Barleywine Suggestions

Bigfoot changes but you can value it fresh and aged--just different. Would get some now and enjoy it and hold on to some--always have a fresh one with the aged ones--even if a little pour and after the older ones to save the tastebuds. Although some feel the hops is hiding something when young, others like my self consider it complimentary to the massive malt backbone. Love it at all ages.

Local bottle shop has it going back 8 years--kept SUPER COLD--Beervahna!!

Another shout out to Pelican Mother of All Storms that @2beerdogs sent me--enormous but with subtleties you would expect in the English versions--one bottle goes a long way.

 

Central Waters BBBW is the best BW I've ever had.

 

I also recommend this! So good!

 

Sucaba is the best barleywine I have ever had. Old Ruffian is good, find the BA version if you can.

 

Most people would say better, as they are all about the malt complexity.

 

The other night I was at a bottle share. Tasted two barleywines I didn't like very much and said to my gf "I think I'm falling out of love with barleywines." Then Founders Bolt Cutter got passed around and I'd never had it before. Took one sip and said "Okay, I'm back in love with them."

My absolute favorite American Barleywine is FFF Behemoth but it's definitely best fresh due to the high hop content. My absolute favorite English Barleywine is Weyerbacher Insanity and I was bummed to hear some was Infected this year.

 

I second sebego... stone old guardian especially smoked old gaurdian

 

The best Barleywines are Old Ales...there's a lot of crossover there.

 

I tried Brooklyn's Hand and Seal this weekend. It was pretty fantastic. It seems to be readily available.

 

had a Berkshire Holidale last night and it was fantastic.

 

Is this years out or did you have one sitting around? I have a 2012 and 2013 hanging out, just wondering how they might be doing.

 

@Jason move this back to the main forum. Read responses. This is not at New England thread.

 

There are a lot of folks who love Bigfoot fresh, and I am certainly one of them. It is a great beer, but, until it sits (and the time frame varies on personal taste), to me at least, it's just a big, hoppy mess.

IMHO, Barleywines should never be an aggressively hop-forward style. Clearly, given Bigfoots status, I am disagreed with. I also believe that, unlike IPAs, there shouldn't be a distinction between "British" and "American" Barleywines. There needs to be a different category.

 

I enjoyed the just out 2014 version I had a few days ago. Last year's and this year's include cocoa in the mix, and I think that's a flavor that may not survive aging well.

 

Agreed. Tremendous bang for the buck.

 

Had a small vertical of this in Chicago this summer and was blown away. I was even more amazed when I was told it goes for something like $10.99 a 4 pack. Is this true?

 

The cocoa is interesting. I didn't get much over the hops last year fresh. I haven't seen this years yet. If the cocoa dies out, I'm fine with that. I just like the hops to fade and then it starts to come together better imo. Thanks.

 

No Flying Mouflan fans?! Great BW and for the price tough to beat. Grab 2. One for now and one for a couple years down the road.

 

One of my favorites and pretty easy to find is anchor old foghorn, great interpretation of the style!

 

This a million times over! I've included one of these in many, many trade boxes as an extra and everybody has gotten back to me about how good it is!!!