On tap at Ambulance, well-defined English-styled barleywine (13.2% ABV 2016 version) layers toffee-spiced caramel malting atop luxurious white rum-spiced molasses, tantalizing bourbon vanilla, chocolate-glazed dried fruiting, chewy cookie dough yeast and mild port wining. Sweet brown-sugared cherry, fig and raisin conflux sidles delightful butternut, pecan and almond illusions at the busy finish.
On tap at River Of Beer, approachable moderate-bodied barleywine (collaboration between Vermont’s Otter Creek and Lawson’s Liquids) brings raisin puree sweetness to light port-sherry wining as subtle maple molasses syruping sits softly in the backdrop. Tertiary red grape, candied apple, brandied cherry, red currant and bourbon vanilla undertones add depth.
On tap at Barcade – Jersey City, perplexing oak chip-aged barleywine (circa 2016) stays stylishly moderate as oaken vanilla and honeyed pear adjuncts get lost among whiskeyed grain malting and blearily finishing 10.8% alcohol burn. In the distance, champagne grape, dried cherry and green apple tartness wavers.
On tap at River Of Beer, stylistically moderate barleywine stays silken as delicate caramel malting picks up light citric hop astringency to contrast red cherry sweetness and sugared fig resilience. Not as rich, creamy and resilient as brewers’ 15th anniversary celebrator, but ultimately fine nonetheless.
Resounding 11% ABV full body drapes piney floral-fruited IPA hop resilience atop fudgy cookie dough malts and sweet vanilla-creamed toffee sugaring. Assertive oak-charred hop bittering confronts bruised orange succulence as well as honey-glazed lemon, orange, peach, pineapple and black cherry tang. Light sherry, bourbon, brandy and Scotch illusions scurry below.
On tap at Flying Saucer in St. Louis, attractive mahogany-bronzed English-styled barleywine integrates sweet ‘n sour blackberry adjunct with Belgian candi-sugared honey malts. With just enough blackberry splendor, its tertiary raspberry, cherry, sugarplum and fig illusions help reinforce the floral fruited frontage.
Flirtatious English-styled barleywine needs better overall distinction compared to more affluent competition. Exquisite bourbon licks fade abruptly above toasted white oak influence, tangy fruit sweetness and subtle caramel malting. Cookie dough yeast sugaring appends cherry-candied orange bruise onrush and red-wined Lambrusco champagne sparkle. Honeyed peach, sugared fig and apricot nuances find tertiary space.
On tap at Coalhouse Pizza, soft-toned barleywine allows sweet bourbon influence to elegantly affect rum-spiced banana, fig and raisin illusions as well as syrupy peach, cherry and blood orange snips. Underneath honey-fruited surface, ascending hop astringency picks up lingered alcohol burn to contrast sweeter aspects.
On tap at Ambulance, evasive English-styled barleywine may have medicinal cherry-candied 9.5% ABV, but its muted bruised cherry influence needs deeper penetration over mild molasses-malted spine and dewy peat respite. Cherry soda-like flow adds carbolic luster. Wispy vanilla, toffee and raspberry truffle illusions linger softly.
On tap at Biggie’s, inventively nostalgic oak-barreled English-styled barleywine from ’30s Newark recipe proves definitive in 2015 (11.3% ABV) version. Sharp hop-oiled IPA-like fruiting rises above rum-spiced alcohol burn and lightly creamed caramel malting. Bruised orange, red cherry, yellow grapefruit, pineapple, peach, plum, grape, peach, mango and tangerine illusions sweetened further by toffee-butterscotch sugaring to contrast oaken vanilla alcohol burn. Gentle on the tongue but forceful at the alcohol-drenched finish.
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http://beersinthehenhouse.blogspot.com/2010/02/if-ever-there-was-beer-in-american.html
On tap at Ambulance, fiercely complex Imperial Stout-dominated hybrid (limited edition 2015) blends brewers’ bourbon-aged Undead Party Crasher’s chocolate-chipped cookie dough yeast with Scotch-barreled Blaecorn Unidragon’s vanilla-creamed mocha malting and Pierre Ferrand Billionaire’s cognac-aged barleywine for a completely over-the-top full-bodied monster. Rich caramel-burnt black chocolate creaming picks up luscious rum-spiced vanilla bourbon, sugared molasses, black cherry and burgundy sweetness to contrast less prominent black-tarred hop char (and whimsical black coffee bittering). Tertiary peat whiskey snip and latent fig-raisin quip slip inside mighty mocha marvel.
On tap at Poor Henry’s, French oak-barreled English-styled barleywine (with lightly vinous pinot noir wisp) secures ripened fruit tang and creamy caramel malting over moderate dry hop astringency. Candied cherry, bruised orange, honeyed peach and spiced rum sweetness as well as subtle raisin, prune and plum illusions enliven bold 9.6% ABV strong ale.
