Barleywine Suggestions

Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Barelywine Style Ale is a great starter. Cheap, not hard to get, really nice taste.
You can try Flying Dog's Horn Dog too. I've never had it but ive heard mostly good things from customers.

Other than that, there are a few more expensive options. Firestone Walker's Sucaba is really good, but $10-12 bottles a bomber is rough.

 

Bigfoot

 

American style barleywines are really hop forward, some good examples are Stone Old Guardian, and Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. English style barleywines are a lot more malty and sweet (I personally enjoy these more) the best example of this style that I've tried is Sucaba from Firestone walker. You said you love stouts so I'm assuming you like big beers, when I first started getting into barleywines I was really intimidated for some reason, the name maybe, but if you like stouts I'd recommend seeking out some English style barleywines to start out.

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/152

Oh and so far this is the best barleywine that I've had

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/60474

 

Old Foghorn from Anchor is also pretty damn good.

 

Trade for some Central Waters Bourbon barrel barleywine. It is pretty easy to trade for and the best bang/buck barleywine out there. That one will give you a good taste of what the style can really be, a good gateway drug.

 

Stone old guardian is great.

 

I enjoy an aged barleywine over a fresh barleywine. Along with English Barleywines over American Barleywines.

Some of my favorites though:
SN Bigfoot
Avery Samaels
Avery Hog Heaven
DFH Olde School
Big Sky Olde Bluehair (one of the best I've had)
Lagunitas Gnarleywine

Some of the ones I listed aren't that easy to get. Like others have mentioned, Bigfoot is a great starter. Definitely don't drink barleywines fridge cold. Let it warm up in a snifter glass and you'll be amazed.

 

I see you're from Rhode Island. Not sure what the shelf beer there is like. But if it's anything like around here- go for Bigfoot. That'll give you an idea of what an American Barleywine is like. Then for English, go for JW Lees Harvest Ale. It's a bit sweet, but it'll show you the differences between the two.

I'd say find some King Henry eventually... but I really didn't enjoy that beer.

 

try j.w. lees varients like calvados, then maybe arcadia cereal killer. Bigfoot is probably the easiest to find and the cheapest for an american or english barleywine. maybe venture off and try a suttynose wheatwine

 

If you like ipa's definitely try to get your hands on some 3Floyds Behemoth.

 

Welcome to the dark goodness

As stated before, the American Barleywine is more hop forward. The English style is not. More about the malts. If you want to find an available, nearly perfect example of a wonderful barleywine, find some CW BBBW. If you like it, which I am sure you will, then seek out some others. I have tried so many of them and collected more. Truly my favorite style.

Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Barleywine
King Henry (Its a must, had to include it. Life changing really)
Naked Evil
Dogfish Old School
Kuhnhenn BBBW
Behemoth Blonde


And there are so many more. Lawsons Seared Palate, Gratitude, Mother of all Storms, Blighs, BA HiFi, etc etc etc. Some of those are pretty scarce though. Im just glad more experimenting has been going on with the barleywine and wheatwine style. Its making for some really great brews. Go ahead and start ticking them off. Its a pretty awesome project!

 

Uinta Cockeyed Cooper or North Coast Old Stock

 

Here are some that are relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to get:

SN Bigfoot (to echo many others)
Anchor Old Foghorn
Avery Hog Heaven
Victory Old Horizontal
Lagunitas Olde Gnarlywine
Great Divide Old Ruffian
Stone Old Guardian
Hair of the Dog Fred

Enjoy your venture into a new style!

 

Bigfoot, Ruffian or Guardian seem a logical starting point.

 

I just picked up the Evil Twin barleywine. Can't wait to try it in a year.

Loved:
- Firestone Walker - Abacus / Sucaba
- Dogfish Head - Olde School (with 2+ years of age)
- Thomas Hardy's Ale (I still have 4 bottles of the 2008)

Hated:
- Brooklyn - Monster


Outside the box, I was a big fan of the Quaff Brothers - What the Wheat? - but I've been having a lot of trouble finding more.

 

Old Gnarlywine
Old Horizontal
Blithering Idiot
Insanity
Old Guardian
Hebrew 15:15
Horn Dog

Think you have access to those.

 

If you can get hold of it, OHanlons Brewer's Reserve

 

Also, although it's classified as an english strong ale on beer advocate, you could try Fuller's Golden Pride. It's basically a barleywine and it's got great dark dried fruit flavours like dates, figs, golden sultanas.