Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2022)

Wasn’t planning on it but this thread is probably going to make me drink some barleywine today

 

Oof. Didn't know HotD did mail order. This is going to get expensive...

 

Hits all the expected notes — any maybe one or two unexpected ones. Caramel, vanilla, leather, raisin and even a hint of mint. Enjoyable to the point where I guess thanks are in order. Thanks, @DIM!

 

Would love to try this. Jackie O's beers tend to be a little pricey, but they're always worth it.

 

Not cheap, but a lot cheaper than BCBBW and many other barleywine. They ship to VA if you’re up for a splurge.

 

I don't think this beer has been mentioned yet in this thread - North Coast Old Stock Ale. Its a good one, but harder to find nowadays than years ago. I know its labeled as an Old Ale, but I think the line is pretty blurry with barleywine considering they are normally lower in abv, but Old Stock is over 11%. Pulled out a 10 year old bottle from the cellar on this chilly night.

 

As good as usual. I appreciate this beer for simply being available, but it never really clicked with me in a big way even though I think it’s good. I’d be happy if Bell’s reverted back to the lower ABV old recipe of it that they sold as a “Scottish ale” before they turned it into a strong ale. Having two bottles in one sitting today and being able to settle in with it probably gave me my best experience with it though.

 

Old Stock is a good beer, but have you had the Old Stock Reserve? It's funny, for as good as the original is, it pales in comparison to the reserve (2013 - bourbon barrel) to me, which is in my top 10 beers of all time

 

I voted the one about them being equal, because it really depends on the product - but as a general observation, I've noticed that most of my English barleywines are barreled-aged, but the American-style barleywines aren't necessarily...?

Really looking forward to my 2022 Bigfoot now lol...

Yes! lol - sorry @zid lol - I haven't gotten this every year, but maybe the past few (?), and it's always been rewarding... Rich and shellacky, some fruit and pine and tack...

 

Yes, but only once due to the price tag.

Ageed, I drank a bottle of the 2013 vintage in 2017 that was excellent

 

I have a couple of these. I like how the bottles say “best by 2034”

 

That must be a relatively new thing? The only dating the ones I have are the release year on the label.

 

Because of this thread, the OCD in me had to know: have I had Bigfoot every year?

Literally the oldest beer pic I have, from 9/2/12

So I guess that makes it my first beer pic? What're the chances that Bigfoot would be in my first ever? Yeah, so anyway, even though I joined in August of 2010, I think my first posts (pictureless) might've been in early-to-mid 2012 - I only started taking pics (with a small digital camera) in Fall of 2012... Barleywines and other high grav beers were strongly featured in my first few years --> 6/13/12 was the first time I had and reviewed Bigfoot...

2013

First time I had a barrel-aged one...

--> Had to upload this ^ photo off my portable SSD - prolly one of the ones trapped forever in my dead Photobucket account lol

2014

Check!

2015

Didn't have, or couldn't find a pic of, the regular 2015 Bigfoot...

2016

But ticked that 2015 during this side-by-side in 2016 anyway...

2017

Check!

2018
??? What the hell happened here??? lol

2019

Check!

2020

Check!!

2021

Check!!!

 

And today, 2022, (I hit my picture limit in the previous the post lol!)

Great beer, great barleywine - cheers, BA (BarleywineAdvocate )...

 

Then we get into style blurring.

Just finished reviewing Unrefined Shugga.
Lagunitas calls it a Strong Ale on the label, but refers to it as a Barleywine on the website.

After drinking it I'm going with a heavily Americanized barley wine

 

It is solid, had it at the brewery on tap a number of years ago. Also very English in style.
As an all around brewery, Jackie O's always knocks it out of the park!

Cheers

 

YUM!

Nothing more to add to that!