2014 Mirror Mirror

Are you talking about the regular Harvest Ale? I've had that one and it's tough to drink with how sweet it is. It's like drinking thin caramel syrup with some booze added to it.

 

Yep, the regular harvest ale (I don't much care for their barrel treatments). It's best with about 5-10 years IMO. A touch of oxidation helps this beer a lot. I personally find most bourbon barrel BWs to be much sweeter, but I do find that it is a great candidate for the nip bottle, as I wouldn't want to drunk too much at a time.

 

The one I had was I think 3 years old. I don't have the patience or willpower to age anything 10 years.

 

Me neither! I've just been lucky enough to find older vintages on the shelf. They used to be quite common around here.

 

Nope. I just had a 2007 Gratitude that was phenomenal. You just have to find the good ones.

 

I was referring more to barleywines in general that have been released this fall/winter. No one is going to their local beer store and picking 2007 Gratitude off the shelf.

 

John Barleycorn is the only non BA barleywine I seek out when released. This last year, it was SO hard to find. I was lucky to get two 4packs. Otherwise, non BA barleywines just taste like old Hopslam

 

According to their latest twitter post, the cask version is unoaked. This would explain the difference between it and the regular draft version. It also make me feel quite foolish (see my post above). I often get a bit of a tannic black tea flavor from floral old world hops, so maybe I can blame it on that. Otherwise, I need to have my palate checked!

 

Eating boogers will certainly mess up your palate.

 

"Have all the bourbon barrel aged barleywines made non-BBA barleywines seem boring or just okay?"

No you weren't.

You asked a question. I answered the question. The answer to your original question is still no.

 

Sorry for leaving out "recent" in my original question. I will do better next time.

 

im excited about htis one making it down here. the last batch lingured for atelast 2 years. nature of the beast it aint gonna happen now, and it aint $9.99 anymore either...

 

I found some when I was living in Arizona in 2012 and a bottle made it up to Alaska with me so I'm excited to do a side by side. It might stick around for 2 years up here. Especially if it's the same price as the last batch of Abyss and Black Butte XXV (both of which are still on the shelfs up here).

 

IMO, yes. I feel even stronger about RIS vs. barreled RIS - the non-barreled varietal is basically undrinkable to me these days.

 

We have bottles in Casper WY. 1 store for $16.20, another for $15.09. This is near perfection for me for an English "style" Barleywine whose label doesn't say brewed and bottled in the UK.

 

If people in the North Sound are looking for this, Fred Meyer off 128th had a ton the other day (was on end cap of the beer aisle) and Whistle Stop in Everett had a ton too.

 

Well, if that particular Fred Meyer has it everyone must have it. They never get shit. Whistle Stop on the other hand does a pretty good job of stocking a good selection.
Side note (thread jack) Bottleworks has a ton of Bottleworks XV. Guy said they were required to buy all 12 barrels. Don't know how that translates into bottles but they'll have it around for a while. They must not be too worried about it since they jacked the price up $5 since the release.

 

I was quite pissed about bottleworks raising the price. I wasn't a huge fan of it, but my wife actually liked this a lot and wants me to get more. I still have a bottle that I got for $20, but out of principal I can't buy more.

 

Man this is an ugly beer....