Back Burner (2016-)
Southern Tier Brewing Company

Back Burner (2016-)Back Burner (2016-)
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From:
Southern Tier Brewing Company
 
New York, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.94 | pDev: 8.88%
Reviews:
30
Ratings:
88
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 13, 2021
Added:
Jan 20, 2016
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  24
Long ago, British farmhouse brewers made special ales using the first runnings of the mash. These beers, now called barley wine, are brewed in the tradition of days past. At Southern Tier this long awaited brew is placed on the back burner until the start of the new year. Back Burner Barley Wine is a celebration of things to come and things remembered. It's conceived in three small batches, using voluminous amounts of barley and hops. The process starts early in the morning and ends late into the night. We hope this rare brew reignites your spirit for another trip around the sun.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mvanaskie13:
Photo of mvanaskie13
Reviewed by mvanaskie13 from Pennsylvania

4.17/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a pint glass: color is brown, a little opaque, head is light tan presenting thinly then dissipating to a top and some spotty lacing.

Smell is heavy booze and huge deep malt, definitely some molasses and maple - nearing port like depth.

Taste is a little muted compared the aroma, with the booziness laying heavy on the tongue, flavors of caramel, raisin, fig, then sweeter sides of molasses and maple. Hops are blend of citrus and pine, with the resinous qualities lingering longer through the tasting

Mouthfeel is fairly dry with some lingering sharp bitterness on the tongue, not cloying.

Overall, a very, very good new barleywine - no surprise from Southern Tier - excited to try and taste.
This brew would be interesting to age over some oak for just a bit of time to smooth these rougher edges.
Mar 15, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of Harrison8
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri

4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a murky brown with a finger of khaki foam that retains well. Aroma is sugarplum, toffee, molasses, toffee, spiced apple, followed by toasty, roasty, caramely malts and herbal, resin, sticky hops. There is a bit of off-putting peat, but that could be age related. Flavor profile is toffee, maple syrup, molasses layered over roasty, toast, and caramel malts. Herbal and resiny hops impart notes of peat. Mouth feel is medium in thickness with a light grainy, velvety texture. Overall, it has aged - or held up - well. Good barleywine with a heavy hand on the hops.

Reviewed 1/12/19 in notes. 1/5/16 bottling.
Nov 13, 2021
Photo of BMBCLT
Rated by BMBCLT from South Carolina

1.92/5  rDev -51.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.75
Drain-pour!
Mar 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by jwohio from Ohio

Apr 05, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by stortore from Illinois

Nov 21, 2018
 
Rated: 3.63 by BHapeman from Virginia

May 06, 2018
 
Rated: 4.55 by dirtyharry2489 from West Virginia

Jul 14, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by docdeens from West Virginia

Apr 12, 2017
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From the 12 oz bottle in a snifter via a friend from work---THANKS KEVIN!
This FINE barelywine pours a muddy amber tinged brown with a nice head of
off white foam that subsides to a thick ring, thin light pool, and features some
nice sticky sudsy lacing. Nose of sweet syrupy caramel malts, sticky hop notes
of pine, and subtle yeast notes letting one know that this is in the English style.
Flavors hit the perfect notes of balanced hops and malts with brown sugar malts
and caramel dashed with light fig and dates with a touch of tart cherries that are
balanced with herbal and pine touched hops. Excellent mouth feel; medium full
body, coating, sweet, and boozy with medium light carbonation and a lightly
dry sweet finish.

A solid and well put together barelywine. Excellence.

Cheers
Mar 22, 2017
Photo of WesMantooth
Reviewed by WesMantooth from Ohio

4.06/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bottled 1/5/16

Poured fairly gently into a snifter. It is a dirty/murky brown with an amber tint. A moderate tan head settles into a fine ring.

It smells sweet and syrupy, with caramel, molasses, brown sugar,
some alcohol, and malted barley. It is pretty rich. Strikes me as an English style.

Surprise! There's hops. Spicy and ripe fruit ester up front with a significant bitterness with a touch of floral flavor on the back end. In between, the sweetness rules. Maple syrup, molasses, caramelized sugars, and some dates/figs. A nice balance between the rich flavors and the hops.

The body is fuller, with a bit of a sticky, syrupy feel. The biggest knock is the dry, overly crisp finish.

This is a nice Barleywine. It still leans American, even after a year, but offers plenty of sweet, malty English qualities for those who prefer the later.
Mar 19, 2017
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
My latest horizontal has taken me onto Southern Tier & frankly, some relatively big beers from them. I am a little surprised that this has already been retired, but perhaps there will be a new recipe in 2017.

From the bottle: "Brewed with 4 varieties of Hops, 4 types of Malts, Blackstrap Molasses, and local Maple Syrup".

My bottle has a DOB of 01/05/16 12:47PM, making it just over a year old. The Pop! of the cap was followed by a gentle pour since I have no idea as to how it has aged. A vigorous in-glass swirl raised two-plus fingers of foamy, rocky, deep-tan/light-brown head that slowly fell away to wisps. Color was Brown to Dark Brown (SRM = > 22, < 27) with NE-quality clarity. Nose was very sweet, a combination of the malts and the easily identified treacle and syrup. Mouthfeel was medium, a little light for the style. The taste was interesting - very sweet and again, both the treacle and the syrup were evident, but the hops were providing an interesting bitter counterbalance. In fact, had it not been for the hoppy bitterness of it, I might have guessed/assumed that it was an English Barleywine. Finish was semi-dry, more thanks to a fusel alcohol heat than anything else. It was aging nicely & if they release a 2017 version, I may buy two with an eye towards cellaring one of them for an extended period.
Feb 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.99 by pottergator from New York

Jan 07, 2017
 
Rated: 4.35 by Salinesnake from Louisiana

Dec 31, 2016
Photo of drunkenmess
Reviewed by drunkenmess from Michigan

4.02/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Dark ruby brown body. Reddish hues with a tan frothy head that settles to a thin layer thru out. Nice beautiful lacing is present as well. Smells of alcohol and juicy dark fruit, sugary sweetness. Taste is a bit sweeter than most barleywines I've had. Maybe due to the molasses and maple syrup added. Caramel and light breadiness too. Actaully you can smell the abv more than you can taste it. Super easy to drink, very smooth, light carbonation and full bodied. Awesome beer for then winter.
Dec 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.67 by Rice_Nate_25 from Ohio

Dec 12, 2016
 
Rated: 3.96 by alcohline_trip from Pennsylvania

Dec 08, 2016
 
Rated: 4.06 by PJCarnell from Massachusetts

Nov 22, 2016
 
Rated: 4.1 by JamesBondGA from Georgia

Oct 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.5 by Jacobprice from Louisiana

Oct 11, 2016
 
Rated: 4.27 by Phoodcritic from Michigan

Sep 19, 2016
Back Burner (2016-) from Southern Tier Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 88 ratings