Favorite Barleywine?

[Craig311]

Just had my first 2012 Bigfoot and tasted Southern Tier Back Burner and Stone Old Guardian. Barleywine on the mind...

What is your favorite? Is your favorite different fresh vs. some time in the cellar?

 

[millaj92]

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary line Black Barleywine. Hands down, my favorite in the world so far!

 

[ao125]

Thomas Hardy's Ale 2003-2008
J.W. Lee's Harvest Ale 2009 - Aged in Calvados Casks
Dogfish Head - Old School Barleywine 2008
Clipper City / Heavy Seas - Below Decks (Bourbon Barrel Aged)
Weyerbacher's Insanity

I'm guessing you can tell from the years I'm throwing out, that I like to cellar my barleywines.

 

[hatepickingnames]

Uinta's 25th anniversary bw. Out of salt lake i believe. I didnt age em and they were very good.

 

[BargainMugs]

Has anyone had Firestone Walker's Sucaba? They have it at my local brewstore, but I haven't bought a bottle yet due to the $15 price tag.

The reviews are phenomenal so I might pick up a bottle today.

 

[Amff]

Has anyone had Firestone Walker's Sucaba? They have it at my local brewstore, but I haven't bought a bottle yet due to the $15 price tag.

The reviews are phenomenal so I might pick up a bottle today.

I've had sacaba twice now and both times it was phenomenal. If you have a chance to pick it up I would do it. You won't be disappointed even with the $15 price tag. So many different flavors in that beer but if you like bourbon barrel aged beer you'll love his one. I'm heading to the brewery next week to have it on draught.

 

[BargainMugs]

Since that post I've had it twice and I just picked up a new bottle to age for at least a year.

 

[Amff]

Since that post I've had it twice and I just picked up a new bottle to age for at least a year.

I'm assuming since you went back twice and have one aging the beer lived up to the hype.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Some of the ones I enjoy.

Brooklyn Monster Ale
Dogfish Olde School
Rogue Old Crustaceon
Stone Old Gaurdian
Victory Old Horizontal (probably my favorite)

 

[Zuljin]

I've only just begun.

Santa Fe Brewing Chicken Killer. Very good.
Santa Fe Kickin Chicken. My fave so far.
Avery Hog Heaven. Good, but I thought it was too hopped for the style.
Boulevard Brewing Harvest Dance. They call it a wheat wine. Very nice.

There were two others that I forget.

Keep the list going.

 

[Zuljin]

Sierra Nevada
Bigfoot, 2013
Barley Wine style Ale

Poured from a refrigerated brown glass bottle to an American pint glass. Dark bronze color with a hint of garnet. Thin off white head. Light lacing.

Smells big, hopped and a little boozy.

Tastes a little boozy too. Not full on rubbing alcohol flavor, but boozy none the less. It kind of lingers too. The bottle says 9.6% ABV. I guess a good way to say is I taste 2% of that alcohol over a normal beer. Aside form that, it's hoppy and malty in almost equal amounts. The hops hit first.

Feels thicker than regular beer, which is to be expected.

Overall, it's a good barley wine. Its got big flavor. I think I'll make mine a little less hopped though.

 

[jiggs_casey]

I've always been a big fan of the Boulevard Harvest Dance Wheat Wine but, I'm about halfway through a Chicken Killer. This is so good... hehehe

 

[JohnGonk]

Dying to try Sucaba and Double DBA from Firestone.... any feedback?

 

[BargainMugs]

Sucuba is a must try from FW. Best barleywine I've ever tasted.

I haven't had their Double DBA and of course Parabola is a stellar stout.

 

[Big_Belgian]

Bell's Third Coast for me. I love it young and love it aged.

 

[JohnGonk]

Yeah Im a huge FW fan...love the wookey, union and velvet merlin!

 

[Amff]

Sucuba is a must try from FW. Best barleywine I've ever tasted.

I haven't had their Double DBA and of course Parabola is a stellar stout.

If you like sucaba you will like Double DBA. Big, boozy, and smooth. I was just at the brewer 3 weeks ago and had Sucaba, Double DBA an their Anniversary ale. All amazing.

 

[urbanmyth]

I'm a big fan of Old Foghorn.

But my favorite bottle was a 1998 Bigfoot I had at a brew club member's house. That was phenomenal.

 

[lumpher]

2011 bigfoot i had about 3 months ago. smooth as silk, but still a great bw

 

[JohnGonk]

Yeah i have a 13 sucaba, a 12 double dba and a 13 xiv...cant wait to try!

 

[NeighborsBrewingCo]

Old Numbskull, sucaba, olde school

 

[Zuljin]

Having Old Ruffian from Great Divide.

A: Golden honey and dark caramel. Large light tan head with lots of lacing.

S: Hoppy and kind of sweet underneath.

T: Caramel, but not like candy, followed quickly and strongly by floral hops. There's a ... Soft taste of malt too. It's there, and it's big, but it's not forward.

M: It has a thickness. A coat your mouth type feel.

O: I like it. It's very hoppy without being astringent. It's hop forward, like they say, and still pulls off being caramel sweet without tasting like candy. It's not sugary. It's 10.2% abv and not at all 'hot'.

Serving type: Refrigerated bottle into a nonic glass.