Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2023)

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by DIM, Jan 1, 2023.

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  1. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Wow! That's awesome! Thanks for sharing!
     
    #1781 Beersnake, Sep 2, 2023
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  2. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Time of Whispers from Varietal Brewing. This is a barleywine aged in whiskey barrels. Aged for one year in Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Old Fitzgerald wheated, and Buffalo Trace whiskey barrels. Comes in at 14.4% ABV.

    Poured at fridge temp. Pours a murky brown with very little head. The nose is fantastic. Tons of barrel comes through right away. Bourbon big time. Caramel, figs, vanilla, and touch of maple.

    The taste is outstanding. Big bourbon-soaked caramels. Vanilla, brown sugar, some alcohol notes, prunes, plums, raisins, English tea, and some strong bready malts. Lovely.

    The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a nice boozy toffee aftertaste. This definitely drinks lower than the ABV. Overall, a great barleywine.

    [​IMG]
     
    #1782 Beersnake, Sep 3, 2023
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  3. Uberdachen

    Uberdachen Devotee (355) Jun 21, 2019 Minnesota
    Trader

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    Some sad news… in 15-20 years of homebrewing, my first entire batch I’ve ever had to dump wound up being a barleywine. It should actually be the second batch and barleywine to get dumped, but I didn’t have the heart for the first one and have been rehabbing it with brandy for like 2? 3? 4? years, treating it as an experiment.

    Anyways. Having this:
    [​IMG]

    Some brewery - Vanilla Maris
    On the sweeter side but better as it goes, this time around. Pairs well with my kids losing their shit over MST3K Mac and Me. I don’t know what wouldn’t but I won’t deduct pretend points. This time.
     
    #1783 Uberdachen, Sep 3, 2023
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  4. augustgarage

    augustgarage Pooh-Bah (2,703) May 20, 2007 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

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    Second appearance (I think?) of Moonlight's wonderful malt bomb in this thread. Well balanced, expertly crafted, rich and complex with enough hop presence to let you know this isn't quite an English take on the style. Full review here (4.28) and in NBW #163. Cheers!
     
    #1784 augustgarage, Sep 3, 2023
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  5. sulldaddy

    sulldaddy Grand Pooh-Bah (5,716) Apr 6, 2003 Connecticut
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Im sampling a barleywine tonight to help celebrate my fantasy baseball win and the $$$ That comes with the championship. Thank you Royce Lewis! Anyway this is a collab with Mason Ale WOrks, Horus and Beer Zombies. Mason is out of Tustin, California. This is Baller Baracus, a 16% ABV barleywine aged in mead barrels. Sent to me by the imperial stout guru @Resistance88 Thank you!

    onto my review:
    [​IMG]

    I am sampling a cellar temp 16 oz can poured into my snifter. Ive had the beer for well over a year and half at this point. Sent to me in a trade. Been excited to open the can and tonight is the night.
    Pours a dark cola brown in my glass with a creamy dense beige head of 1 cm. this foam fades to a sturdy edge layer and one large island on the surface of my glass. I do get scattered lattice when I swirl the glass or take a sip.
    Aroma on this beer is bold, I get some toffee and vanilla mixing with a bit of brown sugar and some general wooden notes. Hints of fruity sweetness with red grapes being prominent. I also get a bit of peppery booze, which isnt a surprise considering the ABV. No hop profile on this aroma.
    First sip reveals a medium body and very smooth texture. Small spacious carbonation rolls gently across my palate. The Beer does leave some stickiness on my lips and palate after each swallow.
    Flavor is very complex and malt forward, similar to the nose. I get toffee and brown sugar mixing with dark fruit of raisin and again some red grape notes. There is definitely some wooden oak note that dries out and lingers and this combines with a bit of black peppery bite. I attribute this bit to booze not hops. Surprisingly there isnt really any accompanying warmth from the booze.
    This is a complex and interesting barleywine, also quite dangerous with the ABV and lack of warning. Definitely a sipping beer. Glad to have tried this one
    4.39 in the BA DB
     
    #1785 sulldaddy, Sep 4, 2023
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  6. SABERG

    SABERG Grand Pooh-Bah (5,001) Sep 16, 2007 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    This from the basement
    Surprised at the hop bite, still quite strong,
    Great texture, with a not so hidden alcohol.
    This offering is not bashful! But quite delicious
    Cheers all
    [​IMG]
     
    #1786 SABERG, Sep 4, 2023
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  7. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Having Bonneville from Jackie O's after a few warm days on the beach. Good to be home.

    [​IMG]

    The guy pictured on this label looks a lot like a man I used to work with named Phil. He was not a pleasant person, easily the most profane individual I've ever come across. Once, when he was talking about a group of people he didn't like he actually said, "man, fuck those fucking fuckers."

    But regardless of any unpleasant memories this label might evoke, this is a barleywine from Jackie O's and I always want that. Lots of syrupy sweetness here, butterscotch, simple syrup, light molasses, corn syrup candi sugar, plus hints of dates and candied nuts. The finish adds an odd hoppy note, kind of a not unpleasant orange flavored medicine. Overall this works well but I like their English takes on the style better.
     
    #1787 DIM, Sep 5, 2023
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  8. micada

    micada Grand Pooh-Bah (3,960) Jul 13, 2015 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Wasn’t that a smoked barleywine? IIRC I had a growler fill from a hidden/vintage keg as part of a 12 days of Christmas some years back.
     
    #1788 micada, Sep 5, 2023
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  9. micada

    micada Grand Pooh-Bah (3,960) Jul 13, 2015 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well, it had a nice color that “looked” like a tasty barleywine. :confused:
     
    #1789 micada, Sep 5, 2023
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  10. micada

    micada Grand Pooh-Bah (3,960) Jul 13, 2015 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    2017 GI BCBW. Always a favorite. Cold, very heavy barrel up front. Burnt caramel flavor in the middle, with a chocolatey note in the back.

    I’m in the mood to get a bunch of those JW Lee’s 1986 yeast BWs. Sweet, but crisp.

    [​IMG]
     
    #1790 micada, Sep 5, 2023
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  11. VodkaPong87

    VodkaPong87 Pooh-Bah (2,060) Oct 9, 2020 Connecticut
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    That's from Timber Ales if anyone was wondering. Was pretty sweet as described, but not bad
     
    #1791 VodkaPong87, Sep 5, 2023
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  12. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    They used to change up the Old G recipe in odd years, 2013 was the oaked smoked version. One odd year they made the odd decision to stop making this all together...
     
    #1792 DIM, Sep 5, 2023
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  13. micada

    micada Grand Pooh-Bah (3,960) Jul 13, 2015 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I think 2013 was the vintage I had. It was good as I recall, though my first venture into a smoked beer.
     
    #1793 micada, Sep 5, 2023
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  14. micada

    micada Grand Pooh-Bah (3,960) Jul 13, 2015 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    …for historical record: the second pour was very murky, practically brown ale range with some slurry on the bottom. Not bad or infected but it did make for a different flavor and texture profile. So, pour slowly near the bottom I suppose.
     
    #1794 micada, Sep 5, 2023
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  15. CarolinaCardinals

    CarolinaCardinals Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,231) Jun 11, 2003 North Carolina
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Enjoying the last of the J.W. Lees 2017 Harvest purchase from late last year, this being the Sherry Casks vessel for maturing. I like that i am getting notes of figs, oranges, and apples all at the same time. I think this was my favorite of the three, the other two being Port and Calvados.

    Cheers!
    Tom

    [​IMG]
     
    #1795 CarolinaCardinals, Sep 5, 2023
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  16. CarolinaCardinals

    CarolinaCardinals Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,231) Jun 11, 2003 North Carolina
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Ooh, very exciting to see your favorable review. I have a can courtesy of @Beersnake1 waiting for a little time to pass given the ginormous abv.
    As an aside, and not that i am a name dropper, but i did get to meet the Beer Zombies owner/brewer Chris Jacobs while volunteering at the Hopfly Brewing festival in Charlotte this past July. Very nice guy. While living in PHX i would get distribution of Mason Ale Works and i mentioned to Chris i would always see Beer Zombies and Mason colabs. Chris indicated they used Mason's equipment to brew and mentioned that yeast management was challenging given the small lab where space was limited...for what it's worth...
    Cheers!
    Tom

    [​IMG]
     
    #1796 CarolinaCardinals, Sep 5, 2023
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  17. ZebulonXZogg

    ZebulonXZogg Grand Pooh-Bah (3,142) May 5, 2015 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Last beer b4 the "big cut" as the Dr. calls it. Pipeworks/Local Option Rohrwerker BBA Barleywine, old but still tasty.
    [​IMG]
     
    #1797 ZebulonXZogg, Sep 5, 2023
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  18. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,710) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

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    Decided to open this 2015 bottle this afternoon. At first sip I’d say it’s pretty comparable to §ucaba.
     
    #1798 Orca, Sep 5, 2023
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  19. Spade

    Spade Pooh-Bah (2,568) Mar 27, 2006 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Komes

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    From Poland. This is really solid. A hint of leather in the nose, the taste is malty goodness with something I can't quite identify (raisins?) Six bucks for a bottle just over a pint. Shoulda bought 2.
     
    #1799 Spade, Sep 7, 2023
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  20. VodkaPong87

    VodkaPong87 Pooh-Bah (2,060) Oct 9, 2020 Connecticut
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I found a few of these at a shop. Bought one at 30% off (luckily) and only got 1 sip out of it. It went horribly wrong on the shelf
     
    #1800 VodkaPong87, Sep 8, 2023
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