Barleywines

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 2010 Arrives!

This year marks the 25th release of Sierra Nevada’s Bigfoot Barleywine.  (Chico, CA)  This barleywine is a yearly favorite amongst the big beer geeks. As a yearly drinker of Bigfoot myself, I look forward to this bold, hoppy, flavorful beer.

Bigfoot Continue Reading →

New Release – Redhook Treblehook

Lately I have been noticing that alongside the normal run of beers, and seasonal releases by various breweries, many are doing a limited beer release.   Whether an experiment or a small batch, these beers are popping up everywhere.  Redhook Brewery, Continue Reading →

Posted in New Releases

New In Bottle – Moylan’s Old Blarney Barleywine

From the brewer’s that brought you Hopsickle, comes another full bodied beer – Old Blarney Barleywine.  This is the first time Moylan’s award winning BW has made it to the Atlanta market.  Expect strong flavors of alcohol, with some caramel malt backbone.  Hops are citrusy, some pine, with some bitter in the finish.

Here is the ingredient rundown –

Hops – Yakima Chinook, Yakima Glacier

Malts – American 2-Row, Crystal Malt 45L, Munich Malt, Caravienna Malt, Special B, Acidulated Malt.

10% ABV

62 IBU (International Bitterness Units) Hopsickle is over 100 IBU…

I keep reiterating that unless you are home brewer, or really beer hardcore, those ingredients might not mean a lot to you.   However, as you try beers keeping in mind the different hops and malts gives you a better understanding of how these change the taste.  It’s very easy to get to know what you are drinking without having to read about it all day.  Hey, that’s what I’m here for!

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, Uncategorized

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 2010 Arrives!

This year marks the 25th release of Sierra Nevada’s Bigfoot Barleywine.  (Chico, CA)  This barleywine is a yearly favorite amongst the big beer geeks. As a yearly drinker of Bigfoot myself, I look forward to this bold, hoppy, flavorful beer.

Bigfoot hosts a plethora of hoppy ingredients. Here’s your rundown —

Bittering hops — Chinook

Finishing Hops — Cascade & Centennial

Dry Hopping — Cascade, Centennial, & Chinook

Malt Profile — Two Row Pale, English Caramel

Yeast — Top Fermenting Ale Yeast

ABV — 9.6%

This gold medal winning beer is great now, and is worth cellaring for a while.  Recently had a vertical tasting of Bigfoot from 2006 — 2009 and it ages very well.

Limited release, available now.

Check out this video of the brew process —   WMV or  MOV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, Redhook

New Release – Redhook Treblehook

Lately I have been noticing that alongside the normal run of beers, and seasonal releases by various breweries, many are doing a limited beer release.   Whether an experiment or a small batch, these beers are popping up everywhere.  Redhook Brewery, out of Portsmouth New Hampshire just added another limited release.

Redhook’s most recent limited release is  Barleywine and is the second edition in the limited series.   This barleywine is brewed with aromatic malts such as Pale, Caramel, Flaked Barley, Black, and Melenodin.  There is also a special extra aromatic malt concoction that is used.   Hops used are Cascade, Palisades, Chinook, and Simcoe.

This barleywine was first brewed in 2007.  In 2008 it won Gold in the 2008 Great American Beer Festival, and took Silver in 2009.  Want to hold on to it a while?  Recommended cellaring for Treblehook by Redhook is about 3 years.  Treblehook is 10.1% ABV.

Quoting Red Hook —

Boasting big aromatic malts, Redhook Treblehook pours a dark gold with a velvety mouthfeel and a slightly bitter finish. Brewed in the style of a traditional American barley wine with a 10.1% ABV and 57 IBUs, Treblehook sets itself apart by playing up the hops to add depth and complexity. Dry-hopped vigorously throughout the six-month process, Treblehook’s strength comes from its ability to have a strong hop flavor while still allowing the malt characteristics to shine through.

Available at Hop City, Tower, Greens, and Total Wine.  22 oz bottle, around $10.00

by Reid Ramsay