Your cart is currently empty!
Steven Coulson
Steven has been drinking beers, wines and spirits for decades and has a propensity to go about them at length after a few drinks.
Latest Posts
- Does anyone else feel guilty drinking beer alone because it’s supposed to be a social experience?
- I’m new to drinking beer and I need some suggestions.
- Cleaning house and found a 10-15 year old bottle of barley wine from High Water Brewing, which I think no longer exists. What are the chances it’s drinkable, as in not holding my nose drinkable?
- I’m new to drinking beer and I need some suggestions.
- Tried Dragon’s Milk and loved it, any other dark/milk stout recommendations?
Categories
Tags
Social Links
Rediscovering the Past: A 10-15 Year Old Bottle of Barley Wine
Recently, while organizing my home, I stumbled upon a forgotten treasure—a bottle of barley wine from the now-defunct High Water Brewing, dating back 10 to 15 years. The discovery sparked a question: what are the odds this aging brew is still drinkable without the unpleasant experience of holding my nose?
With some curiosity and a bit of apprehension, I decided to crack it open, and I’m happy to share that the experience was surprisingly pleasant. While the aroma carried a hint of mustiness, the flavor proved to be surprisingly intact. The carbonation, although a little diminished, was still moderate enough to enhance the tasting.
As someone who doesn’t often indulge in barley wines, I can’t speak to its adherence to traditional style, but I can assert that it certainly didn’t have that off-putting taste reminiscent of wet cardboard that many older beers can exhibit. Instead, I found it to possess a toasty character with subtle notes of chocolate and a noticeable alcohol presence, boasting an impressive ABV of 11%.
Overall, I would say this vintage barley wine turned out to be quite enjoyable and perfectly drinkable. It’s amazing what hidden gems can be found in the back of the pantry! Thanks to everyone who helped ease my concerns about trying an older brew.