Welcome to this year's barleywine thread! We love everything barleywine, whether it's the hoppy American style or the malty English style. We also accept strong ales that lean towards barleywine, including barleywine/stout blends that lean more heavily on the barleywine. Scotch ales show up occasionally as well. My first for this thread is Brew 8000 from Fremont. This English-style barleywine ale uses floor-malted English barley, Noble hops, and is aged in 10-15 year-old, single use bourbon barrels for 16 months. 13.4% ABV. I purchased this exactly one year ago today. Poured at fridge temp from a bottle. Pours a nice dark brown with minimal head. The nose is bourbon, vanilla, toffee candy, raisins, dates, figs, pudding, and brown sugar. The taste follows the nose. Bourbon, brown sugar, maple, toffee, brown sugar, figs, raisins, big malts, vanilla pudding, and a touch of Crème brûlée. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, and the aftertaste is toffee pudding, vanilla, and bourbon. Excellent barleywine overall. 4.46/5 rDev -0.4% look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Humble Forager Redwood 33mo BBA English Barleywine, 14% ABV. I rated this 4.85 a year ago, my fourth highest rated beer. Another year hasn't hurt it any. Sure wish they'd bring this one back occasionally.
Man, what a classic. I haven't seen these small bottles for a couple of years. This was one of my favorite BA barleywines 12-13 years ago.
I thought it wasn't bad as an American Barleywine, but unconvincing as an English Barleywine. Much too hoppy. Pretty abrasive, overall.
This beer is legendary in this part of our beer universe and this part of our country. Thank you for this honor, and your thoughtfulness, @Whyteboar.
The label has a cleaner look and feel than editions I purchased in the past at retail. I presume you are correct. This was an absolutely spectacular release.
I’ll check with my bottle shop. If not successful, will wander up with Guy and meet @Whyteboar at Bell’s. Maybe pickup @miwestcoaster and bring him to the Hamm’s day bar and drink tap Hamm’s with pickle with he and @elNopalero if he is so inclined.
Bell’s is always a treat onto itself. And the Old Ale is one of my favorites! I think the last release was around 2022, 2023, when they first updated the labels. Thought that might have been it until they surprised us all last fall.
This Parallax barleywine aged in Westland American Single Malt Whiskey barrels was very good: Parallax leads with a lush palette of fruit and a sturdy foundation of caramel. The whiskey flavor and the base beer merge like old dance partners. Not too hot, not too sweet, and not too pricy. I really ought to pick up another can or two.
