Pryes Drops of Time Whiskey Barrel Aged English Barleywine

 Pryes Drops of Time Whiskey Barrel Aged English Barleywine. 

11.1% ABV, 23 IBU, Pryes Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Cleanish, dark burgundy hue, beneath a slim ivory cap. 

In the nose: rich malt, caramel, dark fruit, cherry, leather…touch of vanilla…everything I like in a Barleywine.

In the mouth: big and boozy, rich and malty, more caramel and vanilla, whiskey cones forward and grabs the reins. It starts as little sparks and culminates in a lovely cacophony, merging into sweet harmony. Magnificent. 

The tradition of brewing English Barleywine has been a part of Pryes Brewing since our very beginning. Drops of Time marks the zero hour of our return to brewing and bottling this historic style, and it is well worth the wait. Rich toffee, sticky caramel, and vanilla barrel characteristics come by way of a long boil, an extended aging time in rye whiskey and bourbon barrel, and blending this concoction at the exact right moment. Time is of the essence, and Drops of Time is the reward for our patience.

La Dona Prince Namor Barleywine

 La Dona Prince Namor Barleywine. 

9.5 % ABV. La Dona Cerveceria, Minneapolis, MN. 

The Sub-Mariner has his own beer? Ruler of the realm eternal? Monarch of Atlantis? Oh, wait, it’s not that anymore in the MCU, and you know what, I never saw that movie, it’s cool, it’s cool. 

So, let’s drink a Barleywine. 

Clear, deep reddish hue, slim white head.

In the nose: hoppy, but mixed with malt. Caramelly. Lovely stuff, so far. 

In the mouth: full, rich, complex. A kaleidoscope on the tongue. Malty flavors with a boozy kick, and just the right dose of hops. Full body, long malty finish, some fruity flavors pop up, dark and delicious, wrapped up in boozy malt ones. Very enjoyable. 

I’m relaxing and luxuriating, floating aloft, as if my ankles had wings. 

Revolution Straight Jacket BBA Barleywine

 Revolution Straight Jacket BBA Barleywine. Bourbon barrel aged English Barleywine.

15.8% ABV, 30 IBU. Revolution Brewing, Chicago, IL.

Largely opaque, dark brown color, slim tan  head. (Starts nice, then leaves swiftly.)

In the nose: massive bourbon barrel, oak, caramel, vanilla, ash, all hanging out high on top of a barleywine.

In the mouth: hot at the start, then big time sweetness. Bourbon barrel has command, but the barleywine keeps coming through. Dark fruits, cherries, date, etc al, making the scene. Unrestrained. Not quite out of control. But could be mistaken for such. 

15.8%? What? Good thing I’m heading to bed...

This is maybe four months old, but I’m curious what a few years would do. 

Our Barleywine Ale features American and Belgian malts which provide the base of this extraordinary ale. After 12 months in bourbon barrels the award-winning Straight Jacket emerges with notes of stone fruit, toasted coconut, molasses, and vanilla coming in waves as you swirl the glass.

Surly Ten Ale-- Five Years Later

Surly Ten Ale-- Five Years Later. Old Ale. 

9.5 % ABV, 63 IBU, Surly Brewing, Mpls./BC, MN. 

Maybe I didn't need to open this bottle tonight. After all, an old ale should last even longer than five years. But, you know what, I just felt like it. Why the hell not? I wish I had some party to bring it to, but, alas, ...here we are, with a beer to open and I wish I had someone to share it with. C'est la vie. (Is this a blatant cry for more of my friends, or potential friends, to invite me to their parties? Maybe. But this is still going down tonight.) 

Oh, those days of bomber bottles, and wax-coverings. Ah, nostalgia! So, so...so sweet, the memories! 

Dark burgundy hued, deep and opaque, large, rich, creamy tanned head. Looking great, five years on. 

In the nose: soft, malty, warm, rich. Grapes, dates, raisins, ...leather, tobacco...wer're in barleywine country. Plums, apples, rich malt, so much goodness. 

In the mouth: Mellow. Smooth, Malty. Rich. Just a little indulgent. A panoply of dark fruits, malt-forward, minor hops, much molasses, slightly syrupy, but well-balanced. I feel like I should compare against fresh notes. 

But first...I reviewed this one first in July of 2016, when it was brand new. I checked into it on Untappd nine times before today. The first check-in was from a the first bottle I bought and reviewed in September of 2016, them later, one at the taproom. Next, in October of '16, at Acadia. I must have been sitting on a keg for an event. A few days later, I posted a picture with a slurry of Surly tap handles.  Apparently, I still had it on in November, and then it next appeared at a Surly event at McKenzie's, and something at Jason's farm, and once in a while cracking one open at home, and this is my last one. 

It's still, five years later, huge, rich, powerful, full of flavor. I certainly could have waited several more years, but you never know, do you? Better safe than otherwise. The last thing I want to do is tell everyone: "I waited too long. I's past it's prime." This is not. There is no drop off in flavor, in body, in anything at all. This is brilliant, and I love it. 

Gigantic Hellboy Trevor Bruttenholm British Barleywine

 Gigantic Hellboy Trevor Bruttenholm British Barleywine. Beer #6 of 6.

Alc. by Vol. 9.99%. Gigantic Brewing, Portland, OR. 

Gigantic Hellboy Trevor Bruttenholm British Barleywine. That's quite a mouthful. Let's break it down.

Gigantic is the Portland, Oregon brewery that made this beer. This is my first time drinking them. The store where I work only stocks the beers in this series. Maybe the buyer is a big comic book guy. I don't know, it's never come up. Strange.

Hellboy is the comic book and film franchise created by Mike Mignola, who I've been a fan of since the early 80's. His illustrations for Jack Kirby characters (the trolls in Asgard from Thor, the Deviants from The Eternals)  in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe caught my attention and I followed him through runs on The Incredible Hulk and Alpha Flight, and still treasure his work on the Rocket Raccoon mini-series, which I have in hardcover now. Hellboy came around in the 90's, and I kept up with it for a while, and am now catching up through volumes borrowed from the library.

Trevor Bruttenholm is a character in the Hellboy series. He's the gent who discovered the little demon way back in 1944. They call him Broom in the films, for some reason.

British Barleywine is the style of beer, one that I adore, so let's drink it...

Deep burgundy hue, utter opacity, full, long-lasting beige-tinged head. Looking great for the style. 

In the nose: Rich and wondrous maltiness. Plenty of hops, to boot. Very vinous. All the dark fruits at play. An abundance of luxuorious goodness. 

In the mouth: Thick, full, totally bombastic barley-wine flavors pummel the palate. Hops are heavy, malts majestic. Roasty, toasty, toffee-is, caramel-y goodness. This fits the bill. Put this in your brandy snifter, by the fire, old dog Trey at your feet, in your slippers, paging through a volume of Voltaire. It's what barleywines are made for, contemplating the world, while partaking of it's best creation. This is yet another example of what makes beer superior to wine. So much more complex that the fruit of the grape, so many mansions all assembled in one house. 

This makes for a magnificent nightcap. I might have to grab that final bottle and see how long I can hold on to it. 

Good ol' barleywines. How I love them. 

(anyone who gets the comic strip reference above gets a No-Prize.)

"There are some for whom old age lends a fatherly gravitas. A paternal might. This barleywine is much the same. With intriguing nuances of toffee, dark fruits, citrus, and caramel that will develop over years." 

Fair State Life Ain't Fair Barleywine-style Ale

Fair State Life Ain't Fair Barleywine-style Ale. 

14.8 % ABV, 15 IBU. Fair State Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. 

Dark as sin, deep black, reddish tinges, thoroughly opaque, brief brown head. 

In the nose: Massive malt. Dark fruits, plums and berries. Hugeness. Foreboding alcohol. 

In the mouth: Hooey! Immensely complex upon the palate. Richness compounded upon luxuriousness, deep, dense, thick, ominous. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Chocolate meets dark fruit, molasses, sweetness, wow...this one goes...almost to 15. This is pretty damned amazing. 

I'm going to need to snag one or more of these to stash away for a special day. 

Sometimes life calls for a barleywine and we’re here to provide. This is bound to keep you warm and satisfy your sweet tooth. We’re torn between saying it tastes like a liquid See’s Chocolate Caramels or a Riesen candy, but you get the point. Low bitterness and very, very malty.

Boulevard / Three Floyds Deep Flux Barley-wine Aged in Rye Whiskey and Medeira Wine Casks

Boulevard / Three Floyds Deep Flux Barley-wine Aged in Rye Whiskey and Medeira Wine Casks.

14.3 % ABV. 20 IBU. Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City, MO, in collaboration with Three Floyds Brewing. 

Clear-is, rich, reddish hue, slim white head above. 

In the nose: Cherries. Dates. Oak. Red, red wine. Whiskey. Massive malt. Caramel. Vanilla. And the threat of big alcohol on the horizon. Whoa. 

In the mouth: Woo! More of that miss-mash invades the palate. Caramel, toffee, wine, whiskey, intense sweetness, immense malt flavors, vanilla, fruit, barrels, sweet, but deadly. Slightly bitter. Overblown, and surprisingly balanced. This beer is kind of crazy, but it works. It's big and busy, brash and outlandish, and  damn if it doesn't do the job. 

The doom of incoming alcohol starts its slough. Time to surrender to the onslaught. 

A while back, we took the brewers from 3 Floyds on a long walk past thousands of our bourbon, rum, tequila, and red wine barrels. We stopped to rest next to a collection of rye whiskey and Madeira wine casks. After a few beers we agreed that yes, these were the chosen ones. A couple more beers and we heard them tell us they wanted to be filled with barleywine – and when barrels speak, we listen. But when collaborating with 3 Floyds, predictable just won’t do, so we made this barleywine different, lighter in color than you might expect. It’s a rich, malty brew that beautifully complements the resplendent flavors of rye, Madeira, and oak lurking in the barrels.

AROMA: Vanilla, butterscotch, whiskey

MALT: Roast, caramel

Surly Fourteen Barrel-aged Barley-wine Ale

Surly Fourteen Barrel-aged Barley-wine Ale.

11 % ABV. Surly Brewing, Minneapolis/Brooklyn Center, MN. 

2020-2006= Fourteen. 

Man, I miss bombers. I miss big, bad-ass bottles. The last Surly anniversary beer in a bomber was Eleven. There were eight before that (they didn't bottle One or Three). (Ask me about Two, though, or look it up here yourself.) They didn't release Twelve. Thirteen was the first released as a can in a box for about twelve bucks. The tradition continues. 

One tradition I thoroughly enjoy is that of barley-wines, especially barrel-aged ones. Long may they wave.

Clear, bright crimson coloring, slim ivory head. 

In the nose: Caramel, vanilla, cherries, oak. Sweetness abounds. And so much more...

In the mouth: A malt monster. Huge and sweet. So many flavors abound: burnt orange, caramel and toffee, candied fruit. Minor hop bitterness, major malt, increasing alcohol every step of the way, and amassing and amazing richness. Juicy, fruity, powerful and potent. A blockbuster and a barn-burner in one neat little can. I was thoroughly struck by this offering, and can highly recommend it. I will even proclaim it Yum a Dum Dum. Even Super YADD.

You know, a 16-ounce can for $12 versus a 25 ounce bottle for $24 is not that bad of a deal. I just miss bombers. 

I believer that I will procure more of these and stash them away for future consumption, as has been my habit through the years. This one feels just a little bit young. 

Presenting Fourteen, our massive barleywine aged in Parker Heritage Wheat Whiskey barrels and Tattersall orphan spirit barrels. Rich malt character defines this beer, offering notes of caramel, toasted bread, and toffee combined with a kiss of hops, all finished by vanilla, oak, cocktail bitters, and burnt sugar flavors from the barrels.

BARLEYWINE ALE AGED IN PARKER HERITAGE WHEAT WHISKEY BARRELS

COLOR

Amber

HOPS

Warrior

Amarillo

MALT

2-Row

Wheat Malt

Flaked Wheat

Honey Malt

Acidulated Malt

Carafoam

OG

YEAST

English Ale

IBU

Moderate

ABV

11%

SURLY MN USA

Stone Bourbon Barrel-aged Arrogant Bastard

Stone Bourbon Barrel-aged Arrogant Bastard.

8.1 % ABV. 100 IBU. 

Stone Brewing, Escondido, CA. 

Fairly clouded, Burgundy-hued, large beige head atop. 

In the nose: Caramel and cocoa. Oak and vanilla. Rich and malty, with barrel effects edging in. Dark fruit delights. 

In the mouth: Oaky and smokey. Rich, sweet, malty, deep and devastating. Cherry and vanilla and deep bourbon barrel goodness. Big hop bitterness meets massive malt. Huge. Intoxicating. Delirious. Take your time, but take your chances. It's a biggie. More dark fruit deliciousness. 

Good stuff here. Just one a day, though, for real. Do it nice and moderate-like. K?

I, from a slumber that’s been anything but peaceful. I don’t take kindly to idling and I am anything but neutral. Life has nothing to do with killing time, and the knowledge that months have passed since the onset of my sequestering in this pitch-black oaken tomb (albeit a barrel flush with brilliant aromas of vanilla and char) does not sit well. But then comes a tingle followed by rejuvenating warmth, signs that something is different…something has changed…and for the better.

I feel stronger yet somehow more nimble and refined. I feel even more self-assured, and my vision for what is good and right, honest and true, is as laser-sharp as the brawny, bawdy, liquid Arrogance that shall further advance my battle against all things mediocre and geared toward the lowest common denominator. I have been born anew and, in the process, anointed with vibrant, inspiring, previously unexperienced character, all while maintaining everything I am and have always been—bold, bullish, unadulterated, and yes, Arrogant. 

Are you Worthy of quaffing a beverage of this intensity, irreverence and quality craftsmanship? Not likely, but for those who “get it,” I know my time in this bourbon barrel has not been wasted. Cheers to you, enlightened imbiber. On second thought, cheers to me! 

Three Floyds Pillar of Beasts

 Three Floyds Pillar of Beasts. 

Barley-wine style ale brewed with salted caramel aged in oak barrels.

14.5 % aBV. 16 IBU. Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, IN. 

This was an unusually expensive one for me. $25 a 4-pack, over $6 a bottle. Was it worth it? Yeah. In fact, I may get another, just to save for special occasions. 

Dark brown coloring, slim, short-lived beige head. 

In the nose: Outsized aromatics, powerful sweetness, caramel and vanilla. Toffee and cocoa, awash in bourbon barrels. Boom, boom, boom, boom, Alcohol starts to scream out. Intense, rich, delicious...now, to taste...

In the mouth: Huge sweetness, major vanilla, incredible caramel. Lush barleywine flavors, covered up in bourbon barrel. So many flavors emerge: vanilla, caramel, rum, brown sugar, dates, dark fruits of all stripes, keeping the sweet train going until the dry comes along. Sweet and rich aplenty. Yum = a dum dum.

Big, bombastic, deliriously delicious. 

Okay, that does it, off to Dreamland...

Somewhere in the distance we hear the pounding of native drums. Was it in our minds? We don't know. What we do know is that we made a salted caramel barley wine, put it in bourbon barrels for 12 months, and added vanilla beans and cocoa nibs. Taste the scrumptiousness.

La Doña Ocēlōtl Barrel-aged Barley-wine

La Doña Ocēlōtl Barrel-aged Barley-wine.
10 % ABV. 56 IBU.
La Doña Cervecería, Minneapolis, MN.

Dark, Burgundy-hued, large, creamy/tan-toned head. Looking great.

In the nose: Also smelling great. Not hiding it's strength. Mezcal barrels are on top of this. Brandy-is, very malty, very bold.

In the mouth: Big, thick, rich, and boozy. Caramel and toffee malt flavors loom largest, touched with the traces of the barrel work. Mezcal is delivering the goods in flavor. Very sweet, this, quite rich and definitely delicious. I am absolutely loving this. Makes me wish I'd bought two bottles, instead of one. Maybe they still have one? Nah.

More flavors unfold, there's dark chocolate, dark fruits, minor hops and bitterness, yet still well-balanced. Well, somewhat balanced. It's a big beer, and it's amazing.

Our long anticipated Mezcal barrel aged barley wine.

Surly Eight Ale-Six Year Later

Surly Eight Ale-Six Year Later. 12 % ABV.
Surly Brewing, Brooklyn Center, MN.

Mostly hazed, dark crimson coloring, slim white head.

In the nose: Bright, bold fruit, almost wine-like. Vanilla and cherry. Slightly sweet, lightly tart, a wonderful complexity coming through.

In the mouth: Big hoppiness. Big malt. Massive barrel action. Tart tannins. Smooth stuff, underneath the bigness. Citrus fruit, stone fruit, berries and cherries. Quite tasty.

I'm going to have to check on my notes from the original release in 2014.

Six years on, it's much more mellow, alcohol strength isn't felt quite so hotly. Flavors remain plump and delicious. Holds up remarkably well after six years. Wish I had another.


When it’s done” is a phrase we’ve used to describe release dates for our beers for many years. When you’re putting the beer first, it just makes sense. Our anniversary is technically in February, but this unique Oat Wine style ale needed to age in High West Rye Whiskey barrels until, well… until it’s done. Here’s to Eight great years, and we’ll all be celebrating soon in our all new Destination Brewery.

Firestone Walker Sucaba Vintage 2019 Barley Wine Ale

Firestone Walker Sucuba Vintage 2019 Barley Wine Ale.
11.3 % ABV. Firestone Walker Brewing, Paso Robles, CA.

Dark mahogany-hued, slim white-ish head.

In the nose: Big, boozy barleywine aromas, popping out the wazoo. All the earmarks of a classic big ol' barley-wine. Ablaze with all the the raisin and fig, the woody character, the deep malty, chocolatey, tobacco and leather notes.

In the mouth: here's where it's all delivered, right on the palate. More big, more booze, massive malt, plenty of bourbon, vanilla, cherry, and all the deep, devilish dark fruits aplenty. Yum a dum, dum. I could have sat on this another five years, but I just had to try it now.

One of the best barleywines I've tasted in a good long while. Mmm, hmmm.

As always, this latest vintage delivers big, boozy bourbon and American oak aromas combine with soft chocolate malt undertones. Complex malt flavors are framed in oak with hints of dark chocolate, vanilla, toasted coconut and a touch of dark cherry. Sucaba is a one-of-a-kind sipping experience. It is a beer built to last, and one that will reward careful cellaring for years to come. We highly recommend counting the years with an abacus.

Indeed Old Breed Bourbon Barrel-aged Barley Wine

Indeed Old Breed Bourbon Barrel-aged Barley Wine.
9.9 % ABV. 50 IBU.
Indeed Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Murky mahogany, burnt umber, short-lived brownish head.

In the nose: Glorious. Vanilla, cherry, tobacco, & leather. Rich, magnificent malt, all covered up in whiskey. I'm a natural born sucker for it.

In the mouth: caramel & toffee. Deep malt flavors, brandy, rum, raisins, and all those whiskey associations. Plum delicious. Full bodied, full flavored, right on in every aspect.

The flavors are generous and incredible, then in walks the booze, right on time. Here comes that wonderfully warm feeling, coating the senses, coaxing the brain.

A luxurious nightcap, well-equipped to send me off to slumberland.

Town Hall Twisted Reality Barley-wine

Once more, as with the Foolish Quadrupel, a Town Hall beer was available in growlers for the first time in quite a while. It was not available at any time in the eight years and plus of this blog? Apparently so. Or, I just wasn't there when it was. The bourbon barrel aged version? Yes. The red wine barrel version? Also, yes. But never the original, which I first took notes on back in February of 2006, nearly 13 years ago. So, let's look back on...

Town Hall Twisted Reality Barley-wine, 10.3 % ABV. Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Went into Town Hall merely to grab a couple growlers, and noticed the regulars drinking out of snifters a beer that wasn't entirely black...so, it's not the Imperial Stout, what is it? The Twisted Reality barleywine that they debuted at Winterfest, which I missed, on cask! I had to have one...

Beautiful magenta hue, deeper in the top 2/3 of the glass, a clearer crimson at the bottom, under an attractive, lasting creamy head. Nice!

Aroma is lush and fruity, while never too sweet, brimming with flavor, enticing one to drink!

In the taste, a cornucopia of the usual barleywinish flavors, cherries and cognac, leather and burgundy wine...the cask-conditioning keeps it mellow, and the various characteristics roll around the mouth with careless abandon, yet somehow perfect balance. Plumb malt, and tasteful hops. Lush and luscious, a deep, dreamy ale one can savor at length. Gorgeous texture, keeps the mind active and the palate abuzz.

I wish I could compare this against the tap offering, which I never had, but on cask this is about near perfection. Plenty strong, though, but a delightful nightcap. I will have to go back for more before this disappears....

Notes at the bar, from a cask offering. Now, drinking from a growler at home, for the first time. Sweet and malty, while balanced. Big-boned and bodacious. Filling up with a warming alcoholic sense. Dark fruits and ton of molasses. Maple syrup, more than anything. Sweetness rules in here, and it's delicious and smooth. An even better nightcap than that cask serving, because I don't need to go home, just wander over to my bed. I finished the growler quicker than I thought I would and shuffled off to SlumberLand.

Surly BAOW (Barrel Aged Oat Wine)

Surly BAOW (Barrel Aged Oat Wine), 9.6% ABV, Surly Brewing, Minneapolis / Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Oat wine ale aged in rye whiskey barrels.

After a slew of lighter offerings, it's nice to see a new Surly beer that's big, brash, bold and barrel-aged. "Roughly based on the recipe of Surly Eight, BAOW adds some tweaks and a hell of a lot of oats for a highly drinkable beer that still packs a punch."

Slightly clouded, bronzish-colored, with an ample serving of off-whitish, creamy-toned head.

In the nose: All kinds of complexities. Caramel. Oak. Toffee. Vanilla. Fruit. Whiskey-a-Go-go. Cherries. Richness and ridiculousness.

In the mouth: Mmmm. Sweet stuff. Big and bold stuff. Barrel aged goodness unleashed. Boom, boom, boom, boom. All that barrel-aged flavor comes spilling out.

Mmmm. Interesting. In previous years, this style of beer would be a collaboration with some metal band and the name would be a tribute to an ancient goat-headed behemoth. Now, the name is an acronym turned onomatopoeia, turned into an homage to the Batman TV Show of 1966. I don't not like that. The beer even came with a one-page comic strip origin of BAOW!

It's getting mellower and mellower as we go further, and the richness is less large and frightening, more smooth and silky. More caramel, tobacco, leather, lushness. Sweetness. Decadence. Mmm, mm, yeah. It's a delicious treat that can't be beat. So much slick and smooth, rich, toasty, malty, Delightful.

Barrel-aging lends this oat wine a flavorful punch. Expect sweet toffee malt flavor up front, oak and a hint of vanilla on the finish, and a silky mouthfeel throughout. BAOW will leave a mark.

HOPS
Warrior
MALT
2-Row
Oat Malt
Biscuit Malt
Acidulated Malt
Rolled Oats
Simpson's Golden Naked Oats
OG
29° Plato18
YEAST
English Ale
IBU
Low
ABV
9.6%

SURLY MN USA

56 Marshall St. Series Barleywine

56 Brewing Marshall St. Series Barleywine. Brewed and bottled in NorthEast Minneapolis, MN by 56 Brewing. 9% ABV, 90 IBU. Bottle #307/432. Date: 2017.

Richly colored, largely opaque, burgundy hued, under a slim, off-white, cream-toned head.

In the nose: Dark fruit, stone fruit, burnished fruit. Deep, rich, fruity, wine-like, and very malty. Alcohol threatens, at first.

In the mouth: Richness, dark fruit, leather, molasses, caramel, toffee, deepness....intensity. Full body, full flavor. I like it. (If I don't exactly love it.) Good barleywine and you can drink it. And there ain't nothing wrong with that.


This American barleywine has the aroma of raisins and nugget hops with flavors of deep caramel malt and toffee. The finish is slightly sweet with a crisp bitternesss.

Town Hall Barley Vine Wine-barrel-aged Barley-wine

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Barley Vine. 11.2% ABV. American Barleywine (Twisted Reality) aged in red wine barrels.

On Tuesday, February 21, Day Three of Town Hall Brewery's Barrel Aged Week, the Vine series was released. Vine's Eye, Strong American honey ale aged in French oak red wine barrels. Frosted Vine, | Imperial stout aged in French oak red wine barrels. And the one I'm about to tell you about.

I was not there that day, for I had to work at 5, when they released the beer. Wednesday, when they also released Strawberry Stave and Kentucky Truffle, two brand new beers, I started at 6 pm and had time for a quick one, after a long wait at the busy bar. Next day's a day-off, so I went in with plenty of time to catch up on what I couldn't have for the past few days. The Vine series had some hits and misses. I definitely enjoyed Frosted Vine, and wished I could have taken a growler home, but it had sold out the first day, being a new beer, and being a bourbon barrel imperial stout. Vine's Eye was less successful, and I passed on a growler, when they were still available weeks later. Why spent $19 when I already found it disappointing?

And that's why I brought home a Barley Vine, and finally cracked it open the other night to take these notes:

Dark brown color, with ruby highlights, slim-ish, whitish head above.

In the nose: So beautifully smooth. I'm picking up some wine barrel effects, some that Twisted is coming through, but it's really a great blending. A little sweet and vinous, a little deep and malty, and altogether lovely.

In the mouth: Yum. That's the first order of business. Flat-out yum. Rich red wine goodness, followed by caramel-y, chocolate-y maltiness. It's divine, this Barley Vine. I'm soaking in it. Always a fan of a good barley-wine, this one goes the extra mile.

Pryes Barley-wine Ale

Pryes Barley-wine Ale. 9% ABV. 2017 Small Batch Series. A Hand Crafted Limited Batch made with 100% malt and zero additive sugars. Bottle No. 181/250. Pryes Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Burgundy tint. Clear. Rich, creamy, large and lasting head of foam.

In the nose: mostly malty. fruity. Stone fruit, dark fruit. Nice and lovely.

In the mouth: Sweet, malty, but balanced. Classic English-style barley-wine. Big amount of fruit in it, slight bitterness, but more of the malt. A little bit of spice, just enough. In fact, everything is all in the right place.

As it is, this one is right on. On the money. On target, On the nickel, over there. Tasting terrific. Hits all the right notes. Damnably delicious.

I missed this when it was on tap at the brewery. (The bottles, I mean, it seems to still be available in the taproom.) A representative came through with a bottle for me. He suggested that I wait a month or two to open it for maximum freshness, or lack thereof, and it worked.

Now, those three little words: Warm, Fig, Malty.

Lynlake The Bachelor Barley-wine

Lynlake The Bachelor Barley-wine-style Ale. 8.6% ABV. 100 IBU. LynLake Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

I've been sitting on this bottle for a couple of months, I think. Feels like as good enough of a night as any to crack it open and enjoy.

Clear, bright crimson color, solid, off-whitish head. Looks nice.

In the nose: rich and malty. Big hop flavors start the assault, Big fruit. Big everything. Plump and heavy. Powerfully complex. Some sweetness, much ripe fruitiness. Mmmm, lot of caramel malt flavors, a touch of toffee, altogether goodness.


In the mouth: Yum. It's got the barley-wine flavors right from the start, plump, richly malty, powerfully fruity, bitterness ably matched by malt, with alcohol revving up and ready to go. Tastes just like a barley-wine should and doesn't hold back. Mmmm, this hits it right where I want it to hit.