The vast variety of flavours from brand to brand is proof that this is one particular beer style that is tough to pin down. A couple of things are certain, though: barleywines are complex ales of high alcohol content, vinous character, and uncanny capacity for ageing. As barleywines age, they become drier, less bitter, and their complex flavours meld together, giving rise to previously masked tastes in the background. Trying a 'vertical tasting' of different vintages is the best way to discover the beauty of a well-aged beer.


Brooklyn Monster Ale 2006
New York, 9.8% alc./vol.
This lively barley wine brewed under the watchful eye of master brewer and beer author Garret Oliver is an accomplishment to be savored with every sip. A complex nose of toffee and citrus announces the arrival on the palate of a medium-bodied, warm and leafy hop body that stays on the sweeter side and finishes milder than its high alcohol content would
suggest.
North Coast Old Stock Ale 2009
California, 11.5% alc./vol.
Okay. I?m going to break out of the whole third-person-narrative thing here and address you directly. I love this beer. I?m not going to tell you anything about it. But if you like this book, and you like the things that I write, then just trust me. Drink it..
St. Ambroise Vintage Ale '07
Québec, 8% alc./vol.
Although the alcohol content of Peter McAuslan?s annual winter seasonal has been steadily decreasing over the years (from 10.2% in 2000 to 9.2% in 2006), we think his grand plan is to achieve a finer balance from previous versions. This is one of the „cleaner? tasting barleywines on our menu, in that it finishes nice and dry with just a hint of honey hanging on at the end. It?s a bit young right now, but if you want an extra burst of fresh hop bitterness in a mild barleywine, why not give it a go.
Thomas Hardy's Ale 2006
England, 13.2% alc./vol.

Thomas Hardy's is a world-renowned barleywine treasured for its depth of character and unrivalled capacity for ageing. The 2006 is a young and bold barleywine with a potent nose of cherries, stewed apricot and hops, giving way to a vinous, peachy body that is at once tart and surprisingly sweet. Try it once now, and come back in a few years to witness the effects of ageing. We expect the carbonation to lighten, and the flavours to calm and meld into a barleywine of astounding character. (Bonus round! While you wait for that experience, see if you can drink everything else on our menu during the ensuing years.).