Sucaba/Barleywine Question

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by alysmith4, Mar 26, 2013.

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  1. alysmith4

    alysmith4 Initiate (0) Feb 11, 2005 District of Columbia

    I finally able to try Firestone Walker's Sucaba last night, and loved it. (After "enjoying" enough of it, I was calling it "chupacabra" by the end of the night!)

    Anyway, before this, I thought I hated barleywines. My question is this: is Sucaba a good example of a barleywine, or is it just in a category of it's own? I know the best way to get an answer would be to try some other examples, but I don't want to start buying a bunch of barleywines only to find out I still don't like them.

    What say you?
     
    1up likes this.
  2. Andygirl

    Andygirl Initiate (0) Jan 3, 2013 Michigan

    It's an English Barleywine. American Barleywines are hoppier. I also love Sucaba. :wink:
     
  3. Ravenacht

    Ravenacht Pundit (892) Aug 10, 2012 Florida
    Trader

    It is one of the best examples of an English Barleywine I have had also...simply outstanding.
     
  4. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,209) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    It definitely opened my eyes to a style I had previously dismissed. If there are others in its class I'd definitely like to know about it too.
     
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  5. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,853) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society

    It is also barrel aged which is not the case for most barleywines.
     
  6. 1up

    1up Initiate (0) Mar 5, 2013 District of Columbia

    Why were you calling it goatsucker? Just curious :slight_smile:
     
    alysmith4 likes this.
  7. Greywulfken

    Greywulfken Grand Pooh-Bah (5,731) Aug 25, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I am curious which barleywines you had that you didn't like...

    I concur that Sucaba is a superior barleywine of the sweet (English) kind. I have it as my highest rated barleywine of either kind, just barely ahead of the highly acclaimed King Henry.
     
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  8. 1up

    1up Initiate (0) Mar 5, 2013 District of Columbia

    King Henry, Leon, Many "Old Ales" (like Old Stock Ale, Curmudgeon, Hibernation). Anything labeled Old Ale or English Barleywine usually.
     
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  9. ao125

    ao125 Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2010 Virginia

    Sucaba, BBA Below Decks from Heavy Seas, Arctic Devil from Midnight Sun, BBA Devil's Milk from DuClaw, BBA Reserve Ale #3 from Cricket Hill...

    Arctic Devil is like crack.
     
  10. willbm3

    willbm3 Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2010 Massachusetts

    I'm a Barleywine noob as well, but Sucaba is barrel aged which imparts alot of non-traditional Barleywine flavors. Also, it fucking rocks.

    Try SN Bigfoot. You can probably get it for relatively cheap so if you hate it you aren't out alot of $
     
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  11. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,209) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    So you're saying that "anything labeled Old Ale or English Barleywine" is in the same class as Sucaba? Disagree.
     
  12. claaark13

    claaark13 Maven (1,412) Nov 29, 2007 Indiana
    Trader

    I second these statements.
     
  13. Duff27

    Duff27 Pooh-Bah (2,468) Feb 10, 2010 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Abacus/Sucaba are middle of the road BA English Barleywines. If you liked it then you should start exploring more of the style.
     
    alysmith4 likes this.
  14. 1up

    1up Initiate (0) Mar 5, 2013 District of Columbia

    Whoops, I replied to the wrong message. More the category Sucaba is in, not the class.
     
    TwelveOunces likes this.
  15. HopsintheSack

    HopsintheSack Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2012 California

    Isn't Bigfoot more of an American style? I didn't care for it as much as Sucaba.
     
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  16. Greywulfken

    Greywulfken Grand Pooh-Bah (5,731) Aug 25, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I am getting some of that crack tomorrow.
     
    ao125 likes this.
  17. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,853) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yes, Bigfoot is an example of an American Barleywine.
     
  18. ao125

    ao125 Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2010 Virginia

    Like x1000.
     
  19. Greywulfken

    Greywulfken Grand Pooh-Bah (5,731) Aug 25, 2010 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Yes, Bigfoot is an American style barleywine.

    Edit: @OddNotion: missed it by that much!
     
  20. sukwonee

    sukwonee Initiate (0) Dec 13, 2011 Washington

    If you enjoy Sucaba, you will also enjoy Mother of All Storms, BA Old Ruffian, BA Hi-Fi Rye, Arctic Devil, CW BBBW (with about a year on it), and I also hear King Henry is a good comparable - I have never tried a bottle of it yet though.
     
    alysmith4 likes this.
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