The Brew HaHa - The perplexing nature of Barleywines

Loyal readers, I regret to inform you that we at the BrewHaHa have turned to the dark side. Well, at least for this week. These reviews cover one of the heaviest, darkest and most complex brew styles known to common man: the Barleywine. We at the BrewHaHa like beer, we like wine, and so the Barleywine serves as the happy medium in this dichotomy of fermented beverages and an obvious favorite among the staff. Also spelt as two separate words, the Barleywines are often reminiscent of liqueurs with full, sweet notes, much like wine but, because they are brewed with grain instead of fruit, it is a beer.

Barleywines can confuse the palate very easily. They provide the drinker with an onslaught of flavor, blended together into an amalgam of eccentric tastes and aromas. There are distinctions within this category: English Barleywines are known for their big malt flavors whereas the lesser-known American Barleywine still boasts an impressive helping of malts but is brewed with an excess of hops for an added bitterness. 

Because each Barleywine contains such complexity, each one is granted with an inherently unique combination of flavors and thus should be enjoyed only slightly chilled rather than cold and straight out of the fridge in order to fully appreciate the spectrum that will inevitably unfold after each sip. The warming tones of this robust brew are oh so appropriate for a snowy end to the winter but remember drinkers, keep it safe.

Horn Dog
Barleywine Style Ale, 10.50% ABV
Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick, MD

An English Barleywine of American origins, this brew really puts the “wine” in Barleywine. Just popping a bottle of Horn Dog opens an olfactory can of worms. The aroma is almost overwhelmingly sweet, delivering strong blows of apricots, plums, toffee and cake bread, but really there are just too many to list. The aroma is more of a bombardment than a general aura, causing this beer to announce its complexity in a way that is all but subtle. 

The malty, mahogany liquid slips down surprisingly slow, allowing the flavors to be separated and evolve deliberately, but still presents itself as overwhelmingly eclectic. Maybe even too full-bodied, if that is at all possible. Contrasting notes within a beer is often what ties the overall taste together; these ones just kind of leave me disoriented. 

But the finish...oh the finish. The brew goes down heavy and rips warm down the gullet and into the belly, but with much softer notes of butter and honey that beckon you back for another strangely comforting swig. If Harry Potter and company were to stumble across a master-crafted Butterbeer, it might taste something like this.

This may not be the best Barleywine I’ve ever come across, the taste is a little sweeter than necessary and the notes seem altogether conflicting at first, but Horn Dog seems to make a fair case for itself after considering a bottle or so. Definitely worth a try for those seeking a decidedly brave foray into English Barleywine. -JJH

Hog Heaven
Barleywine Style Ale, 9.20% ABV
Avery Brewing Company
Boulder, CO

A locally produced example of an American Barleywine, Hog Heaven is a Barleywine with a more pronounced helping of hops rather than thick, heavy malt. In theory, Avery’s Hog Heaven is a Barleywine. In reality, it is more of a reddish-brown double IPA with a heavy dosing of caramel.

The nose is a strong grapefruit with discernable wafts of piney hops. In my opinion, Barleywines typically err on the side of heavy malt flavor, a distinction upon which Hog Heaven seems to decapitalize. The initial taste is that of a bread-like, rich caramel, but is quickly followed by a rush of piney hops and bitterness. 

Flamboyant in a way that is atypical of barley wines, the hops lead Hog Heaven down a road of bitterness rather than syrupy-sweet malt. It is then toward the middle that the alcohol content begins to shine through. The lower than normal ABV of this barley wine leaves a crisp lingering sweetness, albeit with a lingering bitterness that tickles the tongue and warms the bones. -EBW

Old Guardian Limited Early 2010 Release
Barleywine Style Ale, 11.10% ABV
Stone Brewing Company
Escondido, California

I suppose that I should begin by admitting that I giggled a bit when I took the first sip; and by giggled, I mean it was more along the lines of a giggle followed immediately by a “WTF.” Not only because of the fact that it is so blatantly Stone’s version of a barley wine style ale (Stone is known for its incredible and indiscriminate use of Cascade hops in all of its beers – and this one is no different), but also because of the interesting interplay of flavors.

She pours a light amber/copper color with a smooth, cream colored, one-finger head. There is medium retention, but decent lacing on the glass as you continue to drink. The bouquet is sweet and quite aromatic with notes of hops, banana, citrus and alcohol.
With a medium-bodied mouthfeel, Old Guardian almost overwhelms the palate as the roasted caramel flavors come in strongly followed by piney hops, bitter-sweet grapefruit notes, banana and wood flavors. The taste of alcohol is present throughout, but blends well with the bitterness of the hops, especially at the end when you’re left with a surprisingly crisp aftertaste considering the robustness of the initial flavors. 

Allowing this beer to warm slightly is key to the experience, as it enables the alcohol and hop flavors to mellow out and allows the smoother, sweeter caramel malt flavors to come out. If I had the money and the patience, I would also let this beer age for a couple of months, if not more, in order for it to mellow out in regards to the presence of the alcohol. 

P.S. Take your time on this one as I am now realizing that after responsibly tasting 22 oz. of this, I’m starting to feel the effects of that darn 11.10% sooner than I would have liked. -NJH