How to Buy Barley Wine

Barley wine is a special type of beer and may be referred to as an old ale. It has more alcohol than other beers and often has a malty taste. Barley wines are very full-bodied and actually age well or change their flavor the older they get. Read on to learn how to buy barley wine.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Decide whether you want to purchase from American or European breweries. Though there are exceptions, most American barley wines have more hops, making them bitterer and American barley wines tend to have more alcohol than European varieties.
2. Purchase older barley wines or plan to let them age before drinking them. All barley wines have dates on them, the same as wines do. You will find the older the barley wine is, the better it will taste.
3. Choose a variety of barley wines to try, since the flavor changes depending on who brews the beer. Some of the more popular barley wine options include Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Anchor Old Foghorn, Thomas Hardy Ale and Dogfish Head Immort Ale.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the barley wine is chilled before drinking it.
• Pour the barley wine into a pilsner glass, rather than drinking it out of the bottle.
• Drink barley wine the same way you would wine; smell it first, take a small sip and swish it around the mouth before drinking more.
• For many people, barley wine is an acquired taste.