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2006 Barley Wine TastingBackground InfoIt was early in February and, while many around the country were digging themselves out from new dumps of snow, the SOBER group gathered for a day of good beer, food and friendships. It was Barley Wine day for the group. For many in attendance it would be the first real exposure to the beer style that has been appreciated for more than a century by folks around the world looking for a way to warm up from the inside. Barley Wines are big, rich, beautiful beers that are generally high in alcohol. There is a lot of variation from beer to beer in color and flavor, but you can safely expect a deep golden to copper color, little carbonation, significant alcohol warmth and an aroma that is easy to appreciate. This beer style has been broken up into two sub-categories: English and American. English barley wines have tradition on their side and are smooth and easy to drink by the fire, in your favorite chair, from a snifter. Balanced slightly, but obviously leaning toward a malty sweetness, these beers generally pair nicely with pungent cheeses (like stiltons or a strong blue), rich chocolate desserts or dishes with caramelized apples or pears. If enjoying with a dinner you may look at a nice spring salad with strips of sirloin and a raspberry dressing or BBQ ribs with a slightly burnt sweet sauce. American barley wines are more diverse, harder to nail down. However, you can assume you'll find more hops all around - aroma, flavor and bittering. These beers are clearly sweet, but can smack you with their bittering if you're not ready for them. Some barley wines on the shelves these days don't really fit the official styles, they are a bit too hop dominate. However, there are others that find a way to balance the hopping beautifully (think Bigfoot). If you find yourself at the glass end of an American Barley Wine you're still safe with a rich chocolate dessert, or spicy ginger cookies and candies (a fantastic match). Also good with a hearty meal: grilled steaks (hoppier barley wines are great marinades for onions, by the way), grilled vegetables and other dishes big in character. The ShowOn this warm winter day, thirteen barley wines would be sampled by the SOBER folks. Here is the list:
If you live on the west coast of the US you should be able to find most of these beers at your local beer store. If you can't you can order most online at BevMo or LiquidSolutions. The WinnersBest of ShowBest of Show went to Brew It Up for their Sky Diver, a flawless interpretation of the English style. Mark calls this a blend between American and English styles. A surprising 10.5% ABV - surprising only because this beer was wonderfully balanced, making this a very drinkable beer. A great body, not biting with over-carbonation, and brewed very much to style. Unfortunately, this beer is only available for those in the Sacramento area. Can't go to the store? Runner UpAnchor Brewing Old Foghorn is no stranger for big beer lovers of the west coast. Brewed in San Francisco by the famed brewery, this beer is a fantastic offering for the cooler winter months. This brew pours a beautiful reddish hue, clear with a white creamy head with low retention. This is a perennial favorite and certainly not a surprise finish. Honorable MentionDeschutes Mirror Mirror is a special "Reserve Series" brew that is released once a year that is worth finding. This beer evidently got its start as a Mirror Pond, evidently on steroids. This beer poured beautifully, deep copper in color and showing off a nice crown for a 10.5% ABV brew. The aroma was more than one expects. The malt sweetness was evident and slightly caramelized. The American hopping was pleasant, but not overpowering or necessarily obvious. A wonderfully balance aroma, complete with hints of the Oak barrels this beer sat in for four months. The taste 'mirrored' the aroma perfectly: sweet with a good hop balance and a note of Oak. Full bodied, lingering sweetness and a beer that went wonderfully with our aged gouda and stilton cheeses. A fantastic offering by the folk in Bend. Honorable MentionRubicon Winter Wheat Wine was disqualified because it wasn't a 'barley' wine. However, this beer was fantastic and balanced in a way most beers were not. Rubicon brewing first made this unique style of beer more than 10 years ago - the first brewery to have made it. Using 60% wheat and uniquely dry-hopped, this beer is worth the effort if you find yourself in the Sacramento area. At Pacific Brew News we'd love to see the BJCP create a new style for Wheat Wines. In order to really present our case though we need to know who is brewing wheat wines. Know of other Wheat Wines? Please let us know. |
