Seattlest Beer of the Week: Alaskan Barley Wine
To many beer lovers in the Northwest, this time of year means one thing: It's barley wine season. This style of beer can be very flexible, but it usually signifies high alcohol and a big flavor profile. The Alaskan Barley Wine has been a local favorite since 2003, but this was the first year that it was released in bottles (about $8.50 for a 22-ounce bottle).
This barley wine is ready to enjoy now or to put in your cellar for a few years. A fresh bottle offers a mixture of big, caramel malts and a bitter, spicy hop profile. It is sticky, and fresh bottles have more than a bit of alcohol that comes through in the taste. Age a bottle for a few years, and you'll find that the hops and alcohol mellow out and everything comes together very well.
You will be able to try two different vintages of the Alaskan Barley Wine at this year's Hard Liver Barleywine Fest up at Brouwer's on Saturday, March 15th.
The 2004 Vintage of the Alaskan Barley Wine (also called "Big Nugget") took the Gold Medal at the prestigious Toronado Barley Wine Festival in 2007 (in San Francisco). That puts it in very good company.
The Alaskan Barley Wine has been out for a little while, but you should still be able to find it around town. We have recently seen it at Bellevue Whole Foods and Uber Tavern for sure.
