I was feeling adventurous when I made my latest beer run. In addition to trying some Belgian beers, I picked out a couple barleywine ales to give a shot. It was a six pack of powerful brew so lets have no more ado.
First was a Brooklyn Brewery Monster Ale. Opening the bottle you get hit with the strong odor similar to a sherry with a fig edge. One sip and you get a definite twang of alcohol reminiscent of a plum wine with a malt back to it. There is quite a fruity sweetness with caramel depths but this beer had so much complexity to it that I found myself discovering subtle changes with every sip. A memorable brew to be sure and quite an introduction to barleywines for me.
Second was a Harpoon from their Leviathan series. It couldn't have been much more different from the Brooklyn beer. It has a bright fruity odor without the alcohol edge which was pleasant. Sipping it gave you a mild bitterness with a heavier malt base. It had a earthy fruit vibe along the raisin or plum vibe as well, but the taste came across fuzzy and lacking clarity to me. They flavors had great potential but I would have loved to see them intensified and sharpened a bit.
I think barleywines, much like Belgian beers, aren't going to make my favorite beers list anytime soon but I really enjoyed trying some out and getting to know what the hype is all about. Coming soon I will be going back to my true loves - Imperial IPA and Imperial Stout. Until then, cheers!
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