ITT: Barleywines

[KevSal]

been to long away from here. was craving some BIL

this looks really ******, but it’s fantastic! i have a theory, the more muddy pond water the bwine the better it taste.
dark fruits, bourbon, vanilla, toffee all in a 500 ml, good stuff

 

[GregorySingh]

Had this 2014 BCBBW last night. I freakin loved these things when they came out, but seems to be a bit muddled now. All the flavor notes feel homogenized Into one long flavor profile. Still a nice BW, but much better fresh IMO.

 

[AndresR]

Had this 2014 BCBBW last night. I freakin loved these things when they came out, but seems to be a bit muddled now. All the flavor notes feel homogenized Into one long flavor profile. Still a nice BW, but much better fresh IMO. View attachment 3648

It was a 3rd use barrel. I've never found those to age well. Gotta hammer a 3rd use barrel beer ASAP.

 

[Lupulin the 3rd]

been to long away from here. was craving some BIL

this looks really ******, but it’s fantastic! i have a theory, the more muddy pond water the bwine the better it taste.
dark fruits, bourbon, vanilla, toffee all in a 500 ml, good stuff

It's been several years since I've had any but drinking Gratitude, which was murky and not particularly appealing in appearance, was always a next level experience compared to many of the other barleywines I used to try at the time.

 

[danbanana]

It was a 3rd use barrel. I've never found those to age well. Gotta hammer a 3rd use barrel beer ASAP.

2013 went from being a so-so BA'd barleywine to ******* astounding with a couple years on it.

 

[Lupulin the 3rd]

Popped this open last night. Maybe it's because I smoked a bowl right beforehand, but it was quite an experience. It was chaotic in the sense that there were so many different unexpected flavor profiles-- you had the usual dark fruits and toffee competing with citrus, maybe even rhubarb tartness, and sulfur. I wish I had an extra bottle to see what it would be like a year or two from now.

 

[NClambicguy]

Popped this open last night. Maybe it's because I smoked a bowl right beforehand, but it was quite an experience. It was chaotic in the sense that there were so many different unexpected flavor profiles-- you had the usual dark fruits and toffee competing with citrus, maybe even rhubarb tartness, and sulfur. I wish I had an extra bottle to see what it would be like a year or two from now.

Smoking a bowl and doming a barleywine is not an experience my body is ready for.

 

[Lupulin the 3rd]

Smoking a bowl and doming a barleywine is not an experience my body is ready for.

Highly recommend!

 

[GregorySingh]

It’s winter in Los Angeles, and Life has been calling. This is day 3 of going through my BW stash and I’m glad I opened this one. Just the absolute complete Life experience.

 

[jmgrub]

2012. Hop bitterness (which I actually find to be a little too much for my liking when this beer is fresh) has subsided, and just those delicious coconut notes remain. Still pretty sticky sweet, but hey, it's an Anglo-American hybrid, so I'm not sure that's a flaw. I think this is in a great place (and, for reference, I think this is better at the moment than 2013 BCBBBW).

 

[KevSal]

It’s winter in Los Angeles, and Life has been calling. This is day 3 of going through my BW stash and I’m glad I opened this one. Just the absolute complete Life experience.View attachment 3664

between the great, aaron and this, is there a clear winner? aside from you winning that is

 

[GregorySingh]

I truly am the winner in this scenario but I’d honestly put them all in the same tier. It would be up to the truly discerning types to nail
Down the absolute winner with these 3. If I had to choose though, it’d probably go to ADWtD. I never posted it, but I drank a VSOJ a couple days ago and it was right up there with DO ADWTD. Drank a 2012 Alpine great recently which was amazing and beat out a few other older bw’s including king Henry. DCLA & bird22 can attest to that. Would have been nice to have that 2012 in this mix for comparison.

 

[GregorySingh]

I truly am the winner in this scenario but I’d honestly put them all in the same tier. It would be up to the truly discerning types to nail
Down the absolute winner with these 3. If I had to choose though, it’d probably go to ADWtD. I never posted it, but I drank a VSOJ a couple days ago and it was right up there with DO ADWTD. Drank a 2012 Alpine great recently which was amazing and beat out a few other older bw’s including king Henry. DCLA & bird22 can attest to that. Would have been nice to have that 2012 in this mix for comparison.
View attachment 3670

Had to find a way to include my pup in the pic

 

[AndresR]

Big boy beer. Cheers!

 

[AndresR]

I truly am the winner in this scenario but I’d honestly put them all in the same tier. It would be up to the truly discerning types to nail
Down the absolute winner with these 3. If I had to choose though, it’d probably go to ADWtD. I never posted it, but I drank a VSOJ a couple days ago and it was right up there with DO ADWTD. Drank a 2012 Alpine great recently which was amazing and beat out a few other older bw’s including king Henry. DCLA & bird22 can attest to that. Would have been nice to have that 2012 in this mix for comparison.
View attachment 3670

Man, the last few King Henry's I've had were pure cardboard.

It was a champ back in the day!

 

[KevSal]

Big boy beer. Cheers!

 

[sherm10161]

PSA: Bolt Cutter has not improved with time. It’s just terrible in other ways. Drainpoured.

 

[lambandtunaphish]

PSA: Bolt Cutter has not improved with time. It’s just terrible in other ways. Drainpoured.

I wish I could find my bottle (bottles???) in my disaster of a cellar.

 

[AndresR]

PSA: Bolt Cutter has not improved with time. It’s just terrible in other ways. Drainpoured.

Sad. And that bottle traded hard back in the day!

 

[sherm10161]

Sad. And that bottle traded hard back in the day!

It rotted on shelves from what I remember. It’s was a boozy hot mess fresh, and now it’s just disgustingly sweet. Maybe there was an ok point in the middle, but we missed it.

 

[GregorySingh]

Dark fruit and toffee across the board! Another top notch barleywine down the gullet. Really wish I had more of these.

 

[AndresR]

It rotted on shelves from what I remember. It’s was a boozy hot mess fresh, and now it’s just disgustingly sweet. Maybe there was an ok point in the middle, but we missed it.

You talking about the recent batch of Bolt Cutter? From last year? Because back in '12, all the BA Founder's bottles were in huge demand.

 

[sherm10161]

You talking about the recent batch of Bolt Cutter? From last year? Because back in '12, all the BA Founder's bottles were in huge demand.

‘12 vintage

 

[exitmusic00]

PSA: Bolt Cutter has not improved with time. It’s just terrible in other ways. Drainpoured.

franch

 

[AndresR]

‘12 vintage

I no believe.

 

[sherm10161]

I no believe.

Gross then, gross now.

 

[AndresR]

Gross then, gross now.

That, I do believe.

 

[franch]

franch

 

[davey101]

Cross posting from the DDT. This was from yamar68. This is absolutely delicious. Standard English style notes with plenty of booze and barrel and just a hint of an almost Christmas like spice from the cardamom. Really smooth with a long rich finish. I'm not usually a fan of adjuncts in BW's but this is really well integrated.

 

[davey101]

PSA: Bolt Cutter has not improved with time. It’s just terrible in other ways. Drainpoured.

Loved the last bottle I had. I think I'm one of the few that really enjoyed that beer from fresh on.