Fans of the barley wine rejoice, for it is with this can of malty goodness that we conclude this months beer pack.
Todays barley wines generally fall into one of two categories. A traditional barley wine has its origins in 18th England, and is really all about the malt. Then we have the American barley wine, which is a more recent incarnation and hints at the extra use of hops; looking for much more hop character and bitterness than in a traditional barley wine.
With this beer, we have an American style, as the beer was dry hopped to add that extra bite and a little floral character to the aroma.
It pours a pretty thick, dark amber with a small head that settles quickly. On the nose there is the sweet malt character of caramel, toffee, burnt sugar and dried fruits. There is also a little citrus hint from the dry hopping.
This all follows through in the flavour. Sweet caramel malts, a little dried stone fruit, with a citrus hop bitterness cutting through the sweetness and drying out on the finish. For a big beer it drinks really smoothly, very much belying its name.
Cuvee D'Erpigny is back in 2016 with the Pays D'Erpigny aged in French Sauternes barrels
A cross between a barley wine and an ABT, with the added complexity of Alvinne's Morpheus yeast
Once Belgium's strongest beer, this strong amber ale is world-renowned for more than just being an amazing beer.
De Molen's 3,000th brew was this black barley wine with roasted wheat
A barley wine with smoked malt and three varieties of chillies. Different but delicious!
by Brouwerij Emelisse/Slot-Oostende
A big malty barley wine given the treatment in Bourbon barrels
A slightly happier version of a classic barley wine, using Cascade and Citra hops
This big barley wine is spiked with Brettanomyces and aged in oak barrels for 18 months
A massive barley wine aged in Bordeaux French oak barrels that were previously home to Swiss red wine
A big barley wine, with the addition of rye and US hops for a spicy hop bitterness
A strong dark ale bridging the gap between barley wine and Belgian quadruple styles
A session NEIPA full of tropical fruit aroma and flavour from the Simcoe, Cascade and Flaconer's Flight hops
A luscious big imperial stout with cocao nibs and roasted peanuts
De Moersleutel's renowned Motorolie Russian Imperial Stout, with added smoked plums
A double dry hopped NEIPA featuring Citra and Mosaic hops
An Imperial American Brown Ale has all the best elements of malt body and hop bitterness
The name translates as 'lubricating oil', and that is a fair description for this rich and smooth imperial stout
