Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2024)

What was the story behind this?
It's odd to see Anchorage embrace another brewer using their brand. "Anchorage" is even more prominently written on the label than "Tired Hands." This isn't just a simple case of the usual "with our good friends in this collaborative industry" malarkey.

@DIM

 

This strikes me as a strange collaboration as well and I would love to know how it came about. They did four different versions, a two-year bourbon barrel, a 4-year bourbon barrel, a 4-year rum barrel, and a blend of the four-year rum and bourbon barrels. They were all released in September and none sold quickly. The rum barrel version is still for sale online. Prices were $35-$60.

Tired Hands definitely went their own way with these. The Brewer at Anchorage is on record as saying he is not a fan of extended time barrel aging, preferring shorter durations in multiple barrels. I don't believe the quad barrel () versions spent 48 months combined in their various barrels.

I'm guessing Tired Hands put up substantial money for the right to do this one? Anchorage has a lot invested in the branding and I have to say these bottles look great. Since this was four years in the making, I wonder if they have more barrels for later releases?

I bought the 24 and 48 month Bourbon barrel versions but only opened the latter so far. It was excellent, but I won't buy any more in the series.

 

Oh hai, I think I know most of the backstory behind this. I recall Jean (owner of Tired Hands) talking about this collab back in 2020. Then along came the Ratmagnet revelations that Jean is a dickhead and Jean actually stepped down from running the brewery for a time. Being an entitled rich boy, he eventually stepped back up as though nothing had happened, and these beers were released. However, he's pretty well tarnished the named of Tired Hands to any who pay attention or care about who makes their beer, and I don't believe Anchorage ever acknowledged the existence of these TH collabs when they were released. Since Jean's wife and co-owner of TH is a lawyer, I'm guessing Anchorage didn't want to bother with fighting over the situation and allowed them to be released.

I had a pour of one of these TH ADWTD collabs at the Toronado barleywine fest, and it was trash.

 

I rarely have a barley wine these days, but picked these up last fall based on other beers I’ve had from them. Glad I did. Malty and the 11% alcohol is present but not overpowering. A nice sipper.

Brewery Faisan - The Stump Barley Wine
Brewed with honey. I don’t know that I can tell that it is, but maybe a little. Not hoppy at all, which is a nice difference from Bigfoot. I’ll be looking for it again next fall.

 

I love that version of Gratitude. Need to get some more.

 

Nogne O Charley Noble Whiskey Barleywine. A barrel-aged English barleywine. On Norway's national day.

 

SP / PP DB Reverb. this was incredible. super balanced. lots of whiskey barrel, chocolate and caramel. thick mouthfeel. really diggin it. cheers!!

 

Last night I drank a 22oz bottle of 3 Sheeps Deeply Rooted, 2023 @ 12.2% ABV. First beer of the night. So not disrespecting/wasting beer drinking it by while being half or + wasted. This might not be a big whale but the bottle still deserves respect. I sipped on this one for almost 2 hours.

This is a very good beer. Very smooth and easy drinking. The ABV is rather well hidden. I consider the barrel to be rather mild. Nice typical English style flavors. The hop notes are rather low. Nice smooth malty somewhat thick and slightly creamy mouth feel. I would put this one in the 4.35 to 4.5/5 range. The 2nd best Barley Wine I have drank that's brewed in Wisconsin this year.

Lakefront Brewers' Reserve 2019 Barleywine Ale is the best from WI so far this year. But it would not be fair to do a direct head to head comparison of these 2 beers as Lakefront is more of a heavy duty beer. Lakefront is better than Central Waters 4 and 5 year for 2024. I have a bottle of Deeply Rooted Double Barrel to drink in the future.

@Mdog

 

Haven't had one of these in a while, this one's going out to @CarolinaCardinals cheers Tom!

Maybe not my favorite from these folks, but this is really hitting the spot right now. Nice mellow booze, plenty of caramel, and a bit of a jammy note I don't recall noticing before. Low carb and a sticky body. Helluva good barleywine.

 

@DIM One can't go wrong with J.O. Dan, cheers!

 

I think this is one of the greatest BW i have ever had in my life.
It never crosses into the "too sweet" territory for me as with every other BW besides OG and FRESH Bigfoot
Every Vintage.

 

Reaching back a few days…



Falling Knife Brewing Co. - Ancient Old Painless English barleywine. Really enjoyed this from start to finish. Also had their Ancient Old Fashioned English barleywine which lost much of its old fashioned character after about a sip and that also was just fine by me.

 

Enjoying Wood Ya Honey, a Wheatwine pickup from the J.O. brewery last May. This has an intense toffee and caramel theme with a touch of dark fruit. Each sip brings some woody induced warming and finishes with a touch of honey. Well done!
Cheers!
Tom

 

Cartel Brewing (Lancaster, PA) - Villain

Leans "American Style" with caramel malt and dank resinous hops, strong bitterness

 

Aslin VA Beach open today... had the Kraft BA barleywine, because why not?