Dark fruit flavors in a barleywine. Where does it come from?

I would say a lot of the dark fruits would come from the malts like Special B, C120, etc. But I wouldn't rule out some esters from the yeast lending its hand to that flavor as well.

Edit: Victory's website doesn't help much in the way of malt bill info: Malt: Imported 2 row German malts

 

I will say I did a 2 gallon stout with special B and a tiny bit of that goes a long way.

 

Like others have said, Special B will give you tons of dark fruit - though I am not sure how many barleywines really use that.

 

After a Barley Wine gets some age on it will develope some Sherry like flavors. Also I have had and made Barley Wine that had some dark malts and or crystal that will produce flavors in combination with the yeast of dark fruit.

 

maybe 1 oz. Final volume was probably about 1.7 tho. It was not the only dark malt, but I sure could taste it (that was my first usage, so it was pretty obvious to me). I'm letting that one mellow out a bit before I pop the last four bombers.

 

I have never brewed a Barleywine but I get lots of dark fruit flavors from my homebrewed Belgian Strong Dark Ales. IMO, the dark fruit is from a combination of dark malts like Special B, dark Belgian candi sugar, Belgian Trappist type ale yeast strain and aging.

I bolded the last item of “aging” since I think the oxidation process of the aforementioned aspects it what really bring the dark fruit flavors to prominence.

If I were to homebrew a Barleywine where I want some prominent dark fruit flavors I would:

· Use a healthy amount of dark malts (dark crystal malt)

· A characterful English ale strain

· Age the beer for at least a year before really consuming this beer

Needless to say you should drink a few bottles before the 1 year mark but save the vast majority for 1 year and beyond.

Cheers!

 

Oxidation of malt compounds, some maybe from yeast esters oxidizing.

 

Oxidation

 

It's the heat...baby.

Extended boil sho'does some amazing things to the wort.

 

No. 3 invert sugar would be the source of dark fruit flavours in a British beer.

 

Another vote for oxidation.

 

1. fermentation character
2. long boil mailliard/caramelization
3. oxidation