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Old Norway Orcadian Barley Wine – ABV 8%

Sweet maltiness plus dried apricots and dates – this is surprisingly light for a Barley Wine, with a great crisp and fresh finish for easy drinking.

Look: Old Norway has a big golden pour with a long lasting white head and lots of lacing.

Aroma: Raisins, dried apricots and dates with the freshness of pine needles.

Taste: On the palate you get lots more of that dried fruit melded with the alcohol.

Verdict: It’s a little lighter in alcohol and intensity than you’d usually expect a Barleywine and is easy drinking as a result. You might just forget it’s an 8% ABV beer.

Food pairing: Stilton and Barleywine is a classic pairing. When the sweet maltiness of the beer meets the intense saltiness of the cheese; wonderful things start happening on your palate.

American Barley Wine – ABV 9%

Toffee apples, sweet orange and crisp hoppy bitterness: this Torrside bottled beer was rated as one of the best of 2016 – and standards haven’t slipped one bit.

Look: The beer pours a dark, almost brown amber with a thin white head.

Aroma: Marmalade and toffee apples combine in an enticing aroma

Taste: There’s lots of resinous pine bitterness the insane levels of hopping.

Verdict: Enjoy this now to get the best of the hops, or keep it a while to mellow and mature those toffee fruit flavours into something wonderful and complex. Its up to you, but we’re sure you’ll enjoy it either way.

Da Hong Pao Barley Wine – ABV 9%

East meets West in an innovative take on a British-style Barley Wine. Gansu (Sichuan) pepper brings the heat and highlights the boozy warmth in this syrupy BW.

Look: Clear dark amber colour with a slightly foamy off-white head; medium carbonation and good lacing.

Aroma: Sweet dark malts and some orange, like a classic British Barley Wine, with a strong zing of pepper and spice.

Taste: Sweet malts and spices, more dried fruit with caramel and toffee base. Towards the end the pepper kicks highlighting the bitterness and the alcohol warmth. Syrupy mouthfeel, and full-bodied.

Verdict: There are plenty of beers out there that are too innovative to be tasty, but this syrupy, peppery, sweet treat is not one of them. Gānbēi!

Bommen & Granaten – ABV 11.9%

With an almost Champagne-like foam, malty sweet aroma, fruity notes and chewy mouthfeel, ‘Bombs & Grenades’ Barley Wine is as explosive as you would expect.

Look: Hazy amber-brown with foamy off-white, mousse-like head and medium carbonation.

Aroma: Malty sweet, caramel and toffee, plus some sweet fruit such grapes and orange.

Taste: Loads of sweet fruit like orange and apples, plus more toffee, treacle syrup and more honey sweet malts. Full bodied with a really thick, chewy mouthfeel and a floral hoppy finish

Verdict: Boom.

Bourbon Barrel Aged American Barley Wine – ABV 10%

Bearded Nurse Barley Wine – ABV 10.6%

Full Frontaal – ABV 9.6%

Aroma is like a steaming latte, set in front of you. Brewed expertly with Hasbean Limoncillo Ethiosar Natural coffee beans adding to the thick body and chewiness of the beer style. The cinder toffee notes of the coffee mingle with a walnuttiness and the digestive biscuit flavour of the grain bill. A deliciously bold beer, that’ll stand out stark for its style.

Collaboration with Brouwerij Frontaal

American Barleywine – ABV 11%

A masterpiece of a Barleywine loaded with Cascade and Citra, with huge depth of dried fruit.

Look: Pours a dark, reddish brown in the glass with a thin white head that is gone no sooner that it appears.

Aroma: Dried fruit, red wine with a hoppy twist.

Taste: Rich, sweet and thick Barleywine packed with dried fruit a long bitter finish.  

Verdict: Seriously rich and complex, this is right up there with Kees very best beers. One to be savoured slowly.  

Barley Davidson Barley Wine – ABV 9.7%

Insane levels of hopping and a distinctly bittersweet flavour profile; if you can resist drinking it immediately, this beer will age superbly over time.

Look: The beer pours hazy golden brown with a nice white head

Aroma: This keeps up the American tradition of making barley wines which are quite different their English counterparts and this has similarly huge flavours of resinous hops and honey.

Taste: Intense pine and citrus the hops, set against a body of dried fruit and vanilla.

Verdict:  The delciious dried fruit and vanilla will become more pronounced over time so leave it if you can. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to enjoy this beer at its best.

Food pairing: The intensity of the hops works really well with strong cheese. Try it with the sharp tang of a mature cheddar.

Frick & Frack Smoked Barley Wine – ABV 11.3%

Thick, syrupy sweet, smokey and malty – this Kees and de Molen collab is smooth and enjoyable – just like a Swiss ice skater.

Look: Pours dark mahogany brown, with a gently foaming off-white head.

Aroma: Sticky syrup and fruit like figs with sweet malt base with orange accents.

Taste: More dark fruit, thick and rich toffee and caramel with some smokiness in the background. Good boozy burn.

Verdict: Lovely smooth, enjoyable stuff – just like ‘Frick’ (Werner Groebli) and ‘Frack’ (Hansruedi Mauch), the Swiss skaters, themselves.