Good Barleywine Introduction

SN Bigfoot & Avery Hog Heaven

 

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot is the only American barleywine I've had and I'm struck by how different it is from British barley wines. It looks similar, but the gargantuan hoppiness makes it closer to an IPA than beers in the British strong ale family.

 

I'll vouch for Clown Shoes' Crunkle Sam as far as American Barleywine goes, though I confess I don't know what its availability/distribution is like.

 

My favourite American Barleywine has to be East End Gratitude as far as non barrel-aged barleywines go. Kick-ass labeling also.

 

BIG FOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

As a life long bird watcher, I love these labels.

 

I really enjoy Bells Third Coast. I find it to be very balanced. Warming with a nice fruitiness.

 

So while this thread is bumped, I want to say that I don't really get the whole American barleywines being completely overloaded with hops thing. Why would you put that many hops into a beer that is usually meant to be aged? I don't mind the taste of fresh Bigfoot or Old Ruffian, but I kinda see them as just really big IPAs.

 

Maybe try Flying Mouflan by Troegs. (If you're in PA)

 

My favorite American barleywines are:

Troeggs Flying Mouflan
Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws
Great Divide Old Ruffian
East End Gratitude
Alpine Good

It's hard to pick because they're all amazing.

 

I've never had a barleywine before and I'm looking to get into them based on what I've heard on here! The style, the varieties, the ability to age, all of it intrigues me but I have not the slightest clue where to begin with them...

Can anyone toss out a few recommendations of widely available (I'm in Burlington, VT) first-timer barleywines? They sound like a style I will become will acquainted with but I wanted to confer with fellow Ba-ers instead of going in blind.

Thanks and cheers!

 

If you can find them, I'd recommend Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot or Insanity.

 

Weyerbacher blithering idiot. It was my first barleywine and I was really good. Kept me coming back to them.

 

Your post is exactly what the OP is asking, so read each of the replies and see if there is something that strikes you. Or am I missing something in your post?

 

I will agree with those who say SN Bigfoot. It's not necessarily the best barleywine, but it's the best intro to the style.

 

Sucaba is terrible your better off trying Samuels from Avery.

 

sucaba terrible??? lol right...to each his own

 

Ha, I created a different thread (I'm fairly new to Ba) and someone merged mine with this one so it looked like it quoted my post in the other thread directly. In turn, making me look like I had no idea what's going on... Haha, but I appreciated the gesture!

 

Old School is great

 

Only had it once but after reading the reviews maybe I got a bad bottle it tasted cardboardy, will have to try again.