Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2023)

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by DIM, Jan 1, 2023.

Tags:
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 3 of 119
  1. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well, this is a big treat! Found some bottles of this beer in Texas earlier today. Although it's brewed in California, I haven't seen it for at least 5 years (probably more). This bottle is from September of 2020. I plan to age a few for a few years!

    The nose is fantastic. Toffee, citrus peel, prunes, candy, and some malts.

    The taste is so smooth. It's tough to compare this to Bigfoot, although it's an obvious comparison since they are both American barleywines from northern California! This is less hoppy. Still, the hops mostly consist of citrus peel flavors. Slight rhubarb, wood, cardboard, some toffee. Dry and medium bodied. An excellent American barleywine. I have tried these aged (for up to 10 years) and they only get better. I'm excited to open these over the years. Cheers!

    [​IMG]
     
    #41 Beersnake, Jan 6, 2023
    Gemini6, kemoarps, Shiredave and 28 others like this.
  2. Spade

    Spade Pooh-Bah (2,568) Mar 27, 2006 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I noticed the hops more than any other quality, but to be honest I was paying more attention to the Rose Bowl than the beer; Mrs. Spade is a PSU alum. I'm sure I'll have another soon and will try to post something more detailed. Looking forward to others' reviews in the meantime.
     
    #42 Spade, Jan 6, 2023
    Bitburger, GreenBayBA, CarolinaCardinals and 5 others like this.
  3. bring

    bring Zealot (730) Aug 17, 2005 Greenland
    Trader

    It’s glorious. Piney, resiny goodness. The standard for an American barleywine, in my view.
     
    #43 bring, Jan 6, 2023
    Bitburger, GreenBayBA, CarolinaCardinals and 5 others like this.
  4. BMBCLT

    BMBCLT Grand Pooh-Bah (3,427) May 9, 2014 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Green Bench/American Solera collaboration from 2017...

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    What an outstanding English-style Barleywine.

    Rum, wood, figs, prunes, pecans, raisins, black cherries, brown sugar, blackcurrants, toffee, dried apples, dates, tobacco, leather.

    This is a perfect beer. :sunglasses:

    Cheers! :beers:
     
    #44 BMBCLT, Jan 6, 2023
    tobelerone, puck1225, GreenBayBA and 19 others like this.
  5. DIM

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

    Cellar Cuvee 1 from Jackie O's, a blend of BA Dark Apparition and Wood Ya Honey, a BA wheatwine with honey. Strictly speaking this blend probably does not belong in the thread, but it's awesome and I feel like writing about it.[​IMG]

    These stout/barleywine blends can be hit or miss to me, this one might be my favorite so far. You love Jackie stouts @Resistance88 , ever had this? Or any other of these types of blends?

    It shouldn't surprise me that Jackie O's pulled this off so well, have a really large portfolio of stouts and barleywines to work with. Most breweries that try these blends don't, they're just throwing what they have together. Working with the massive toffee and bourbon base are milder notes of molasses and honey. There are also hints of chocolate and light nuttiness. This is just amazing.
     
    #45 DIM, Jan 6, 2023
    Bitburger, CBlack85, AlexIrigoyen and 23 others like this.
  6. DIM

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

    Daaaaaamn that sounds amazing. We need a drool emoji
     
    #46 DIM, Jan 6, 2023
    tobelerone, GreenBayBA, CarolinaCardinals and 6 others like this.
  7. BMBCLT

    BMBCLT Grand Pooh-Bah (3,427) May 9, 2014 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Oh man...definitely! Absolutely incredible beer. No drool emoji here, but Loudly Crying emoji is available. Because I highly doubt it'll be available again. :sob:

    Should've grabbed more than two, back in 2017.
     
    #47 BMBCLT, Jan 6, 2023
    Bitburger, GreenBayBA, CarolinaCardinals and 4 others like this.
  8. DIM

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

    There are some regrets in my cellar, but far more regrets that aren't in my cellar:anguished:
     
    #48 DIM, Jan 6, 2023
    Bitburger, GreenBayBA, CarolinaCardinals and 5 others like this.
  9. Pereza987

    Pereza987 Pundit (782) Nov 2, 2014 Florida
    Trader

    That is still widely considered one of the better barleywines to come out of the St. Pete/Tampa area and very few still exist. Glad you were able to enjoy one!
     
    #49 Pereza987, Jan 6, 2023
    GreenBayBA, Uberdachen, Davl22 and 3 others like this.
  10. BMBCLT

    BMBCLT Grand Pooh-Bah (3,427) May 9, 2014 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah

    Me too!

    Luckily, I was able to snag two bottles, back in 2017.
     
    #50 BMBCLT, Jan 6, 2023
    GreenBayBA, Uberdachen, Luscious_Malfoy and 1 other person like this.
  11. sulldaddy

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

    I took a few days off after a pretty solid week of drinking during the holidays. but it is time to get back at it. This is Barreled Souls Gimme the Munichwine, a 13.8% barleywine from Barreled Souls. probably my only post tonight, daughter has an indoor game tomorrow morning at 9 am. Wanted to share with the barleywine crew, especially after that munichwine conversation earlier.

    Onto my review:
    [​IMG]

    Sampling a cellar temp 500 ml bottle poured into my snifter. The beer was picked up at the brewery in October 2022 and has been in my cellar since. Bottled date is 5/25/2022.
    The beer pours a bright caramel color with a dense creamy beige head of 1.5 cm. This foam fades to a sturdy surface layer and very dense lattice when I swirl the glass. The beer looked clear during the pour but there is a ton of fine suspended sediment along with several active fine streams of carbonation.
    Aroma is toffee and brown sugar and some dark bread. I also get some light fruit notes mixing with a good dose of cloves and sweet spiciness. Not really any hop profile and the booze seems hidden on the nose. Definitely malt forward, the spicy cloves are a bit of a surprise.
    First sip reveals a medium body with a very creamy texture the rolls gently across my palate. Carbonation is very fine and slightly tingly, with a bit of fizziness if I let it sit in my mouth.
    Flavor reflects most of the nose but here I get some banana and lemon to go with the cloves. Was this done with Weiss yeast? The toffee and brown sugar mixes with light fruit and then the banana and cloves take over. Some black peppery bite rolls in on the finish. I attribute this to booze, not yeast. No accompanying warmth though.
    I enjoy the maltiness of this brew and am surprised by the cloves and banana, but it works pretty well as a combo. Enjoyable beer, sorta unique experience. Glad to have tried this one.
    4.08 in the BA DB
     
    #51 sulldaddy, Jan 7, 2023
    Bitburger, CBlack85, puck1225 and 18 others like this.
  12. DIM

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

    I remember being surprised by the banana in that one as well, I really enjoyed this one.
     
    #52 DIM, Jan 7, 2023
    GreenBayBA, Uberdachen, Davl22 and 2 others like this.
  13. mmmbeerNY

    mmmbeerNY Maven (1,369) Mar 5, 2014 New York

    I buy 6 pack SN Bigfoot every year for the last few, saw cases of 2023 today so now have 2020-2023 aging in basement. Think only drank a couple, not huge fan fresh, but want to do vertical someday
     
    #53 mmmbeerNY, Jan 7, 2023
    Bitburger, LSMroz, GreenBayBA and 6 others like this.
  14. Rug

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

    I hear many people say the cans are inferior, but I've only had Harvest in cans (at least the cask versions, I've had OG in bottle) and especially Port 2016 I think is a fantastic beer. I pick it up damn near every time I see it. Was your can a 2012 just like this bottle?
     
    #54 Rug, Jan 7, 2023
    Bitburger, tobelerone, GreenBayBA and 4 others like this.
  15. sulldaddy

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

    Back with another barleywine tonight. Jackie Os Iron Furnace11.2% barleywine with brown sugar and maple syrup and aged in bourbon barrels. this is a 2020 vintage. I think its my last beer of the night.

    onto my review:
    [​IMG]
    I am pouring a 2020 bottle at cellar temp into my snifter.
    The beer pours a dark cola brown color with almost no head, only a light surface cover of beige foam that quickly fades to the thinnest of edge layer.
    Aroma is big and robust with dark malts, dark cocoa, big bourbon notes and generally boozy. I also get a good dose of brown sugar and some maple syrup too. Not really any hop character on the nose.
    First sip reveals a medium body and very fine, gentle carbonation. Texture is a little sticky and I do get some coating on my palate and lips when I take each sip.
    Flavor is big and malty with brown sugar and bourbon mixing with a bit of dark chocolate and here I do get some black peppery booze bite on the finish. There is also a little bit of an oxidized note in the middle, that doesnt stick around much and is overshadowed by the brown sugar. Again, no hops at this point either.
    The beer drinks pretty easy and the booze is peppery but not hot or warming after the swallow.
    I am glad I tried this one and could see it being sweet for some tasters, but I enjoy it. I do wonder if the maple would be more dominant in a newer batch?
    4.14 in the BA DB
     
    #55 sulldaddy, Jan 8, 2023
    AlexIrigoyen, Bitburger, Beer_Economicus and 20 others like this.
  16. FBarber

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

    #56 FBarber, Jan 8, 2023
    AlexIrigoyen, Bitburger, tobelerone and 20 others like this.
  17. Hinda65

    Hinda65 Pooh-Bah (1,908) May 7, 2017 Utah
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    this has aged into something really nice for an American Barleywine..The hops are pretty much gone. there's a really mellow sweetness and nice fig and fruit flavor and plenty of booze. a big tough beer

    [​IMG]
     
    #57 Hinda65, Jan 8, 2023
    Bitburger, tobelerone, puck1225 and 17 others like this.
  18. DIM

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

    Tree of Life Vanilla Bean. I sat on this can for about a year hoping to mellow the vanilla a bit since some reviews suggest it is a bit over the top.

    [​IMG]

    Part of this is barrel aged, but they don't say how much. Sometimes I get a fair amount of barrel character from their blends, but not this one. Maybe just a little whiskey? Vanilla beans aren't among my favorite additions, but I have greatly enjoyed some stouts and barleywines with vanilla. This one just doesn't work for me though. It's pretty good up front with toffee, molasses, and strong but well incorporated vanilla. The vanilla builds in intensity, giving off a vanilla icing on a grocery store sheet cake vibe before a plastic note kicks in at the finish. Tough to finish this one.

    Final thought, I've had 6 other barleywines from TH that were all ranged from very good to outstanding. I look forward to more from them.
     
    #58 DIM, Jan 9, 2023
    Bitburger, AirBob, puck1225 and 16 others like this.
  19. Spade

    Spade Pooh-Bah (2,568) Mar 27, 2006 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Vanilla is a tough one for me. I enjoy a bit in a porter, but if it's even slightly overdone it's just gross. The beans are expensive, which might lead one to think that they would be used judiciously. Not always the case though.
     
    #59 Spade, Jan 9, 2023
    Bitburger, GreenBayBA, Rug and 4 others like this.
  20. DIM

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

    I love cooking with it though, the aroma is so intoxicating to me. I'm with you, easily overdone in beer.
     
    #60 DIM, Jan 9, 2023
    GreenBayBA, Rug, Uberdachen and 3 others like this.
Page 3 of 119
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.