Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2022)

I was in Portland a few weeks ago to make a pilgramage to HotD before they closed, brought a bottle back in my suitcase after getting a taste at the taproom. Very complex flavor.

 

Last night for my birthday I drank a bottle of Mother of All Storms that I brought back from Oregon. Excellent beer.


My review for the BA database:
500 ml bottle, 2021 release. Poured into snifter glass at cellar temperature.

Pours very dark chesnut brown with some garnet highlights. Thick tan colored head. Pretty good head retention. Wonderful aroma of soft oak, rich boozy vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Maybe a touch of fig. Similarly complex taste, not too sweet, and some warming alcohol in the finish. Smooth mouthfeel with a sticky finish

 

Another stellar BA Barleywine from Barreled Souls. This one Parker Heritage Bombs over Barley from last year. Sweet dark fruits w/ a ton of clean barrel character. At 14% - a great way to finish a Tuesday evening ….

 

Everything about this picture is making my brain scream "I NEED THIS BEER"

 

It was my great pleasure to share a bottle of Sunday 2022 with a friend last week. It's the most delicious barleywine I've tasted, and it's possibly my all-time favorite beer. Sunday 2021 was excellent, but this year's version takes it to another level.

 

Enjoyed the 2014 installment of the Bigfoot Vintage pack and it was surprisingly hoppier than thought. I am assuming SNBC properly stored these bottles in cellar temps but nonetheless Bigfoot is my crack be it mellow or hoppy! Having a 2022 version in my round 2 today and 2014 is almost as hoppy!
Cheers!
Tom

 

I bought that pack too. Need to put one of each in the fridge. Been sitting in the shipping box for quite a while.

Thanks for the reminder.

Enjoy

 

Have your bottles of Don arrived @DIM ?

My concern with ordering online is the plastic cap. The only bottle I've seen shared online had a busted plastic cap upon arrival.

 

Qimmersoriartorfissuaq, Barleywine Ale Eisbock 14% ABV
Freigeist Bierkultur, Germany
11.2oz bottle, best by 18.08.2025
Look: Almost black in low light, but deep dark red brown in the light. almost no head, but little there was lasted a while.
Smell: Chocolate, dark red wine, roast
Taste: Dark chocolate at first, then dark fruit, dark cherry wood, a hint of roasted caramel and brown sugar. then roasted barely/grain. A roast with a hint of cherry wood aftertaste that lasted about 1/2 hour. Not really sweet nor bitter overall. ABV is very well hidden.
feel: ok not really all that thick, maybe on the thin side, no carbonation

Odd beer, is this really a barley wine? but I will give it a 4.09/5 overall

https://untappd.com/b/freigeist-bierkultur-qimmersoriat-orfissuaq/4537558.

 

Crazy bourbon and caramel nose. A bit cloying until it warmed or that first sip sank in. Then, it hit the spot.

Think these 4-pks were like $11 (in Before Times money), wish they made a regular appearance on shelves here.

 

Solid Barleywine blend. I'm feeling good with this and will be on the lookout for more

 

Does anyone know if Founders Nemesis is being brewed regularly or was it a short run? I saw some 4-packs at a local place and was debating getting more to store away.

 

Yep, time to go shopping. Thanks!

 

I don't have barleywines often but I know this is pretty special one...got to try it courtesy of @ovaltine who sent it to me in the current NBS BIF, it is quite tasty and a good way to close out Sunday night.

Revolution - Straight Jacket



Pours a leathery brown with really nice hints of red, especially when held to light. Crystal clear, nice off white creamy head to start, settles to a ring and cirrus clouds of thin thin off white in the middle.

Smell is beautiful, caramelized sugars, leather, oak and bourbon, even picking up some coconut I sometimes get from bourbon; maybe even a little bit of red apple skin. You can smell its high ABV but not in a boozy or ethanol type of way.

Taste just as pleasant as the nose, and perfectly balanced. I get the same caramelized sugar with the red apple skin; followed up by leathery bourbon and oak; I remember always saying Jack Daniels had a leather quality to it, that is what this beer gives off to me. The sweetness is just the perfect amount and melds so well with all the flavors.

Big body but insanely smooth; it has a really creamy soft carbonation to it. There is no heat other than a super slow building warmth in the back of the throat. There in interesting little tannin bite that I get in the back of my throat as the sip goes down.

I can see why this beer gets so much talk...it is very easy to enjoy and sip on; it is complex yet simple and so smooth.