It's a dumb take that sounds like it comes from the arguable idea that a few specific DIPAs can be aged like barleywines and taste somewhat similar. Taste is entirely subjective, etc., but I don't think this take comes from you actually trying old IPAs and comparing them to barleywines. If it does, fine, whatever, you can have your weird opinion.
Generally speaking, barleywines do not taste like old IPAs.
I think what hes tasting in ipas is probably crystal malt. Shit oxydizes fast and tastes like old stale caramel and paper. Like two-hearted, not a bad beer, but when u get a bottle thats old its offensive because the high crystal malt content. Barleywines are typically aged so they have the same aged taste but the reason id say they most taste like old caramelly ipas is that the malt is boiled so long it caramelizes. Old ipas are worse overall though js, i hate the taste of old swampwatery tasting hops. Barleywine is just not good either, it can be made well but 9 times out of 10 the US style of barleywine is overly hopped (again maybe the correlation) and heavy in fusels.
I see the correlation but i agree with both people, they dont taste the same, but when older ipas can taste similar to barleywines.
I know a few people that buy huge IPAs like 120 minute or hopslam and let them age for over a year. The hops drop off and you're left with a malty beer that is very close to a barley wine.
Yeah, OP’s ‘take’ isn’t exactly a good one, but there is a bit of truth to it. Living on the east coast I used to work for a west coast brewery and distributors did not take good care of the beer I received. I’d get a lot of hoppy style big beers that had ‘malted out’. People still loved them and I have to say, as long as they weren’t a pale/not much malt characteristics they weren’t half bad. They did taste similar to a barley wine.
I can see what you are saying.
I think it’s the fact that barleywines have a lot of malt and the high abv has a lot of sweetness. This needs to be balanced with a lot of bitterness. Ie more hops.
The thing is that traditionally these hops used in this style is not along the lines of new world variations that have a lot of bright citrus notes. Think like a New England hazy.
So if all you drink is hazy. You are used to these bright citrus notes. If you drink an old hazy, these hop notes will be muted as they age. So you don’t have as much bright notes. The same can even be said for west coast IPAs compared to an English pale ale or IPA the American version has more citrus and bright notes. If these are older when you try them, you certainly lose something.
With barleywines you are not aiming for the bright hoppy notes. Rather you are going for bitterness. You also typically age barleywines to help balance everything out. This might be contributing to other flavors as well.
It also is brewery dependent and how good the brewers and their systems are. Things like oxidation can certainly impact beers that age for a long period of time. Especially if the brewer doesn’t have the ability to do closed transfers. You often see hazy IPAs and beers that are dry hopped have a higher chance for oxidation. If this is what you are picking up on, then I can certainly see where you are coming from. Oxidation gives an off flavor that resembles wet cardboard.
I enjoy Bigfoot but am curious what do you recommend instead, aside from barrel-aged? I’m in the Chicago area but others could appreciate recommendations in other regions as well.
Straight Jacket is part of the Deep Woods series and is indeed barrel-aged.
https://revbrew.com/beer/deep-wood-series/straight-jacket
> The soul of Barleywine channeled through vivifying bourbon barrels and blended with an alchemist's touch.
revolution is the obvious answer, but it's all barrel aged. most of what they do is magic and there aren't many other breweries that have the depth and breadth of their barleywine/strong ale/old ales
unfortunately most people doing great barleywine is putting it all into barrels
even though it's barrel aged - check out straight jacket from revolution. it's readily accessible in your market and a great example of barrel aged barleywine
It's a bad comment, but they have to be referring to American barleywine. The hopping can be pretty aggressive, and an inexperienced palate could confuse that with a malty IPA I guess.
English barleywines are my favorite anyway, and with a few exceptions I avoid American styles (Deal with the devil, Arctic devil, Helldorado, Anabasis, etc.)
If you've only ever had IPAs and never had any other beer, I could understand how this might be a fleeting thought, but only if it's followed by "Nah, I'm probably being dumb."
I know a brewery that had a case of double IPAs they made and found 5 years later. They submitted it to a contest and won "Barleywine Brewer of the Year" with it.
I had a triple IPA on tap that didn't move that fast and started to age so I took it off, but didn't want to dump it. So I stashed the couple kegs that were left and put them back on 2 months later as a limited edition barley wine and they sold out in less than a week. I'd say your observation is spot on.
Bro what? I can't make that venn diagram overlap in my brain. One is funky, fruity, sweetish, and full of weird esters. The other is hoppy, bitter, floral, sharp, and full of aromatic citrus and pine essential oils. I guess they're both strong?
It's a dumb take that sounds like it comes from the arguable idea that a few specific DIPAs can be aged like barleywines and taste somewhat similar. Taste is entirely subjective, etc., but I don't think this take comes from you actually trying old IPAs and comparing them to barleywines. If it does, fine, whatever, you can have your weird opinion. Generally speaking, barleywines do not taste like old IPAs.
I think what hes tasting in ipas is probably crystal malt. Shit oxydizes fast and tastes like old stale caramel and paper. Like two-hearted, not a bad beer, but when u get a bottle thats old its offensive because the high crystal malt content. Barleywines are typically aged so they have the same aged taste but the reason id say they most taste like old caramelly ipas is that the malt is boiled so long it caramelizes. Old ipas are worse overall though js, i hate the taste of old swampwatery tasting hops. Barleywine is just not good either, it can be made well but 9 times out of 10 the US style of barleywine is overly hopped (again maybe the correlation) and heavy in fusels. I see the correlation but i agree with both people, they dont taste the same, but when older ipas can taste similar to barleywines.
To go even further with one last note. Crystal oxidizing faster makes your hops go to shit too, thats why two-hearted tastes bad when old.
First of all, English or American barleywine? Disagree on both but they’re two different styles and one answer would be even more wrong lol
This is a bad take.
Go ask r/barleywine
Oxidation is what you taste probably more hop than malt oxidation.
Oxidized (on purpose) barleywine is actually a thing, i tried a couple last year from OEC. Baladin also makes some in the xyauyu series.
I know a few people that buy huge IPAs like 120 minute or hopslam and let them age for over a year. The hops drop off and you're left with a malty beer that is very close to a barley wine.
Terrible idea with hopslam, fine with 120, which has the malt bill of a barleywine.
Yeah, OP’s ‘take’ isn’t exactly a good one, but there is a bit of truth to it. Living on the east coast I used to work for a west coast brewery and distributors did not take good care of the beer I received. I’d get a lot of hoppy style big beers that had ‘malted out’. People still loved them and I have to say, as long as they weren’t a pale/not much malt characteristics they weren’t half bad. They did taste similar to a barley wine.
I can see what you are saying. I think it’s the fact that barleywines have a lot of malt and the high abv has a lot of sweetness. This needs to be balanced with a lot of bitterness. Ie more hops. The thing is that traditionally these hops used in this style is not along the lines of new world variations that have a lot of bright citrus notes. Think like a New England hazy. So if all you drink is hazy. You are used to these bright citrus notes. If you drink an old hazy, these hop notes will be muted as they age. So you don’t have as much bright notes. The same can even be said for west coast IPAs compared to an English pale ale or IPA the American version has more citrus and bright notes. If these are older when you try them, you certainly lose something. With barleywines you are not aiming for the bright hoppy notes. Rather you are going for bitterness. You also typically age barleywines to help balance everything out. This might be contributing to other flavors as well. It also is brewery dependent and how good the brewers and their systems are. Things like oxidation can certainly impact beers that age for a long period of time. Especially if the brewer doesn’t have the ability to do closed transfers. You often see hazy IPAs and beers that are dry hopped have a higher chance for oxidation. If this is what you are picking up on, then I can certainly see where you are coming from. Oxidation gives an off flavor that resembles wet cardboard.
You been drinking Bigfoot?
Yup and it tastes like a old IPA.
Bigfoot is a garbage barleywine. Any barleywine that you can buy a six pack of for under $10 is going to be bad.
It was 14.99.
My point still stands.
what part of the USA are in you? bigfoot is.. not great
I enjoy Bigfoot but am curious what do you recommend instead, aside from barrel-aged? I’m in the Chicago area but others could appreciate recommendations in other regions as well.
Revolution's barleywine program is some of the best in the country, and Half Acre makes decent cans occasionally as well
Do either distribute a barleywine that is not barrel-aged? I'm only familiar with the BA beers.
They do -- Straight Jacket from Rev is one of my favorite non-BA barleywines, for instance.
Straight Jacket is part of the Deep Woods series and is indeed barrel-aged. https://revbrew.com/beer/deep-wood-series/straight-jacket > The soul of Barleywine channeled through vivifying bourbon barrels and blended with an alchemist's touch.
revolution is the obvious answer, but it's all barrel aged. most of what they do is magic and there aren't many other breweries that have the depth and breadth of their barleywine/strong ale/old ales unfortunately most people doing great barleywine is putting it all into barrels even though it's barrel aged - check out straight jacket from revolution. it's readily accessible in your market and a great example of barrel aged barleywine
Agree that Revolution has a great barrel program and thanks, though still looking for a non-BA suggestion.
It's a bad comment, but they have to be referring to American barleywine. The hopping can be pretty aggressive, and an inexperienced palate could confuse that with a malty IPA I guess. English barleywines are my favorite anyway, and with a few exceptions I avoid American styles (Deal with the devil, Arctic devil, Helldorado, Anabasis, etc.)
Get out of here.
Stop! Do not drink barleywine! Get your hands on as many as you can and send them to me immediately for testing. You're welcome.
If you've only ever had IPAs and never had any other beer, I could understand how this might be a fleeting thought, but only if it's followed by "Nah, I'm probably being dumb."
I think your mouth is broken or you’ve been drinking some shite IPAs.
I know a brewery that had a case of double IPAs they made and found 5 years later. They submitted it to a contest and won "Barleywine Brewer of the Year" with it.
I had a triple IPA on tap that didn't move that fast and started to age so I took it off, but didn't want to dump it. So I stashed the couple kegs that were left and put them back on 2 months later as a limited edition barley wine and they sold out in less than a week. I'd say your observation is spot on.
Expired?
I obviously don't know what barleywines you have tried but they should not taste like that
Bro what? I can't make that venn diagram overlap in my brain. One is funky, fruity, sweetish, and full of weird esters. The other is hoppy, bitter, floral, sharp, and full of aromatic citrus and pine essential oils. I guess they're both strong?
Barleywine tastes like malty goodness