Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2022)

Seems odd that this would be listed as a barleywine in the Beer Advocate database, when the other versions of Samichlaus are listed as Doppelbock. It's brewed as a lager, so Doppelbock makes the most sense.

 

it was barrel aged, maybe the BA was over powering the base beer.
I prefer Dual citizen over the Saint Paul BA winter warlock i had. I have gone back to dual citizen and had the Barleywine on tap twice in the last two weeks.

 

Somebody (you) noticed. I wonder if the style is correct too. It might be a super imperial
Schwarzbier or triple/quad Schwarzbier

 

Delicious. It’s very sweet, but not cloyingly so. My favorite Straightjacket variant.

 

Has anyone opened the new 2nd Shift/Perennial/TWCP BA Barleywine collab? I grabbed a 4-pack but haven't popped any yet.

 

Sweet Jesus that looks like perfection. This is how I want my barleywines to look

 

As the Roman numerals indicate, this one is from 2014. Just my opinion - but this bottle is from a better time for craft US barley wine... when an emphasis on malt, hops, fermentation and unnecessarily big bottles was used to sell a barley wine rather than wax, maple or barrel variety. It’s impossible to drink this and not feel like it’s a relic. This beer is certainly showing its age. Some would see this as degradation, while others would see this as enhancement. This one hits you with dark fruits and complementary ashy bitterness. It feels both dense and hollow in a contradictory manner. Barley wine is the ultimate celebratory beer. Happy Father’s Day weekend folks.

 

I have been hanging around in the Imperial Stout Appreciation thread, my faves, but Barleywines are a 2nd place, mostly cuz I dont see many. English or American? That was the question, I've had 13 American and 12 English, most have been Barrel Aged, some brewers "ad junk" to them, they have been excused from this. That being said, my vote is for "American", probably because Bigfoot and 3rd Coast are so damn good they didn't need the bourbon or "junk". Kudos to Crazy Mountain, their Lawyers, Guns and Money was my highest rated plain olde Engish Barleywine.
That being said, this was, and or is, my highest rated, Hailstorms BBA Arctic Ale..

4.4/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois

L: A dark reddish brown, minimal head, no lacing.
A: Dark fruit, molasses and bourbon.
T: Similar, to the aroma, a hint of coffee and alcohol, but its not overpowering. Sweet finish.
F: Medium bodied, minimal carbonation.
O: Solid beer from a Chicago area brewer.

 

Summit, Old Blaggard, 2019, 12oz bottle
My last bottle I think.
It's ok. it has a odd off flavor to it just like the bottle before it. Drink now might be a good idea.
Smells good. fig, booze
It has some toffee/caramel, hint of fig maybe. A odd fruit flavor. Maybe a hint of intoxication
oxidization. Rather smooth, ABV is semi well hidden.
3.87/5 today
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/467/189292/

 

Brew 5000 barleywine from Fremont

4.61/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Removing this brew from my “wants” list courtesy of @snaotheus in BIF14 , thank you!

Dated 4/1/2021, opened 6/18/2022

Ranked #9 on BA for the barleywine style

Brewers Notes: English-Style Barleywine Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels

Fremont Brewing began as a dream in 2008. Years later, our dream has come true in each and every one of you, our craft beer family. And like every family, we have had our ups and our downs, but we keep coming back together knowing we are stronger together. In your hands is a special nod to you, a gift for now that will continue to give many years from now should you have the patience to wait…Brew 5000. This English-style barleywine ale uses floor-malted English barley, Noble hops, and is aged in 10-15 year-old, single use bourbon barrels for 16 months to bring you a complex and subtle craft beer flavor experience. We brewed this to celebrate brewing our 5000th brew, and we look forward to sharing it with you, our craft beer family. “Barleywine Is Life." – You

Down & Dirty: Maris Otter Pale and Carafa 2 Special malts, White Wheat, with Magnum and US Goldings hops.

Color: Dark brown

Aroma: Brown sugar, vanilla, caramel, toffee and other sweet aromatics, with dried fruit and some stone fruit notes. Whiskey and oak linger in the background

Flavor: High sweetness, slightly bitter and definite lingering sweetness in a medium body with alcohol warmth and mouthwatering

Waxed and capped bottle poured into a spiegelau tulip snifter, dark brown/ruby red accented liquid with tiny streams of mice carbonation , fizzy taupe foam cap that quickly recedes to a ring

Aroma is sweet bourbon, tobacco, leather, raisins, dark fruits

Taste is sweet, brown sugar, bourbon soaked raisins, dark fruits , toffee. This is a sweet barleywine. The toffee flavor expands as the glass warms

Mouthfeel is slightly fizzy, syrupy, the sweetness lingers , the 12.2% abv is invisible

Oh my goodness, this is good, i will sleep with a smile on my face tonight , thank you @snaotheus