Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2022)

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by DIM, Jan 4, 2022.

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Which type of Barleywine do you prefer?

  1. American

    97 vote(s)
    17.0%

  2. English

    295 vote(s)
    51.8%

  3. That's like asking me to choose my favorite child, I love them all!

    162 vote(s)
    28.5%

  4. Neither, if Barleywine is life then life has no meaning.

    15 vote(s)
    2.6%
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  1. Blogjackets

    Blogjackets Grand Pooh-Bah (4,816) Nov 22, 2017 Ohio
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    The Elder Barleywine at Bullfrog Brewery in Williamsport, PA. Cheers!

    [​IMG]
     
    #881 Blogjackets, Jul 7, 2022
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  2. sulldaddy

    sulldaddy Grand Pooh-Bah (5,716) Apr 6, 2003 Connecticut
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Back with a wheatwine, which I think fits the barleywine appreciation thread criteria. But maybe Ill get a finger smack from someone for this post. Anyway this is Goose Island small batch #02, part of my English Premier League winnings and sent by illustrious @FBarber THANK YOU!

    onto my review:
    [​IMG]
    Sampling this 1 pt 8fl oz bottle at cellar temp and poured into my snifter. Bottle is date stamped best beforeBeer is courtesy of @FBarber . thank you!
    The beer pours a rich, clear mahogany color with some garnet highlighting when held up to a light source.
    A minimal dense fizzy beige head foams up about 1 cm and fades fairly quickly to nothing.
    Aroma is toffee, caramel, a lot of brown sugar and some bourbon and dark fruit. The dark fruit is fig and raisin. No hops and only a little bit of boozy fusol warmth on the nose. No real hop character anywhere.
    First sip reveals a medium to big body with slightly sticky and syrupy texture. A little coating on my lips and palate each mouthful. I get very minimal carbonation, almost nothing to be honest.
    Flavor is toffee and brown sugar and booze soaked raisins and figs mixing with a little bourbon and some fusol warmth. The warmth doesnt linger nor burn my throat, and there are no hop characters that I detect either.
    This is a great malt forward wheatwine with just enough bourbon notes to remind you it is barrel aged and also only gives hints of the booziness that lies in the bottle.
    Very glad to have tried this one and would certainly drink this tasty brew again!
    4.43 in the BA DB
     
    #882 sulldaddy, Jul 8, 2022
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  3. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Wheatwines fit, your fingers are safe. How was your trip?
     
    #883 DIM, Jul 8, 2022
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  4. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well I sullied the stout thread with a beer cocktail yesterday, I think I'll do the same here today. Every year during peach season I rest various peach varieties in Maker's Mark for 3 to 4 months. The end result is good straight up or works well as a mixer, the peach flavors are wonderfully intense. I still have a bit left from last year's batch. I find that a small measure in 4 to 5 oz of Bigfoot is a nice refreshing treat. @SierraTerence please consider stealing this idea, Bigfoot, bourbon, and peaches are made to go together. I'll buy cases.

    [​IMG]

    Just beer from now on, I swear.
     
    #884 DIM, Jul 9, 2022
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  5. puboflyons

    puboflyons Grand Pooh-Bah (4,299) Jul 26, 2008 New Hampshire
    Pooh-Bah

    I picked number 3 - I love them all. If I could find a brand new Barleywine each week I would be very happy.

    In my area, and I expect in other areas too, Barleywines are only available for a few months per year and usually brewed by the same breweries each year. Sometimes I'll buy two so I can have the first one fresh and the second one later in the year when they're not so easy to find.

    Whenever I go to brewfests, the first samples I look for are always the Barleywines.
     
    #885 puboflyons, Jul 9, 2022
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  6. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm in the same boat, availability is limited here too. I've had to resort to mail order to scratch my barleywine itch. Cheers:beers:
     
    #886 DIM, Jul 9, 2022
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  7. sulldaddy

    sulldaddy Grand Pooh-Bah (5,716) Apr 6, 2003 Connecticut
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Boneshire in Harrisburg on Derry Street has 22oz bombers of barleywine avail for $10.
    Ill be reviewing soon. My buddy liked the draft pour of it.
    Im leaving PA today with one last fuel up stop at Breskis.
    More barleywines to come.
     
    #887 sulldaddy, Jul 9, 2022
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  8. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Another from my Jackie O's box, Rye Barrel Brick Kiln. So glad they deliver to PA.

    [​IMG]

    This is right up there with the bourbon barrel version, both are better than the rum barrel version. On the sweet side for sure but balanced and complex enough to be far from cloying. More caramel and less cocoa than I recall from the 2020 bourbon barrel version. But the raisin, leather, brown sugar, and vanilla all seem familiar if a bit muted by a rye bread note overall and a lightly nutty bitter spice at the finish. As is usual from this brewery, the carbonation is light and unobtrusive. These folks have barleywine dialed in.
     
    #888 DIM, Jul 9, 2022
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  9. Resistance88

    Resistance88 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,462) Apr 9, 2015 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    At Smog City
    Will report back tomorrow cuz ima get bent after this
    The Single Barrel is a brewery only Garrison Brothers Balmohrea Bourbon Barrel batch
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    #889 Resistance88, Jul 10, 2022
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  10. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Damn that is a helluva lineup.
     
    #890 DIM, Jul 10, 2022
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  11. Resistance88

    Resistance88 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,462) Apr 9, 2015 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    The 2017 and 2016 were garbage( not my style ) just plain awful. Tastes like kindergarten paint :nauseated_face:

    2022 and 2015 blew my socks off, but the 2015 was so god damned smooth . It's the best barleywine i have ever had. Ever.

    Still waiting for the 2022 single barrel to warm up.

    Managed to grab the last Balmorhea bottle they have on site . They said theres more somewhere just not here
     
    #891 Resistance88, Jul 10, 2022
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2022
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  12. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Had my favorite kind of day today. Nothing scheduled, no itinerary, and perfect weather. We just spent the day hiking and biking along the Susquehanna River, letting the kids explore where they wanted to. Now they're in bed and I have some quiet time with the last:sob: book in the Expanse series. The perfect end to the perfect day calls for the right beer. Couldn't decide so I followed the lead of @Resistance88

    [​IMG]


    Not going write anything up on this tonight, except to say it was the right call. Except for the damn wax. Cheers BA:beers:
     
    #892 DIM, Jul 11, 2022
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  13. sulldaddy

    sulldaddy Grand Pooh-Bah (5,716) Apr 6, 2003 Connecticut
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Sounds like a great day!
    Im on book 3 in the Expanse series and often am reading with barleywine in hand as well!
    I did like my Smog City bottle too!
     
    #893 sulldaddy, Jul 11, 2022
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  14. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    You seem like a good dude, hope we can share a beer one day!
     
    #894 DIM, Jul 11, 2022
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  15. CarolinaCardinals

    CarolinaCardinals Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,231) Jun 11, 2003 North Carolina
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Picked up a 12 oz bottle of Firestone Walker's Tequila Barrel Sunrise when visiting PHX this spring. Using Helldorado Blonde Barleywine as the base, the barrel, orange peel, and hibiscus meld beautifully together forming a nice beer cocktail. Rated it a 4.25.
    Cheers!
    Tom

    [​IMG]
     
    #895 CarolinaCardinals, Jul 12, 2022
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  16. Rug

    Rug Grand Pooh-Bah (3,454) Aug 20, 2018 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Damn, I was off the forums for a bit over a week and @zid was on a roll! Good stuff man, I just picked up a 2018 Port Cask JW Lees, which will be the freshest I've ever had it when I decide to crack it some time in the next few weeks
     
    #896 Rug, Jul 12, 2022
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  17. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    North Coast Old Stock Ale 2020 aged in brandy barrels. I was lucky enough to try the first batch over 14 years ago. It was amazing but expensive, especially for that era. I found these online for $5 each! If this is ever distributed in my area I am buying a case.


    [​IMG]


    The brandy is prominent but the honey, brown sugar, cherry, and caramel hold their own. The finish adds a subtle oak bite and vanilla. Marvelous beer and a bargain to boot!
     
    #897 DIM, Jul 14, 2022
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  18. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Bottle Logic Flesh to Stone. Barleywine aged in peach brandy barrels with fresh peaches.

    I usually ignore this kind of nonsense.

    [​IMG]

    But my non-barleywine loving wife was intrigued.

    [​IMG]

    The peach is subtle, but this is working for me overall. I get rich brandy which pairs wonderfully with the base barleywine which shines bright with toffee, brown sugar, and subtle raisin. Like I said, the peach is mild. It's reminiscent of those sour peach candy rings. I love those things. I'd like to taste more peach, but I have to say this is damn good as is. The wife doesn't care for it, more for me!
     
    #898 DIM, Jul 15, 2022
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  19. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,325) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Oh damn, that sounds amazing.
     
    #899 FBarber, Jul 15, 2022
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  20. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I envisioned a couple of ways this could go sideways, coming across like peach schnapps or peach Snapple. Happily that didn't happen.
     
    #900 DIM, Jul 15, 2022
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