Barleywine Appreciation Thread (2024)

Hey, I remember that one! You must have been sitting on that one from quite some time...

Back later with something good.

 

Celebrating the last day in of school and looking forward to a summer off! Going with something I expect to love.



This is better than last years, more layers and it isn't as sugary. Light leather and various dark fruits like figs and underripe plums help cut the sweetness nicely. There are definitely plenty of sweet elements at work here of course. Caramel, vanilla, a sugary bourbon cocktail of some kind, chocolate syrup, and molasses. I haven't tried them all, but this may be my favorite from the series.

 

WOW. With the high numbers you gave this one maybe I should but my bottles in a safe under ground. Don't Laugh somebody tried to steal my car from my yard one night 3 weeks ago. Getting the damage fixed tomorrow. The car had 1,300 miles on it at the time.

 

Dang, that sucks. I drive a 14-year-old Honda fit that I leave unlocked with the keys in it most nights. I'd rather have that stolen than my beer stash. Look forward to reading your thoughts when you open one of these.

 

Just opened this, didn’t know quite what to expect, but it has won some awards so I expected it to be good. My expectations were exceeded. Perhaps one of the finest English barleywines I’ve ever had—but be warned, you have to be in the mood for a sweet beer to enjoy this.

Three Ryes Men from Reuben’s Brews in Seattle.

4.51/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
22oz bottle (2022 vintage) into a tulip. Pours a murky mahogany with a big velvety khaki head that leaves behind some fine sticky lace. Surprising foam/carbonation for a high-ABV English barleywine.

Aroma is sticky and sweet, bready. Caramel, toffee, dark stone fruits, booze. This is clearly a big, complex beer.

Taste is likewise sweet and complex. Heavy sweet malt, vanilla, bourbon, toffee, caramel. Leather and rum-soaked pipe tobacco. Chewy figs and dates. Brown sugar. Nice boozy heat on the finish. A subtle spiciness from the rye malt.

Mouthfeel is so smooth and creamy—really quite unlike any other beer I’ve had in this regard. Somehow the mouthfeel makes the beer taste better.

Overall this beer is truly outstanding, one of the best English barleywines I’ve ever had. Superlatives abound. Very much enjoying this one.

 

Another one of these from Barreled Souls. I’m getting caramel apple, vanilla, fig, Moxie, leather, licorice and alcohol heat. Nice underlying bitterness, too. Slick mouthfeel. Delicious.

 

I remember liking that one! How many barleywines do you suppose changed hands in our trades? Think we hit 100?

 

@Beersnake sez he wants to see lots of good barleywine this summer so here we are. Tired Hands Deal With the Devil aged 2 years in Basil Hayden barrels.



Bought this last fall I think, not sure why I haven't opened it yet. The red wax 4 year version was very good imo.

Thick and sticky overall with a massive flavor profile. This is plenty sweet with lots of layers, I think all of my descriptors will be dessert words. Maybe it's the booze that keeps things in check? Because overall this does not come across as obnoxiously sweet.

Molasses, sugar coated raisins, sugary dried pineapples, roasted nuts coated with cinnamon and sugar, cocoa powder, booze soaked fruit cake, etc. etc. etc. A little leathery tobacco.

The Deal With the Devil line is over priced and over hyped but they are generally really damn good. These extended barrel time versions that Anchorage does not do live up to the name. It's been too long so I can't say if this is as good as the red wax version but I am thoroughly enjoying it.

 

Revolution Deep Woods is probably the barrel program I most want unfettered access to. Always stellar.

 

Falling Knife Ancient Old Painless

Appearance: Dark brown, a little ring of head.

Smell: Big barrel wood, vanilla, some caramel, then a bit of red wine fruitiness.

Taste: Caramel sweetness to start, then some barrel vanilla and wood. Numbing to the tongue. A little booziness shows through, and a splash of red wine fruitiness. As it warms up the caramel and vanilla take over. Bourbon-y finish, quite long.

Overall: Probably the most expensive bottle I've bought of beer, this is a barrel-aged version of Falling Knife's barleywine. I haven't had the non-BA barleywine, but it seems the base beer is pretty solid. I've had several BA barleywines lately, and this one seems to be well done, not super hot and boozy or over-woody from the barrel. Quite tasty!

 

Went barley wine shopping. Happy.