Can someone describe the taste of Barley Wine?
Daniel
What's the typical abv%?
Regards,
Daniel
ChrisV
Barley wine is just a strong beer. Ignoring AHA guidelines, as an
approximation, take pretty well any ale recipe and double or triple the
quantities. The Original Gravity starts around 1090 or higher and the final abv
is anywhere from 8% to 14%, but most are around 10%.
When mature it tastes like a concentrated, hoppy, malty and slightly sweet beer,
with a wine-like alcohol taste. My favourites in the style have a thick rich
mouthfeel like a liquer.
The bad news is that most barley wines are undrinkable for 6 months and they
come into their prime after about 12 months. Many brewers recommend leaving it
for 18 months.
Chris
MDixon
Daniel <dmo...@jps.net> wrote in message
news:d7f070c9.01110...@posting.google.com...
> How is Barley Wine made? How does it taste? How long does it take to
make?
>
> What's the typical abv%?
Check out these two pages, it should tell you what you desire...
http://www.foamrangers.com/styles/12B.html
http://www.foamrangers.com/styles/12A.html
Cheers,
Mike
ben w
> The bad news is that most barley wines are undrinkable for 6 months and they
> come into their prime after about 12 months.
More bad news is that many people, myself included, would be tempted
to end that sentence after the word "undrinkable".
I've never had a barley wine that didn't taste like Carlsberg Special
Brew. Even Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot "barley wine style" ale. To each
his/her own, of course, but I would advise being *very* sure that it's
something you like to drink before brewing any.
ben
Mike Uchima
>
> How is Barley Wine made?
Pretty much like a standard Pale Ale, except the OG (and usually the
hopping rate too) is 2-3x higher, and it takes longer to ferment and
age. Some brewers add wine yeast partway through the fermentation to
ensure full attenuation.
> How does it taste?
English versions tend more towards sweet/malty, whereas American
versions tend to be more highly hopped, making them more bittersweet.
All have a warming effect, due to the high alcohol content. Well-aged
Barleywines often have a sherry-like character, from oxidation; if not
over-the-top, the oxidized flavors make a positive contribution to the
complexity of the beer.
For an example of an English Barleywine, try some Young's Old Nick.
Anchor Old Foghorn is the benchmark American Barleywine... Sierra Nevada
Bigfoot is great too, but less refined than the Anchor (IMO Bigfoot is
better after it's been allowed to sit at least a few months).
> How long does it take to make?
They typically take several weeks to ferment out, and anywhere from a
few months to a few years to properly age.
> What's the typical abv%?
8% and up (sky's the limit), depending on the OG and alcohol tolerance
of the yeast strain used.
> Regards,
>
> Daniel
--
== Mike Uchima == uch...@pobox.com == http://www.pobox.com/~uchima ==