Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2024)

Pig Minds Brewing - stray barrel project - flitch - barrel aged English barleywine rested 26 months in 12 year van winkle lot b bourbon barrels

Well, this was downright tasty. It wasn’t flat but so thick that the bubbles had to fight like hell, I think. Deep and rich, made me take it nice and slow. Good stuff.

 

Having a Casita Brewing BBA Barleywine, getting major dark fruit notes along with some toffee in the aspirations. For as long as this was barreled, the impartation was more balancing than flavorful.
Cheers!
Tom

 

This is a More Brewing collaboration with Goose Island. Double barrel barleywine aged 18 months in Elijah Craig rye then 10 year white grape Brandy barrels for 11 months. Hell yeah.



First, this is one of those super sexy sticky barleywines where the legs are still sliding seductively down the sides a minute after you put the glass down.

What a great combination of barrels! The Brandy is more noticeable in the aroma, but there is some brown liquor and plenty of caramel-y goodness. Smells great but it tastes even better.

The grape notes add an interestingly vibrant layer to an already great barrel aged barleywine. There are just so many layers of warm, sticky goodness here. The booze, the molasses and caramel, the toasty vanilla marshmallow, the booze soaked grape pie, and so much more. This is a helluva great beer.

 

2SP “ST. Seditious “!

 

This Banger courtesy of @snaotheus. Details in NBW# 231

 

On a positive note, I went to Burlington Beer Company yesterday and there were 3 barley wines on the menu!
I tried all 3 and they were yummy!
The one on the right was dark due to the maple syrup they added.

 

2023 Father Time from River North. My last beer from my Tavour days. Liking this more now than I remember, but it’s pretty hot (16%). Big butterscotch and caramel here. I’m guessing this would age well for 5-10 years, but I’m trying to drink down everything that’s been sitting

 

Boulevard/3 floyds- Deep Flux - pale barleywine ale

Having some port/brandy-aged cheese and this seemed like it’d go well. It does. It also would’ve gone well if I was eating like, mustard and Christmas light shards. But I’m not, and all the things are delicious. Minus a millionth of a point for excessive floaties. Plus many millionths of points for being tasty.

 

Humble Forager/Forager Brewing collab Elm 33mo BBA English Barleywine, 14% ABV. Pours thick and black with a ring of brown bubbles. Aroma is bourbon, fig, and vanilla. Taste is bourbon, fig, vanilla, chocolate, and caramel, quite sweet, faintly bitter. Excellent mouthfeel, overall world class. Nicely complex, drink slowly, let it warm.

4.77/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

F'ing incredible, now my 7th favorite beer. Hopefully they come out with this one more often. Currently it's only available in their 5th Anniversary mixed pack. I'll have to buy more packs ($35 a pack though). I have two left to try from the pack (one BBA stout, one BBA barleywine), and then the two bombers one BBA stout, one BBA barleywine).

 

Thought I'd take a moment on the Christmas Eve and wish all of you BA's a giant Bah Humbug!

 

^^ the other night, very enjoyable


Tonight:

This thing is drinking a lot like a North Coast old stock ale right now. Good stuff.

 

Humble Forager/Barrel Theory collab Cedar 33mo BBA English Barleywine, 14% ABV. Pours thick and black with a slight ring of bubbles. Aroma is bourbon, dark fruit, brown sugar, and roast malt. Taste is quite sweet dark fruit, caramel, and chocolate. Excellent mouthfeel, overall world-class.

4.55/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Another incredible BBA Barleywine from Humble Forager, this one without any add-junks, unless bourbon is an add-junk.

 

Dubuisson Brewery (Belgium) ‘Bush de Noël.
12% ABV, decent nose, bit of spice, nice kick.