One of the finest qualities of the
Barley Wine, and maybe where the wine idea plays a part, is the wonderful
ability of these beers to be aged. Aging this style of beer causes the grain
sweetness to dissipate slightly, the intense hoppiness to round out, and the
alcohol to preserve the integrity of the beer. What results is a well-rounded
and fine brew to be enjoyed up to several years later.
Without apology and with enthusiasm, the
authors of this blog are fans of Dogfish Head Brewing located in Delaware.
Dogfish Head brews a Barley Wine aptly named “Olde School Barley Wine” which
comes in at an intense 15% ABV. With a light amount of carbination, the beer
appears a dark orange or almost brown color. One quick sniff of your glass will
let you know that this is an intense beer in terms of alcohol and hops with a
very sweet and floral perfume. The taste is equally intense with high
hoppiness, warming alcohol, fruitiness from the hops, and almost a bourbon
quality. This beer is best enjoyed in a brandy snifter or chalice-style glass.
Speaking to the ability of a Barley Wine
to be aged, the authors are in the process of aging two additional bottles of “Olde
School Barley Wine” for a year in the back of our refrigerator. Though a wine
cellar sitting at 55 degrees F is preferable, not everyone has these in their
expansive mansion. A year in your refrigerator is a cheap alternative, though
be sure to warn your friends not to drink them and avoid temptation to open
them early. As final evidence of the ability to age this style of beer, we recently
spotted an unsupervised 5 gallon keg of “Olde School Barley Wine” at our
favorite beer bar from 2009 which was left to age somewhere in the back of the
bar.
Photo Credit: BeerChamber
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