A Barley Wine for Every Day

That label reminds me that my Uncle Larry is coming up for the holidays.

 

Gulden Draak

Now's the time when I head to the Continent again to see what's going on. There's a commercial description of this beer that states: "The English call this type of beer a Barley Wine" but the sentence following that states: "Gulden Draak smells of triumph." Can I sue them if it doesn't? The point of me drinking this beer now is that I've never had it in this context and I thought it would be good to have it within a different framework. The problem with this particular beer is that it seems to be heavily corrupted from oxidation. It was purchased from the fridge of an acclaimed store, but so it goes. There is no bottle dating that I am aware of. I've enjoyed this beer immensely in the (distant) past, but not today. It actually does resemble a typical barley wine in ways, but deviates in two. It's tall, rocky (but quickly fleeting) head, and the candy quality that I get from tripels.



De Dolle Stille Nacht

Going for the second in the Belgian pair. I went with this beer because I recalled Fal Allen and Dick Cantwell mention it in relation to barley wines. I've had this beer before and remember it being heavy and rich (for a pale ale). It's listed here as a Belgian strong pale ale and I'd completely agree with that grouping. The beer looks like hazy apple juice (and recalls it in flavor too). The distinctive head is made up of large bubbles. The beer is so unmistakably "Belgian" in character that I can't really consume it within a "barley wine" light. Feels like the biggest misfit in the group even if it's a decadent beer... and a sipper. At least it's totally appropriate for the season.

 

George Gale's Prize Old Ale

You're always in for a treat when "the Bros" rate a beer in the 90s and the masses rate it in the 70s. This beer is no holds barred... and in the atmosphere of "extreme beer," it puts most others to shame (so much so, that it wins no fans within the consumer group that oughta embrace it). This might be a 2001 bottle. I don't know and I don't really trust the store. At one point, some level of production was moved to Fuller's, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's no longer on a burner there. It would be great if someone can confirm. This bottle (I'm pretty sure) predates that. The beer is not quite black and without carbonation. It tastes of dark cherries and has a tartness that runs through it. If one can forgive a bad comparison, it's leatherish. The beer has more in common with a health tonic, port, or balsamic vinegar than it does with Bass or Bud. It actually bears more similarity to the Eisbocks than the barley wines I've opened, but it's in its own class. If drinking this is like looking into the past of British brewing, then we should hope that Fuller's keeps a little torch lit for it. I couldn't resist including a bottle of this in the group, because there's nothing else like it in what I had accumulated.

 

Had a few ounces of Samichlaus on tap the day before Christmas Eve - a great bonus to the chore of a last minute gift purchase, and an appropriate time for this beer. I've never seen this on tap before. I love this beer. So smooth, so clean. At 14%, it is the supreme champ at "hiding" the alcohol.

 

Ballantine Burton Ale "reincarnated"

Christmas Day beer - and adorned for the role. I take reincarnations with a grain of salt, but had good expectations for this beer because I found the new Ballantine IPA to be so characterful. The text on the bottle is misleading - and disappointingly so. It mentions that the beer was first brewed in the 30s and aged for up to 20 years in oak. It then states that they are excited to share the reincarnation of this rare brew. While it's not claiming that this new beer was aged for any number of years, it's not shying away from implying it.

I was disappointed in this beer. It's a strange color... reminds me of amontillado. It's clear. Unlike the gorgeous head of the IPA, this beer barely produced one. The beer hits with a heavy sweetness. After the initial sweetness, there's a bitterness that surfaces. It's not really cohesive. The problem is that this is all on a canvas of alcohol burn. I still think it's fantastic that a "non-craft" American brewer is heading down the revival road and producing such a strong beer in a six pack. I look forward to trying the remaining Burton Ales in the pack in 2016.

 

Speakeasy Old Godfather

What I like about Speakeasy is the way they feature an old-school bitterness in their beers... and they make it work. Unsurprisingly, this beer doesn't deviate from that mold. It's unashamedly an "American barley wine." More approachable than Bigfoot, it's very good but not quite what I'm looking for in a barley wine. A treat nonetheless.

 

Founders Curmudgeon

Why didn't they name this beer Old Curmudgeon? I seesaw on this beer whenever I have it. Sometimes I think it's great, other times, not so much. This time, I was in the latter position. The flavor shows it's exposure to wood. There's caramel and slight vanilla. It's sweet and a bit harsh.

 

Some beers have been added to the lineup. Some of these were generously sent by members of this site.

 

Coronado 18th Anniversary

An American IPA. With the previously mentioned strange notion that an IPA somehow "turns into" a barley wine with age, I wanted to include an IPA without ambiguity. If one subscribes to the notion that a barley wine isn't a style, but rather, a designation of strength amongst the English ales, then I guess an IPA could be a barley wine with or without age. In my case, I have certain expectations with IPAs and others with barley wines. At 10% ABV, this beer certainly qualifies in the strength department. It's at least a year old. The experience is pure IPA. Of course, with hops like Citra, the deck might be stacked. The beer tastes of peach and (mainly) orange. There is a great complimentary bitterness. It's a big pet peeve when folks call an "old" IPA a "malty mess." This beer is not malty and it is not a mess (but it is delicious). Despite its age, it is an experience that highlights hops, and I hope for an experience that highlights malt when drinking a barley wine.

 

Uinta Anniversary

This is a great beer. It is just past its best by date. I have no idea if Uinta dates this beer according to 4 months or 4 years of shelf life. The malt character is well done and provides depth. The bittering hops are a bit too much and slightly off-putting. It has a fantastic head.

 

Yeah, I wonder if they changed it to avoid confusion or if the old layout was playing with the words on purpose.

 

Whew. I had to post a half dozen beers today in order to get up to speed for a New Beer Sunday post. I have to maintain the honest order even if it matters to no one.

This beer goes out to @NolaHopHead




Hair of the Dog Adam... From The Stone!

I've had Adam before, but I've never had this version of it. It's partially made (or aged?) in a concrete egg. Yes, you read that right. Concrete is more commonly used in wine making than beer. This is listed here as an old ale, and it has the characteristics that I love in certain old ales, but it isn't an old ale... it's an Adambier... or is it? Adambier is an old German beer style that some say resembled a super-Altbier. Some say it was a sour beer. Most agree that it was aged for a long time. Does Adam actually resemble an old Adambier? Who knows? Limited with the style options on this site, it does fit the old ale classification here pretty well in terms of the experience that it provides.

The head on this beer is incredibly persistent. It's wonderful. It's also a very pleasant surprise since Hair of the Dog has had some carbonation issues with their beers. The beer is near black. The initial taste is of a strong bitter dark chocolate. The bittering hops and the malt combine to provide an odd burnt flavor. This flavor alternates between inviting and off-putting. The depth here is great. There is no sourness for me. The beer drinks as if there was age on it, but it was bottled this year. I would love to try this beer if it was well-kept for a long time.

Even more than that, I would LOVE to try "Little Dog" Adam. This is a 3.5% beer made from the second runnings of Adam. Parti-gyle brewing does make me think of barley wines even if the process was used for much more than just that.

How different is concrete egg Adam from normal Adam? I can't say. It's been a long time since I've had Adam. Adam From The Stone didn't deviate from my memories of Adam. Perhaps a side-by-side would reveal major or minor differences. Regardless, I would love to buy Adam From The Stone in an affordable and readily-available six-pack... but until that time comes, I doubt I'll be drinking this fantastic beer again anytime soon. Too bad.