Best Barleywine for drinking immediately

I'm going to go along with §ucaba as best fresh. Also, Alesmith Old Numbskull and the Green Flash/Cigar City Candela were good fresh, too. Pugsley's Shipyard was pretty good as well.

Stone's Old Guardian is good both ways.

 

Bourbon Country Brand Barleywine drinks amazingly good fresh. I was underwhelmed by fresh Bourbon County and Bourbon County Coffee, but that barleywine is so good you'll have trouble aging it.

Alesmith Old Numbskull is also exceptional.

 

Not sure if Central Waters Kosmyk Charlie has been mentioned.

 

The GI Bourbon County Barleywine was as good as they get fresh out of the bottle. I think they will only improve with a year or two of aging.

The Bigfoots are very nice fresh but I don't think they start out with a full intense American Barleywine flavor. After several years of aging they really come into their own. Interestingly, I find that between year 1 and 2 of aging the the Bigfoots go through a 'sick' phase and do not taste as good. Don't give up on them. Nirvana awaits if you are patient enough.

 

It's out in bottles now. Going to do the same thing + a BA wick Cherries!