Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2024)

Consensus seems to be that this is a barleywine, so day #5.
I think I’ll let them age a bit in the future. Maybe? I don’t even know what year this was. Science vs math. Only one can survive.

 

Was visitng Invasive Species and got to talking with one of the brewer/bartenders about hops and stuff and he kindly took me to one of their tanks to sample a soon to be released Barleywine aged 2 years in Jamaican rum barrels!!

 

There's usually a date code printed on the bottle neck. And yes, I would call that a barleywine. If it's not, then Bigfoot isn't either.

 

Cycle Sunday (2024)

sipped on half this bottle yesterday and finished the rest today. this was fantastic. so much caramel and bourbon. light chocolate. no hops, so definitely more english-style (although i believe in one of cycle’s instagram posts Doug said it was probably closer to a stock ale or old ale but they called it a barleywine because ‘nobody everybody knows what that is compared to an old ale’ - not sure i agree with that sentiment with the idea that any discerning craft beer fan seeking out a brewery like cycle would likely know that difference but oh well.) anyways, i digress. this rocked! hope everyone is enjoying a good barleywine tonight or has one planned for this week. cheers!!

 

I had 2 Sundays and they were stellar, that one sounds great too!

 

English strong ale tonight, I think @zid would approve of my posting this here.



This is lovely, on the dry side with a unique flavor profile. I get smoked figs lightly drizzled with chocolate and roasted almonds at the back end. Incredibly smooth, just a wonderful beer. If they would up the abv 6-7% and double barrel this it would be worse class!

Just kidding about that last bit @zid But seriously I bought this on your recommendation and I'm really glad I did

 

I couldn’t make out any readable date but I’m sure the code could be looked up. If I remember I may look up the remaining bottle’s code.

Tonight’s, #6, I guess? Vacation part A ending abruptly.


Cameron’s Brewing - where the Buffalo roam
Oh! This is good. Glad there are more!

 

Sounds like a helluva vacation, sorry it's ending abruptly. Hope everything is ok?

 

I love that beer. I worry about packaging dates though. Any date or code on that bottle?

 

Best by this coming December, I believe.

 

Thanks, I think so. Summer vacation is usually built around visiting my wife’s family in Michigan, and the night we got there her dad out-ER’d me. Scrapped plans to leave kids with them for a week and headed home a night early to let them recover, and hopefully we’re headed back that way in a week for more vacationy stuff because it’ll mean there were no worse developments for him.

 

Having something from Incendiary tonight, Long Forgotten barleywine aged 24 months in Weller barrels. Love the wax



This bottle was filled to the very top, the cap came off without a whisper. (Edit: I see @Beersnake has the same experience!) A hard pour yielded a short showing of weak, big bubbles. Lots of smooth booze in the nose along with plenty of raisins and prunes. Very nice.

I taste the same, but while the booze is still smooth the fruit is kinda rough and prickly. Maybe a little too much oak at the back end? Still definitely enjoying this. The mouthfeel is a bit light.

 

Stone Brewing - Double Bastard

 

Appalachian Broad Street Barleywine



Interesting beer. A bit thin and the alcohol is on the light side- 8.7. Very sweet like candied sugar. Not my favorite but glad I got to try it after all these years. I really wish they'd package it; a year or so in the cellar might balance things out a bit.

 

Steel Toe Brewing - Before the Dawn black barleywine ale aged in rye whiskey barrels

I never know if I’m going to love or hate rye. I love this.

 

Saved this one for my BA review #5,000 - Suarez Family Brewing - Poet's Walk.

Brewed in 2020, released in 2023. This reminds me of aged JW Lees Harvest Ale. Great malt complexity - raisin, plum, butterscotch, a little pipe tobacco. But not overly sweet. Feel and carbonation is silky smooth from the bottle conditioning. Very enjoyable

 

I completed all my required tasks for today, which left me in the center of Titletown, USA, with a wallet full of gift cards to local breweries, the primary birthday gift I received this week. I drove around deciding which direction to go, but my instincts brought me home. For this beer. A wise decision.

 

My last Barrel Aged Nemesis (2022) by Founders. Hope they release this excellent barleywine again. Worth the trip to Grand Rapids to get a case. Cheers.

 

fresh pressed apples and candied walnuts; creaky old leather jacket and pipe tobacco. hadn't had this vintage (2017) before and it's in great shape for all its youthfulness. I think Calvados is consistently my favorite cask treatment JWL's does, followed by port.