Ever brewed a good beer you just don't like?

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

I find most North American barley wines to be waaaaaaaay off the mark. Best I ever had was at Swans Hotel (huge brewpub) in Victoria. They mske it once a year and I think it ages for at least a year. Very diff. tasting than the American BW's i tried.

 

[SumnerH]

I find most North American barley wines to be waaaaaaaay off the mark. Best I ever had was at Swans Hotel (huge brewpub) in Victoria. They mske it once a year and I think it ages for at least a year. Very diff. tasting than the American BW's i tried.

You can't think of most American barleywines as anything like regular barleywines (there are exceptions, of course). Traditional barleywines, as the name implies, emphasize the malted barley a lot more; the hops are present, but proportionally to the malt.

American barleywines would often be better named "Triple American IPAs" (assuming that you've gotten past the difference between American IPAs and true IPAs already) or something--calling them barleywines is just confusing. They can be fantastic brews, but if you're going in expecting a traditional barleywine then you're going to be a bit mystified.

 

[skadalajara]

I actually do like some hefes. SN, Paulaner to name a couple off the top of my head. And it tasted great in the sample tube after FG reading. But after a week in the bottle, it's nastified.
I'll brew it again... after I build my ferminator. I may try a different yeast, though.