Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2024)

I’m totally with you on Bigfoot. It’s a treasure. But regarding “4% USA” beer, look around because it certainly exists.

 

Kuhnhenn BIG Bertha Chocolate Caramel Love Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine Ale

As mentioned above, I bought this one with some apprehension, but the relatively low price tag and reputation of the brewer lured me in against my better judgement. I wish I’d trusted my instincts.

This 2022 bottle pours a very murky, blood-red tinted dark brown with a minuscule tan head that instantly rocket fizzes away to nothing. Small tan floaters bob along the surface.

The aroma isn’t particularly pleasant. It’s old caramel, old chocolate, and gives an almost spoiled impression. There’s a distant nuttiness to the smell, too.

The taste is again dominated by old caramel and chocolate with maybe some orange behind. The caramel sweetness is pretty intense, and not particularly pleasant. The nuttiness isn’t as strong as in the nose, but there’s definitely some walnut in there, too; again, tasting a bit past the expiration date. There’s some strong grape jelly blended in with the caramel, as well.

The mouthfeel is oily with soft carbonation and comes across slick and pretty thin.

Overall, this reminds me of taking a bunch of Cadbury eggs that you bought and forgot about for several years, and blending them into a glass of water with a square of chocolate orange and heaping tablespoon or two of Welch’s jelly.

I think I liked it less than @Beersnake. Not sure if I’m going to finish it. Not recommended.

 

Sometimes age is not good to a classic. Other times it most definitely is. This classic is still sublime. 2011

 

Glad I quit Tavour, I would have bought at least one of those.

 

Kros Strain Double Barrel Barrelywine: Volume 10 - Maple, Barleywine, 13% ABV. Barrels are Buffalo Trace and BLiS Maple Bourbon. Pours deep-brown, with a one-finger brown head that left no lacing. Aroma is bourbon and maple. Taste is bourbon, maple, and barley, moderately sweet, slightly bitter. Decent mouthfeel, overall outstanding. Definitely let this one warm.

4.42/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is the third Kros Strain BA Barrelywine Barleywines I've had and they've all been incredible. Three more to review.

 

STL Perennial Vermillion. Always great.

 

Having another in a loooong line of delicious barleywines from @Beersnake tonight. Brasserie Atrium's Reserva barleywine aged in Old Forester barrels for 7 months. Thanks Tim!



Opened at cellar temp and this was a gusher! Nothing else wrong with this one fortunately, it's really nice. Plenty of dried plums, raisins, and caramel at work but this doesn't come across as sweet. The bourbon notes are prominent but well incorporated. I also found lighter notes of Kings syrup, baking spices, and some praline style nuttiness. Best before 12/26, not sure how fresh this is. Really enjoyed this, thanks again Tim!

 

Alesmith - 2021 Dark
Bought this for my wife who loves Barleywine ( imagine that) at Brewery and opened last night at some bourgeois art event.
She had one sip , made a face and handed it to me.
I made the same face but slammed it

 

Does she like English or American barleywines?

 

Your review mentioned a LOT of head that was slow to dissipate when poured at fridge temp. I don't like to read up on a beer before I try it but I should have this time! Just glad it wasn't an infection issue, this was a good one.

 

Wanted this so bad but missed out

 

Yesterday, I hit this big boy from Varietal. I had meant to post it on the NBW thread, but I got distracted by my screwed up back.

Initially, it seemed like a crudely sweet booze bomb, but I gave it the favor of allowing it to warm up a bit, and it became much better. Surprisingly refined for an American barley wine that was brewed in 2022 and canned in 2023.

 

Barrel aged Nemesis. Cheers.

 

I still pick up a six pack of Bigfoot every year. Having one now (bottled 1/19/24) and it’s great and a little bitter, which is never a bad thing.

 

well, i couldn’t wait to get into this after seeing a few posts on it. i can see this being a divisive beer and while i am a pretty notorious high rater (what can i say - i love beer!), i found this to be pretty odd and off putting.

lots of chocolate and caramel as advertised as well as some bourbon oak presence but the base beer gives off tart raspberry flavors and aromas that i’m just not into. not terrible, i’m sure i’ve had worse, but i feel like kuhnhenn is better than this. cheers!!

 

Kros Strain Double Barrel Barrelywine Volume 10 - VSOP, Barleywine, 13% ABV. Barrels are Buffalo Trace Bourbon and Cognac. Pours darkest brown with a one-finger medium brown head that left no lacing. Aroma is bourbon and cognac/wine. Flavor is a real impressive combination of bourbon and the wine of the cognac, moderately sweet, slightly tart, slightly bitter, leaving sticky lips. Excellent mouthfeel, overall world-class. Best barleywine I've had.

4.76/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 5

If I lived in Omaha I would be heading to Kros Strain for more, and doing this review after. Should have bought more, but I had no idea which ones I'd like best. This is now my 7th highest-rated beer.

 

Kros Barrelywine Volume 9: Bourbon

Joining the Kros Barrelywine party with a 13% ABV version advertised as a “Barleywine Style Ale Aged in a Blend of Bourbon Barrels for 24 Months.” It’s my first beer from this brewer.

Volume 9 pours a red-hued dark brown color with a finger of khaki head that quickly fizzes away into a wisp and crown. Leopard spot lacing melts away in face of thick, viscous sheet-like alcohol legs.

Molasses dominates the nose, with some vanilla, caramel and anadama bread behind.

The same elements carry to the taste, where they’re joined by a strong berry and port wine sweetness. There’s also a hint of acidity I don’t expect from the style, but just a hint. Vanilla and dark molasses are what linger in the aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is thick, oily and chewy.

This beer is enjoyable. Definitely on the dark side for a barleywine, and not quite as euphoric as other reviews of the series had me hoping, but a strong enough showing to have me seek out other examples. @bbtkd, that Volume 10 sounds delicious.