Wednesday, 24 December 2008

• Olde School Barleywine

  Knowing that I was going to take Monday off, Sunday night seemed like the perfect time to taste something really good from the cellar.  I wasn't in the mood for a lot of anything, so I ruled out anything in a bomber (22 oz. bottle).  From that point on, the decision came quickly.  Dogfish Head Brewery's Olde School barleywine called and I couldn't help but pick up. 

  Having recently bought a couple bottles from this year's release, I figured it would be a great time to try one some that had been in the bottle for well over a year now.  For those that think beer is only to be drunk fresh, this isn't your typical beer.  Brewed with an insane amount of malt and hops, secondary fermentation taking place over figs and dates, this beer rolls in at 15.04% alcohol by volume.  That alcohol, along with the hops, act as preservatives in the beer which aid in aging.  Really, a beer with this kind of alcohol content needs to be aged to extract some of the more subtle nuances that could be hidden be harsh alcohol flavors present in a young version.  With that said, I enjoy this beer fresh as well which is making the bottles I just picked up very tempting to crack.  On this night, my patience has been rewarded.

  For the style, this beer pours a very clear burnt orange with much more carbonation than I remember.  The head quickly rises to a couple of fingers and about a half inch's worth stays around for most of the drink.  Pretty impressive for a couple reasons.  One, beer this high in alcohol has a very tough time holding any kind of head.  And two, a beer with this kind of strength is most definitely a "sipper," meaning it takes a while to get through. 

  If there is any beer that just attacks your nose, this is it.  Every aspect, the sweetness (malt and candi sugar), dried fruit (the aforementioned dates and figs, but also apricots), earth-driven bitterness (non west coast hops), and alcohol, are all there in force.  What gets me excited is the balance coming through.  Yes, there is a lot of sweetness coming through which I'm not a huge fan of, but there's that bitterness coming through to bring everything back into perspective.  Good nose.

  On the tongue, the dried fruit flavors have me swimming.  Though even sweeter tasting than it smells, there is an acidity that picks up the slack for the balance of this beer.  Delicate hop bitterness furthers the notion of earth that completes this as a complex beverage.  Again, this is absolutely huge.  Every inch of your palate is covered and your entire upper body gets a piece of the action.  Up in the head, aromas (a.k.a. fumes for those who can't handle the alcohol) invade your entire nasal cavity.  The warmth going down fills your throat and chest.  When it's all said and done, as the flavors linger, a smile is always left behind. 

  This is yet another beer that may have an acquired taste.  It's big and isn't bashful about its flavors and/or its strength.  For those who can find it, any vintage, pick some up and put them down for a while.  Crack them when you're in the mood to just chill for a while.  Also, if you have anywhere to go, you may want to split it.  Enjoy.

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