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Step 1
Check the beer's alcohol content. One of barley wine's defining characteristics is its high concentration of alcohol, which often falls between 8 to 12.5 percent by volume.
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Step 2
Look at the color of the beer. Although not usually as dark as Imperial Stout, barley wine definitely comes close, showcasing deep shades of amber and brown that fall near porter and stout on the SRM color scale.
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Step 3
Check the beer's bitterness. Brewers throw loads of hops into each batch of barley wine to balance out its sweetness, so the beer should be noticeably bitter. Barley wines can even earn ratings of up to 100 on the International Bittering Units scale.
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Step 4
Pay attention to the strength of the beer's malt flavor. Although the taste of the hops will compete for your tongue's attention, a sip of barley wine will always be malty and rich.
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Step 5
Sniff the beer and check for the presence of a fruity aroma. This is a standard product of ale yeast, which brewers use to ferment the grains in barley wine. The fruitiness might also appear in the beer's flavor, depending on its brand.
