What is Barley wine? | The Craft Beer Channel 

RIGHT BEER GEEKS, what is barleywine? And more importantly, what is life. Especially when you film this at 11.30am.

Love these "What is...?" beer style videos. Keep it up!

Thank you for this review of barleywine. Hopefully it will help spread the word about this style that doesn’t get the attention that I feel it deserves. I’m fortunate to live near Side Project, which brews a great seasonal barleywine, Anabasis, but AleSmith Numbskull is no longer distributed in my market. Barleywine has a real hit or miss availability, so I always grab old ale, like Founders Curmudgeon or Ola Dubh, as a substitute when it’s available. One of the joys of travel is when you find yourself in markets that have barleywine on a regular basis (Baladin in Italy or Hair of the Dog in Oregon).

Having two British guys discuss and compare Beer on their couch in my background as I do my work is better than any ASMR I have ever experienced.

Brooklyn has done an English-Style Barleywine called Brooklyn Monster Ale, I dont think it's been produced for a number of years but was very tasty when it was floating about!

Xyauyu barleywines by Italian Balaadin brewery are incredibly good, especially Fume , they are aged for several years in barrels, I've had degustation in Roma, I'd recommend it!

Trying barleywine for the first time rn, was bewildered as to whether it was still a beer or not haha. It's called Bluthering Idiot and it's made by a semi local brewer called Weyerbacher and it's amazing. Bold, caramel-esque, a bit fruity. They also make a wonderful pumpkin ale for those interested

The BJCP isn't perfect, but I'd argue it's one of the best sources to learn about beer styles. I'd rather have more people familiar with it compared to the few in the industry that have actually read it.

To celebrate starting my new job a couple of weeks ago I cracked open a 2012 Sierra Nevada Bigfoot and had it alongside a 2020. It was a fascinating comparison. The 2012 had those musty notes, chocolate, darker fruits, it was much cloudier than the 2020. Naturally due to the hops the 2020 was brighter, fruitier. It's malts were also more caramel-y than the 2012.

remember sitting in the pub with the old guys, drinking half a mild with a gold label barley wine

Middle Ages Brewery in Syracuse, NY makes an excellent barley-wine called "Druid Fluid."

Great video, guys - informative, and I don't really know much about where to start with them, so this has some useful pointers.

Nothing pisses me off more than a barley wine that tastes like an IPA. Thanks America.

As a malt-addict (or "petrol drinker" as we call ourselves in my group of beer fans), barleywines are both a favourite of mine... And one of the most frustrating to find. I get that it's not an easy beer to make, nor a very "drinkable" one. I do have to say that the two most surprising ones I've had would be the Vinum Secale from Sori Brewing (which was aged in Gin barrels) and the B4rl3yw1n3 from Iron, brewed with honey and red kuri squash. Meanwhile, two of my all-time favourites are the "Moody MILF" from Amager Bryghus and the "18/08" from Kees, aged in Glenrothes barrels. That's not a type of beer you come across very often... It is however always a pleasure. Cheers!

Great vid guys. Love a good barley wine.

My fave barleywine is an English style from Boatrocker (a great Aussie brewery) called Banshee, with an honourable mention to a American style collab from Black Dog (Aussie) and Eel River (Yank) called EelDog Muscat Mongrel.

I ❤️ Barleywine

When I was 17,I went to the works Xmas party and one of the old timers told me if I wanted to get pissed on the cheap,get on the Barley wine. After that night,I could not eat or drink anything for nearly 8 days.. Nightmare..That stuff is poison.. Never again. Someone said it was the bottle of Cointreau I had but all I can remember was the horrific exit of the Barley wine.

I love quads and this is the next step after that imo.

Firestone Walker Sucaba is life.

When you guys came to VT did you have a chance to try the Vermonster from Rock Art Brewery? Big flavor and a bit of a kick.

Hey guys. So what is the difference between a barleywine and a wee heavy? From what I can find they are both just strong, malt forward ales?

I have a fair few in my cellar. Baladin Fumé whisky BA 2014 vintage, De Molen Pirate & Pixie rum BA, Mountain Goat 2016 (Lark Tasmania BA), 2018 (Tennessee whiskey BA), Hawkers cognac BA and Bourbon County barleywine 2016.

I remember overhearing some tourists in a foreign craft beer place once, and one of the guys offering to buy his lady "a barleywine, cos that's just like wine innit?".

come to Brazil to know our beers. We have great options.

Harmonic Convergence by Galway Bay was a barleywine which came out around Christmas each year for a few years. Could be best described as Christmas pudding in a bottle

What about doing the less common wheat wine or rye wine? Love me a good barley wine whether English or American.

Its manna from heaven

Every time I see these tasting videos I’m asking myself what you do with the rest of the bottles. Put them away and drink later? Drink them afterwards or even pour them away? No idea what I would do tho

My personal favourite barleywine is A Deal With The Devil by Anchorage Brewing. Expensive and hard to get hold of, but I'd highly recommend it if you can find it.

Drinking a Tiny Rebel 'Turn It Up To 11' and trying to work out wtf it is so decided to watch this to see if it fits, as it's definitely not an 'imperial pale'. Whatever it is, it's pretty rank, and smells like manure. This was interesting though, thanks!

Great job guys Kevin here from lewiston, ny, USA. great craft beer scene here in western New York and New York as a whole is fantastic. You should do a discovery trip here. Should be worth at least a million likes for your channel.

According to the Homebrewer Bureau of Statistics, less than 0.1% of homebrew is aged five years or greater. My Masters degree professor in rocket science got me into homebrew int. Five years after I got my Masters from him, I invited him over to my castle for a drink. I had a bottled six pack of my 10% ABV as tested before bottling. I also invited my best friend, also a rocket scientist, over to consume the six pack. Most beers or ales will spoil in five years. Properly stored, barley wine can last for decades. Upon tasting my five year old brew, it was more like champagne, France pls excuse the reference. It was not hoppy, and had only a miniscule carbonation. It was just like smooth yellow cream soda I had as a kid. Any hops effect was totally gone. Instead, the wonderful glowing feeling comes from natural vitamin B from the yeast poo which had been filtered five years ago. It can't be commercially produced, because it's too expensive to make and blah dee blah on and on. Small batch. But nothing is sold out there that makes you turn 18 listening to music like it did. Remember: 10% ABV clean ale aged FIVE years. This is a challenge to Homebrewers: make your usual brew, but make a special five year aged batch of barley wine. It will humble you.

Toffee and rasin are the two big ones I get on most barley wines. Great brews on a snowy day.

To me barley wines are always a russian roulette. You can have one really good (Sibeeria Zima from 2018 was the laste really good one that i had; or they can go terribly bad and be just a chunk of sweet ethanol. I'm always very reluctant to buy one, always. My little page has only a handful of them.

As usual thanks for the style review. Maybe you can cover my favorite subgenre, the Baltic Porter. Hint, hint.

I have a couple barley wines aging a bit more in the bottle And I totally agree with the BJCP guide, I particularly love the Saison/Farmhouse Ale (perhaps they don't actually call it Farmhouse Ale) definition, they should have written "do whatever you want and you will still be OK with the style", it's probably the most open definition I have ever seen

I LOVE Barleywine BUT I prefer English Barleywines. As a baby craft drinker, I was given an English style and was hooked. I went to a brewery and in my innocence I saw a Barleywine on tap and quickly ordered one. Nothing like starting the evening with a 12% Barleywine. Anyway, it was an American Barleywine and I thought it was a horrible joke. I can appreciate an American style now, but then I was not exactly enthused.

"Serious research, serious tastings..." I believe you meant serious thinking, and serious drinking.

Good episode, guys! Though I'm a huge beer fan, I know (or knew) next to nothing about barleywines. Especially if they're... life ("aaah!"). The one I drank that made an impression, however, was Helldorado from Firestone Walker. Delicious.

Great to meet you both yesterday! Legends!

Reservoir Dogs has a barley wine that goes up yo 17% abv .... Good luck tasting that one 😁

I had a bottle of the LEP "its life, Jim" at the weekend. Was bloody great. Not what you'd think of when you think barley wine in terms of flavour, LEP have done their usual weird, awesome wizardry and made it a sour, oaky, balsamic beer. Get stuck in!

Barley wine makes me think Gold Label.

I read that the English Barleywine was originally invented due to the war with France, and wine was very limited and the English wanted something stronger than the traditional ale, and so, developed Barleywine, the best wine!

Better crack out to cask strength whisky for the 60% abv

Well worth going to the Black Bull in Coniston, for a weekend and a trip around the picturesque brewery if you have never be.

I made a chocolate candy bar barley wine. It really tastes like a candy bar but it will blow you away, a super big beer!

I loved hearing your praise for Marble Arch. Their beer is great and their original Manchester pub is outstanding!

Bigfoot Barleywine by Sierra Nevada is outstanding

The fact that the style has wine in its name puts me off a hell of a lot! A bit prejudice i know

I'd really like to know where you get that Maiden... Seems amazing!

The Wax cap needs the old Sponge Bob - 1 hour later....

Filming a Barley Wine review early morning is about the traditional time we, as 15 year olds would have been drinking it (many years ago, before Special Brew). Just in time for the fight... (these days between Cicerone and BJCP?) Like the historical perspective as I hadn't considered the class divide between Mild (cheaper) ales and their more exclusive older relatives.

De Molen also makes a quite tasty one

Stone's Old Guardian is my favorite U.S. Barley wine! Cheers, Guys.

Tried my first barleywine yesterday, which was a smoked barleywine. I think, on paper, it's technically an English barleywine, but the smoke was so forward in both taste and smell I honestly feel like it's its own sub-style; "Smoked Barleywine". It even affected the color of it, but it wasn't a Rauchbier. Very interesting and good experience. (It's called 'Herja' and is by Hoppe Beer)

Brooklyn Brewery has done a Barleywine. It is called Monster, (After the Brewery cat). It was brewed until 2009? It is available in 4 packs for take-out. and it has been available at the brewery on tap. They also have had a limited edition by the name of Hand and Seal which is no longer available. It appeared after Monster and was sold in wine bottles. I do not work for them but I am one of their most consistent customers since the brewery opened. I probably have had a 6-pack or a wine bottle of everything they have made, except Brooklyn Sour, because I do not like unflavored sour beers. Mike

I've found it easiest to use a corkscrew to open the wax caps

Dogfish Head Midas Touch is sort of a barleywine/braggot hybrid. And then, there's Mason Aleworks B.A. Baracus (drink in an '83 GMC Vandura, presumably while the vehicle is stationary), which tends to make one text one's spouse awkward compliments if consumed after a rough day at work (not that I speak from experience, or anything).

No mention of Thomas Hardy Ale? Much lamented. Had my first in the 70's and kept the empty for years. I could still smell the beer years later. Someone (new) should acquire the brewing licence (and the Eldridge Pope roster while they are at it). With the ever growing success of craft ales as well as the premium pricing being charged, it would be a commercial certainty.

Big Foot 2008….. Best beer in the world

Bligh's Barleywine by Dry Dock Brewing is one of my absolute favorites! If you haven't tried it, you must!

In case it hasn't been mentioned, Oli and Milky at Crossed Anchors Brewing in Exmouth, Devon have a lovely barley wine, they may even have some of the original 2018 batch left. It's my Xmas day drink when I close the pub.

When I first started drinking, 1980, every pub sold barley wine, it was sold in a small bottle with a blue and yellow label

I have a recommendation! Hertog Jan Grand Prestige, a lovely Barley Wine. Easy to get in the Netherlands and Belgium, don't know if you could get it in England

STINGO: known colloquially as 'leg opener' in the 70's.

Barleywine - is silent killer: very sweet with much booze ))

love a good Thomas hardy barley wine

If you can get your hands on a Thomas Hardy barley wine ale I guarantee you'll love it!

I never thought I would have the desire to buy barley wine but my horizons have just been expanded !

Love me a nice barely wine and this only increased that love! Cheers from Toronto, Canada

Bob struges

I've loved Siren Maiden, I've tasted one from 2013 aged for 3 years

Just facts. Thank you! Blithering Idiot is a popular Barleywine I’m drinking one now in fact. Hello from PA.

Funny how Barley Wine has remained popular in the US, whereas UK breweries don't seem to make it nearly as much as a couple of years ago. I guess the big adjunct stouts took over on the big mash beers here

I was lucky enough to randomly go into a london bar last year where a Sirene Maiden event took place. I got to taste 4 different barrels versions, and blend. Surely one of the most interesting beer evening I got to enjoy ! Barley wine is one of the most underappreciated style I think (compared to RIS for example).

Thanks guys! Exactly the kind of content I love to see on the channel.

Talk Talk Johnny..

LIFE

Lovey video, I'm now inspired to make one of these. Hope no beer was fed to the drain in the making of this video! 😂

Brooklyn did Special Ops which I think was a barley wine.

Bigfoot is life

That was a nice Dress Google was advertising to you on Zythophile, I think you should get it and wear it during your next video :D

Lervig used to brew a good Barleywine in the past. I don't know if they still do?

I also need a barley wine!!

My favorite style of beer.

too many carbs for me man sharper and lighter please

who is barley wine?

Its an.... umcarbonated... wine... made from barley? No way...

Andnams both barrels is not a Barley wine

Get to the point next time holy

I would suggest 3 Floyd’s pillar of beasts it’s a barrel aged barley wine with Carmel