Why isnt the New Glarus Barleywine improving??

Don't listen to the anti-cellaring crowd.

I'll actually offer a semi-useful, uneducated opinion. The New Glarus barleywine was so hoppy that I'd wager it's now going through a phase where the hops are beginning to fade & the malts haven't made up the difference. I don't know about you, but for beers like this there's a period where I taste musty, fall leaves - & it's not good. But once the hops step aside, whenever that is, I'll wager it's going to be good. I have a few bottles & wouldn't think of opening another one for at least another 4-6 months.

I still don't think the Iced version has changed much from fresh, but only have a single bottle left.

Good luck!

 

I gotta agree w/one of the above posters...mega hoppy barleywines go through what I call the 'awkward' phase, where they're neither the hop monsters they were fresh nor malty, sweet, sticky concoctions. Bigfoot from Sierra Nevada goes through a period like this where it's almost undrinkable. Try one at 6-month increments....my guess is it'll hit its stride in 1-3 years.

 

He has the right idea. Just not the right way to say it

Edit: I'd say the minimum for me to take a beer off the shelf, unless there is a rumor of infection, would be 6 months.

 

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot.

Give that bwine at LEAST six MORE months before you try it again. Start thinking in six month blocks or even years (I know nothing of this bwine, but it could theoretically go for a while) rather than "I wonder what it will taste like next month, maybe the next one after that." Patience young padawon learner.

 

One needs to be patient and zen when it comes to aging. Luckily, they are out of sight. Like said above, think in 6 month blocks. Hops start to fade first, but flavors don't tend to change or mellow, noticeably, in weeks time. Temperature has the most effect of aging. Too cold, slow change; too hit, fast, and sometimes spoiled. Most usually shoot for 50 to 55 F.

Also, fresh hoppy barleywines are not young DIPAs. The difference is in the recipe, and how the beer is hopped. As they evolve, beers with lots of hops in the flavoring addition seem to be more often turn to cardboard than improving; because hop acids oxidize. Aroma hop contributions tend to fade, rather than detract (hops adding in the last 15 minutes of the boil, during the whirlpool, or dry hopping). So while a hoppy barleywine and DIPA may seem parallel fresh, over time they will split I'm different directions.
That said, there are a few HUGE DIPAs that are cellerable, such as DFH 120.
Good luck with building the cellar.

 

Too soon to make an assumption regarding how it'll age. I hope it'll get better with time, would like to see the alcohol sting fade.

 

I dunno, maybe the beer isn't good. I've never had it, so my opinion is just talk. On the contrary, just because a beer from a brewery is good, doesn't mean all beers from that brewery are good.

Nonetheless, as previously mentioned, give the beer time, then report back. All beers have a timeline.

cheers
harry

 

Agreed. That beer is average.

 

Hops taste like ass at around 4 months. It will start improving 3 or 4 months from now...or maybe it won't. Cellaring is a risky venture.

 

This is one of my favorite barleywines. It's a very hoppy, citrusy barleywine. As mentioned, the hops are fading a little so if you liked it fresh, not enough time has passed for the beer to change into something 'new'

That said, I had one last week and it was still a great beer.

 

The one bottle I had seemed to me like it didn't have the malt backbone that most great ones do (American or English), and I'm not sure if age will do this one any flavors.