Bourbon barrel barleywines.

Pelican Mother of All Storms was one of the best I've had
Goose Island a step behind
FW Sucaba

 

Unfortunately, most of the information posted here is not useful to you unless you are really into trading. Even then its tough to trade unless you have limited stuff available for measly shelf. I too am on the lookout for great BB barleywines available in MI.

I thought I would sum up the beers folks posted so far, so you can see how terrible MI dist is (according to seekabrew, and my limited knowledge)

Available:
NO - Hoppin' Frog Naked Evil
NO - Steel Toe Lunker
NO - CW BBBW
NO - FFF BA Behometh
NO - Mother of all storms
NO - Great Divide Barrel Aged Old Ruffian
NO - Firestone Walker Sucaba
NO - Midnight Sun Arctic Devil
NO - Dry Dock Bligh's Barleywine
NO - Firestone Walker Double DBA
NO - Cigar City Leon
NO - Deschutes Mirror Mirror (NOTE: Deschutes recently expanded footprint in MI, this may come next time around)
NO - Old Hickory Omega point
NO - Hardywood BA barleywine
NO - Arctic Devil

YES - Pilgrims Dole
YES - Weyerbacher Insanity
YES - SN Barrel Aged Bigfoot

YES (for your first born) - Bourbon County Barleywine
YES (for your first born) - Kuhnhenn BBBW

? - Brooklyn Hand & Seal
? - Bruery Mash & Grind

 

Arcadia released 12-oz. bottles of their Cereal Killer Barleywine in a BBA version 3-4 years ago(?), so it may still be available in someone's cellar for a trade. It was tasty, but I like their Shipwreck Porter better.

 

You don't get any central waters in michigan?!?

You can get BCBBW for much less than a first born, along with Kuhnhenn. FWIW, I don't think BCBBW is a particularly special barleywine.

 

They can get Central Waters, just have to ask me And have something half way decent to trade.

 

If we are talking BCBBW as an option, just did a BW tasting with the majority of the big guns and ones listed here and 2013 is a top 3 all timer for me. Idk why but 2014 isn't even close/

 

Barrel aged Bernese from thirsty dog was a tasty treat. Had it randomly in Ohio so not sure how easy it is to get. Drank it while grocery shopping at market district in strongsville. Most awesome grocery store I've ever been to.

 

For BBA English barleywines, I agree with the folks lauding Sucaba, Insanity, and Mother of All Storms. For other aged releases, Billionaire (cognac), Mirror Mirror (various wine barrels), Arctic Devil (various), and the JW Lees variations are all great.

For some not yet mentioned: right now, I happen to be drinking a bourbon barrel-aged English barleywine from Lervig in Norway. It's fantastic--one of those English barleywines that drinks very much like a fine cognac, Pedro Ximenez, or a raisin muscat. Xyauyu Barrel (aged in rum) is another one like that, although it is also absurdly expensive.

Maybe you can obtain the Lervig one if you talk to a beer guy at your local bottle shop who's willing to place an order with his Shelton Brothers rep.

 

Hell yeah to international beer! I've got one from portugal, Maldita, that I'm looking to open with omega point, arctic devil, and some others!

 

That is an excellent one. Don't overlook the wheat wines. Even non barrel aged. Jack's Abby Baby and Bride Maker are a couple.

Definitely trade for, or shop online for Bourbon County, Brooklyn Hand & Seal, Deschutes (not really a bourbon barrel one but excellent), Sucaba, and Jackie O's Brick Kiln.

 

Sorry, champ, but I have to disagree with some of the stuff you said here. Firstly, as you said, Midnight Sun Arctic Devil is an outstanding BA barleywine. I believe I gave it a 5. If they don't distribute to your area you should easily be able to trade local shelf stuff for it. It's absolutely worth a try.

Parabola, I hate to say, is not just TECHNICALLY a stout but whatever; it's practically overflowing with stout-y-ness. It is 110% stout, literally, figuratively, actually, and undeniably.

If you're going to mention being careful with American style barleywines, because they tend to be giant hoppy beers (and you are absolutely correct), I wouldn't go ahead and endorse Old Stock Ale, because that one is quite bitter unless it's got several years on it. Curmudgeon is EXACTLY what he should be trying, because it tastes almost like an English style barleywine.

 

/shrug, to each their own. I think the barrel aging on parabola separates it from being just another stout. Also we can't tell right away from OP's post if she/he likes bourbon barrel barleywines for the big malty notes a barleywines offers or for the bourbon barrel aspect.

I'm still happy to endorse old stock and I might agree with you on curmudgeon given it has well over a year to sit and develop.

 

I'm going against the grain here, because my recommendation *usually* sits on shelves longer, although it isn't a barleywine. Try Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad. It is similar in taste profile and both damn delicious and affordable.

 

Not sure it was mentioned but Uinta's Cockeyed Cooper is worth trying. That usually seems fairly available, at least in IL. Also not sure I saw BA Bigfoot mentioned, though I know you specified "English-style", this one is def worth a try anyways. I'm not a huge fan of regular Bigfoot (fresh at least), but the BA version is mighty good.

Among the ones already mentioned that are relatively easy to get, Brooklyn's Hand and Seal is a good one, as is anything Firestone Walker (you may have to trade but shouldn't be terribly hard to do).

A couple other recs I have that are outside the style but might pique your interest due to similarities:
Dogfish Head Burton Baton (BA DIPA)
Clown Shoes Rexx (BA Imperial Red) - this was recently released and may or may not be available in your area or might be sold out already

 

Go to Ohio and get Jackie O's Bourbon Barrel Brick Kiln or get AtG's London Balling.

 

can someone/anyone name an alternative that would taste close to Bourbon County's Bourbon barreled Barleywine? That's the only barleywine that I've ever enjoyed and I'd love to get my hands on more readily available (and cheaper) alternatives. Thanks

 

I dunno, dude. If we were talking about Darkness I would agree with you, because that's probably the least stout-y imperial stout I've had; it's just brimming with quad-ness, and it is fantastic (non-BA version; haven't had the '14 yet; it's still in the cellar). Parabola, in many ways, for me, at least, is the ultimate BA stout.

Now that I've exhausted my daily quota of punctuation marks, I just happen to not like Old Stock. Like I just don't get it. Even the brandy version tasted bitter and somewhat hoppy to me, although the bourbon barrel version was excellent. Then again, I've never had regular Old Stock except fairly fresh. I think of Curmudgeon as a paradigm of the style; the only other Old Ales I've had that are on the level of Curmudgeon are Kuhnhenn 4D (still have the BBA version in the cellar) and Sucre. OP should seek those out, or this year's Bruery anniversary Old Ale; 4D shouldn't be hard to come by if OP has decent shops around or lives near the brewery.

 

Get a hold of Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Barleywine; it shouldn't be too difficult, and it's a fairly good approximation, almost like BCBBW's little brother. It's not as big, but it's real real good. And you can probably get it for $15-$20 a 4-pack, so it's a bit cheaper as well.

 

If there are extras hanging around anywhere in this world, I'd gladly take one.