I’m no stranger to Firestone Walker Brewing Company, based out of Paso Robles, California. I’ve sampled their 14th Anniversary, Double Jack and Velvet Merlin and now that they’re in the Philadelphia market – it’s going to be even easier to get my hands on them. Nick and I split a bottle of the 2011 Abacus, a barrel-aged American Barleywine, last night at Craft Ale House.
If there’s one thing to do while visiting Rehoboth Beach, DE – it’s visiting the Dogfish Head brewpub. And while you’re there, checking out the brewpub exclusive taps are the way to go. Foolish I’m not, so their exclusive taps were my mission and my favorite I sampled was the Hardtack. This unique spin, as Dogfish naturally does, on the Barleywine was an absolute phenomenal rendition.
Middle Ages Brewing Company, out of my birthplace Syracuse, New York is one brewery with a Barleywine on their year-round rotation. Druid Fluid, an American Barleywine at 9.5% ABV, is made in a traditionalist fashion at the brewery. They still do not have any computerized systems pre-measuring their beers, instead they do the measuring and mixing by hand.
There is nothing better on one of the first cold nights of fall than a nice warming beer. Barleywines make great fall beers, they are strong, fruity, warming, and complex without the darker roast of a Stout. Today I have the Uinta XV Anniversary Barley Wine for review and from the label, it seems to fit the bill: “…this ale is rich, malty, and warms the heart.”
The night after Shane and I shot the interview with Gary from Craft Ale House, I felt like something was missing, so I went back and grabbed a bottle to-go of the Hog Heaven from Avery. I tried this brew a few weeks ago with a group of friends and the general consensus was a fun and sweet Barleywine, at 9.2% ABV.
