Jul. 13, 2011 - Issue #821: The Beer Issue

Veni, Vidi, Vino

Wine for beer lovers

It may masquerade as a wine, but at barley wine's heart is a brew

When is a wine not a wine? When it's a barley wine, funny enough. Thanks to some categorical vagaries and broad definitions, "barley wine" is a bit of a misnomer. It is, in fact, a strong ale with alcohol strength as high as 12 percent, which likely gives it its name. These rich, full-flavoured brews can also range considerably in colour—from a cloudy amber to deep brown, almost black—and flavour, depending on the craftsmanship. Like wine, it can be laid down and aged, gaining complexity and value over the years.

Because of its challenging brewing process and desired complexity, it is considered a brewer's crowning achievement. While it's typically made from a pale ale, it will often be crammed with twice the grain for colour and flavour, with intense hoppy bitterness. This can be balanced out with caramelized sugars, making barley wine best enjoyed after a meal, akin to a dessert wine, or with a cigar.

Its most reputable origins come from 17th-century England, with modern versions being Whitbread's Gold Label, Bass's No 1 and Fuller's Vintage Ale. While this rare style of beer can be harder to come by here, North American brewers are now producing ambitious, new-style barley wines that you can find at specialized beer retailers.

Edmonton's own Alley Kat makes Olde Deuteronomy Barley Wine and, at 9.4 percent alcohol, it's as good a place a place to start as any. Other notable Canadian breweries include Halifax's Garrison Brewing Ol' Fog Burner, Toronto's Mill Street and Dieu du Ciel from Montréal. Jasper's Grizzly Paw and Victoria's Driftwood Brewery make a barley wine, though you'll probably have to visit the breweries themselves for a sample. You may even find some available from the US—like Lagunitas Olde Gnarly and Rogue Old Crustacean—where craft breweries are years ahead of our own in terms of innovation, microbrew culture and marketability.

While many have referred to these heavy-hitters as winter holiday sippers, their complexity and full-bodied flavour makes them ideal for year-round food pairings, from strong cheeses like gorgonzola and sharp cheddar to spicy gumbos, or rich desserts including cheesecake or dark chocolate.

Barley wine: it's the best of both worlds! V vueweekly.com comments: powered by Disqus