Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2023)

Time for something Massive! from @Beersnake1 , thanks Tim! I tried 7 different barrel vanities from 2020 and enjoyed them all, now having Islay Scotch 2022.



Peated Scotch isn't my favorite but I thought the super intense caramel of Massive! might work well with smoked, salty seaweed and I was right. The barrels don't dominate, instead they are welcome accents, showing themselves most prominently at the finish. Caramel candies up front and that's pretty much it but I love it. The finish adds leafy hops, smoke, and salt. Does anybody make smoked sea salt candy caramel candy? I want some and I hope they are as good as this.

 

Really looking forward to trying this one...

 

Thanks! My sister and her family live near the Deerfield location so I have a pretty regular hook-up. Got a couple in fridge now.

 

In Pittsburgh to watch the Phils, did some shopping at East End.




Love this pic on their wall, wish I could have been there!

 

I decided to reacquaint myself with the original Gratitude before opening any of the barrel aged varieties. I've only tried it twice and these 5-month-old cans are by far the freshest I've had. It's an absolutely perfect day here so I was enjoying this outside when I unfortunately put the glass down on an uneven patch of ground and toppled it after drinking only three or four ounces. Before that tragic turn of events, intense caramel, bananas foster, light pine, and tangy citrus were making for a wonderful afternoon alongside a good book under a shady tree. What a great barleywine! Better than Bigfoot fresh to me, though the missing link ages better.



Going to have to console myself with a barreled can soon I suppose.

 

3 ounces of barleywine isn't enough so I'm back with another, this time on a flat, stable surface. Going for a rum barrel Gratitude, apparently new for 2023.



Straight out of the fridge this did not stand up to the regular Gratitude that I so tragically wasted. This is a good deal murkier and much of the nuance was lost, all I got was caramel and brown sugar. As the temperature warmed, so did my feelings towards this one. The bananas foster note came out, the rum became more discernible, and I'm getting a very nice woody coconut note now. Rum barrels aren't my favorite, but this one is working extremely well.

Kicking myself for only buying 1 pack each of the 4 varieties they had. Hope I have a chance to get a lot more next year. This could do wonders for my barleywine budget at $20/pack. Not quite Central Waters caliber or pricing, pretty damn close.

 

What the hell, why not have 2.25 barleywines today? They package them sensibly in 12 oz cans for just this purpose right? Bourbon barrel next, had one of these around 4 years ago.



Again, the caramel is wonderfully intense here. Lots of candly-like citrus as well but I can't find much of the sweet banana note from the other two. I get some nice vanilla and plenty of the brownest of the brown liquors. The finish has the strongest bitterness of the 3 so far but it's a nice way to close this one out. Overall this a damn fine barrel aged American barleywine priced right at $20 a pack and I should have bought more dammit.

So far Original is tops, then this, then rum. All worth having though. Rye tomorrow probably.

 

Yeah I should have bought more dagnabit. Hope I get a chance to stock up next year.

 

Rounding out my Gratitudes with a can of the rye barrel variety tonight, back to being an ingrate afterward I suppose. Glad I bought a pack of each but I wouldn't mind having more.



This is very similar to the bourbon barreled can I had last night. Tons of caramel plus plenty of sweet citrus and that hint of banana again. I'm getting some pineapple tonight as well. The whiskey is prominent here as well with a bit less vanilla and a bit more wood and/or spice. Another great one priced absurdly well at $20/pack. Got to go back for more next year.

 

Nice, glad you enjoyed that one Tim! Peaches are my favorite fruit in beer by far.