Gnarly Barley

I’ve been in the mood for really high alcohol beers lately, barley wines in particular. Maybe it’s the rich, malted caramel flavor I’m drawn to. Maybe it’s the intense hop characteristics that I’ve been known to seek out or maybe, I just like the idea of getting hammered off of just two pints. This week I stopped by the Beer Wall at my local grocery and chose the highest alcohol content beer they had to write about and I am happy to report that Lagunitas Olde Gnarly Wine Style Ale is more than just the quickest rode to getting drunk on beer.

Barley wine are beers with generally 8-12% alcohol like wine, but are made from grain instead of fruit and therefore cannot be classified as such. Referred to as “barley wine style ales,” barley wines are characterized by a bitterness offset by a strong hops flavor. Though not the only high alcohol beers on the market, barley wines make up for the majority of the over 8% alcohol beers sold in the world. Others include old ales, or “winter warmers,” that have a strong flavor due to cask fermentation. In the past few years, Samuel Adams has release a Utopias brand of over 20% alcohol beers. More like a brandy or a port, these also range amongst the most expensive beers in the world at about $100 a bottle.

Lagunitas’ Olde Gnarly Wine Style Ale is a dark chocolaty color and the first thing you smell is the rich, caramel malt followed by lots of piney hops. From the first sip this thick, almost syrupy beer is strong and demands to be sipped slow and savored. Striking an uncommon balance for this style of beer, this Gnarly Wine is a good introduction to high alcohol beers and a terrific example of a barley wine.