Old Stock Ale is really easy going down, it's not very aggressive at all. Real Ale's Sisyphus is my favorite, it's a local micro's English-style barleywine.

The Old Stock 2008 I had was way really rough. Figure the other three ought to sit for a while. :p

I tried Sisyphus 2007, but I think I just don't dig English BW. Speaking of local BW, Lovejoy's Jen's Addiction, when I had it about a year ago, had that crunchy, roasty thing I remember so fondly from SN Bigfoot.

If the assertion can be made that Dogfish 120 is a BW, that's my fave so far.
 
I got me a bottle of Old Crustacean 2006 that's been waiting for me to buy a damn house before drunkning. Next week my precious, next week....
 
I've had a three year old "old crusty" and it was the single best beer drinking experience of my life (hopefully not forever). Also, has anyone else tried Hale's Ales "Old Bawdy?" I kind of stumbled upon it and it's great. A lot of nutty, toasty malt complexity.
 
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