by Mark Meli

Barley Wines are potent ales, named on account of their strength, not because of any reliance on grapes. With 8-15% alcohol, they are almost as strong as wine. Barley wines originated in Great Britain, usually as the strongest beer a brewer made. Most are amber to deep brown in color and are dominated by rich malt aroma and flavor. They are balanced as much by alcohol as by hops, and many show scant hop aroma. Common flavor notes include raisins or prunes, fruity jam, chocolate, toffee, and also port or sherry. They usually have little to no carbonation. When young they can be too sweet, so they are often aged for several years before drinking.

Well-known examples of English Barley Wines are Thomas Hardy’s Ale and Lees Harvest Ale. Both are very sweet and rich, and improve for up to 25 years! Neither are easy to find in Japan, but both are worth looking for. Yo-Ho Brewing releases a British-style barley wine yearly. Its vintages are always sweet and malty and improve with age.

American-style barley wines tend to be hoppier than their British cousins, with West Coast varietals like Cascade or Centennial providing strong citrus notes. When young, they are often bitter and hot, begging for aging. Even as they mellow, they are often less sweet and syrupy than British examples. Anchor Old Foghorn, widely available in Japan, was the first American-style barley wine and is still a prime example. Sankt Gallen’s El Diablo is also very much in the American style: with almost 10% alcohol and a huge load of American hops, it’s a palate bender! I like it best after 3-4 years.

There is such a range of flavor in barley wine that it may be hard to see it as one distinct style, especially now that there are Belgian, Danish, Dutch, and Japanese versions, sometimes aged in brandy, bourbon, or wine barrels—each of which imparts distinct flavors. It is fun to compare them. For a very Japanese barley wine, try Outsider Brewing’s new Mountain. It uses ume (plum) along with lots of malt, for close to 15% alcohol. It is tart and fruity, with wine-like characteristics as well.

Barley wines are great dessert beers, yet they also go well with game or strong cheeses. They are perfect on a cold winter’s evening, and if you happen to have a fire to sit beside, so much the better.

All Beer Styles articles are written by Mark Meli, author of Craft Beer in Japan.

This article was published in Japan Beer Times # () and is among the limited content available online. Order your copy through our online shop or download the digital version from the iTunes store to access the full contents of this issue.