Cellaring American Barleywine

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by estans2, Jan 17, 2017.

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  1. dlcarst

    dlcarst Zealot (733) Aug 21, 2015 Missouri
    Trader

    Old Guardian is not being released in 2017. Stone said it's not necessarily retired, but not on the schedule for 2017.
     
  2. CaptainHate

    CaptainHate Initiate (0) Apr 22, 2006 Ohio

    Rather than start a new thread I thought I'd add to this with my question: what are your experiences with Bell's Third Coast Old Ale versus SN Bigfoot? Vintage Beers by Patrick Dawson says that the best range for Bigfoot is 3-5 years; I bought a six pack and intend to follow that. He didn't single out the Bell's and I was wondering what anyone who's cellared it thinks.
     
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  3. youradhere

    youradhere Initiate (0) Feb 29, 2008 Washington

    I think Bells has a thicker/sweeter body and tastes better than Bigfoot aged, whether or not one is better than the other is purely subjective (in other words it is up to personal tastes). Bigfoot does have a more “pithy” (white part inside an orange peel) bitterness to it, that I can at least tell does not fade with time, but gets drowned out by the growing maltiness over time. You can’t go wrong aging either one.
     
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  4. CaptainHate

    CaptainHate Initiate (0) Apr 22, 2006 Ohio

    Thank you for that response. I'm not a big hop maven so increasing the malt presence is absolutely my goal along with the other aging enhancements. I was intrigued by the review of Bell's on the April thread so just picked up a six of that.
     
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  5. Lazhal

    Lazhal Pooh-Bah (1,890) Mar 13, 2011 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Now comes the worst part! :wink:
     
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  6. dlcarst

    dlcarst Zealot (733) Aug 21, 2015 Missouri
    Trader

    I haven't had Third Coast in a long time. If I recall correctly, it's not as hoppy as Bigfoot. I need to find some and add it to my new larger fridge/cellar.
     
  7. flaskman

    flaskman Pundit (985) Aug 3, 2015 New York

    I hope that Barleywine ages well... I have 8 bottles of various Firestone Walkers in boxes with the oldest at 5 years old. Last month I cracked a 3 year old Old Numbskull and drain poured it. I have a 4 pack of Double or Nothing that is 2 years old and several oddballs. I hope the Old Numbskull was just an anomaly.
     
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  8. Jonl0424

    Jonl0424 Zealot (557) May 23, 2015 Michigan

    Just opened mine from 2/19/14 and it tasted great
     
  9. Lahey

    Lahey Initiate (0) Nov 12, 2016 Michigan

    I haven't had many barleywines that got me excited, but some third coast is tasty. Bought a sixer of bigfoot without ever having it and I loved that. The hoppyness definitely worked for my tastebuds. If I knew how good it was I would have bought another sixer... and I wouldn't have aged it.
     
  10. RDMII

    RDMII Initiate (0) Apr 11, 2010 Georgia

    Bells Third Coast is a lot less aggressive than Bigfoot in terms of hops, and therefore doesn't oxidize as badly. I have had Bigfoot in a vertical tasting going back to 1998, there never was a point that I liked it. As the violently assertive hops faded, they became straight wet cardboard. The other people in the tasting were split between hopheads and not so much, and only the hopheads enjoyed the older bottles.
     
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  11. Lahey

    Lahey Initiate (0) Nov 12, 2016 Michigan

    I couldn't age the bigfoot I bought this year, drank em all in a couple weeks. I enjoyed third coast for obviously different reasons. Despite liking two different styles, I've tried some barleywines and wheat wines that are just too sickeningly sweet for me. Maybe with those, aging is the answer? Or I'm just picky... not sure yet.
     
  12. RDMII

    RDMII Initiate (0) Apr 11, 2010 Georgia

    English barleywines are much more malt forward and richer, thicker, and sweeter. They're great fresh and fantastic aged too. American style barleywines to me are just barley heavy imperial IPAs. They age horribly in my opinion.
     
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  13. Fordcoyote15

    Fordcoyote15 Pooh-Bah (2,368) Nov 19, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Though classified as a Double IPA (for sheer marketing) dogfish 120 is for all intents and purposes an American Barleywine. And one that I'd certainly add it to the barleywine cellar if space provides.
     
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  14. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,036) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Sipping on a 2013 Bigfoot. Picking up some butterscotch, is kinda astringent, not all that enjoyable. Oh it still has a biting bitterness.

    No more aged Bigfoots for me.
     
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