Calapooia Barleywine
Calapooia Brewing Company

In a sense, it’s not fair to call this a Calapooia beer as it was brewed by the now-departed brewer from Oregon Trader. Calapooia merely inherited this as part of OT’s inventory.

But by the time Calapooia put its name on it, this exquisite barleywine (once known as Bar-Lee-Wine) was already four years old. Only about ten kegs of it were originally produced and the beer was given a two-month rotation in bourbon barrels during year one. Back in ‘05 this was a great, great beer, despite being the only barleywine the brewer had ever attempted. Last year I returned to drink this ale at three years of age and it was magnificent. Today, it is the single, rarest, greatest beer gem in the state. Only two kegs are released each year and my understanding is that only one now remains. If word reaches you in time, I urge you to run, not walk, to partake of this sublime ale. As of this moment, it’s the best barleywine ever brewed in Oregon.