Barleywine - where to start?

To each his own is right, but Old Numbskull I'm pretty sure is not available to a whole bunch of states, SN is. It sounds like you just don't like hoppy barleywines, thus your objection to my opinion. That's ok.

 

my first was youngs old nick.... but that has been gone for many many years... i actually haven't had one i didn't like..... so try them all.... and enjoy........................

 

Same here

 

Welcome to my favorite style. The hard thing a out barleywines is that no 2 are alike. As already mentioned, you have American vs English barleywines. These two styles already are very different. Then within those styles you have significant differences from brewery to brewery. Then you have aged versus fresh. It amazing the wide range of flavor profiles you can get from a barleywine. You can literally go from one that tastes like a hoppy, citrusy DIPA to the biggest malt bourbon bomb out there.

As for recs:

BA: Central Waters BBBW, Mother of all Storms, Abacus, Insanity, King Henry(has some stout qualities)

Non BA: Bigfoot, New Glarus, Duck Rabbit

There are plenty of others. Those are just ones I like and come to mind.

The only real advice I can give is that if you don't like one don't give up on the style.

 

I had an alaskan barley wine that was pretty good

 

I think if you try Bigfoot first you are going to get your ass kicked. I would try one that is less "in-your-face". Maybe try an English barleywine first. The one that got me into them was Arcadia Cereal Killer. I've since had much better, but it was a bit tamer than most I've had since. A few other's that I've liked since then that don't get as much love are Victory Old Horizontal and Mendocino Imperial Barleywine. Brooklyn Monster is worth a shot too but that one was a bit boozier and you may want to build up to it.

 

The OP has in his profile that he likes IPAs. If this is the case, then Bigfoot is the perfect beer for him to start out with. It gives you the hops of an IPA but with the huge barleywine malt attached. Perfect.

 

Yeah but it's really boozy

 

Bigfoot boozy? Ok, not to me compared to a bunch of others. If tou want to talk boozy, how about Insanity or Blithering Idiot, Old Horizontal, Olde School, Old Numbskull, Booklyn Monster and Abacus/Sucaba are all far and away boozier.

Face it, if you don't want a boozy beer, then stay away from baleywines.

 

Pretty Things - Our Finest Regards as mentioned before is awesome, but even better in my opinion is

Hair of the Dog - Doggie Claws. Seriously, if you can get Doggie Claws, try it!