Strong Ale beer styles

Did you think a Barleywine is only a drink from the past? Do you know how an American Barleywine differs from the original English version? Read on to find out…

Previously we examined Belgian Strong Ales, in this article we will cover BJCP Category 19, Strong Ale, which includes the following Beer Styles:

• 19a. Old Ale
• 19b. English Barleywine
• 19c. American Barleywine

First we will cover the history of the category, then take a look at the specifications of each style highlighting the similarities and differences. We then sample commercial examples of each style.

History

According to the BJCP the Old Ale is mashed at higher temperatures to reduce attenuation, i.e. how much of the sugars ferment out, then aged at the brewery after primary fermentation which often produces lactic, Brett, oxidation, or leather characteristics.

A Barleywine is usually the strongest ale offered by a brewery and are often aged for significant periods of time prior to release. Nowadays each vintage or release is often dated and can vary from year to year.

Overview

According to Jamil Zainasheff in his book, Brewing Classic Styles, these beers have an elevated level of sweetness and alcohol – they are considered ‘big’ beers.

These beers should be as follows:

• Old Ale – an ale of significant alcoholic strength, bigger than strong bitters and brown porters, although usually not as strong or rich as a barley wine.
• English Barleywine – the richest and strongest of the English ales. A showcase of malty richness and complex, intense flavors.
• American Barleywine – a well-hopped American interpretation of the richest and strongest of the English ales.

The following table* shows how the 3 styles of Strong Ales vary:

Characteristic	Old Ale	English Barleywine	American Barleywine
Original Gravity:	1.060 – 1.090	1.080 – 1.120	1.080 – 1.120
Final Gravity:	1.015 – 1.022	1.018 – 1.030	1.016 – 1.030
ABV (alcohol %):	6.0 – 9.0	8.0 – 12.0	8.0 – 12.0
IBU’s (bitterness):	30 – 60	35 – 70	50 – 120
SRM (color):	10 – 22	8 – 22	10 – 19

The above table shows that both barleywines have pretty much identical characteristics except for the level of bitterness with the American version having more IBUs in general.

The Old Ale has similar color to both barleywines and the bitterness is close to the English Barleywine but the starting and finishing gravities together with alcohol content are all lower than both barleywines.

In the following sections we will look in more detail at each of the above Beer Styles.

Strong Ale

Commercial examples of this style include Gale’s Prize Old Ale, Burton Bridge Olde Expensive, Marston Owd Roger, Greene King Olde Suffolk Ale , J.W. Lees Moonraker, Harviestoun Old Engine Oil, Fuller’s Vintage Ale, Harvey’s Elizabethan Ale, Young’s Winter Warmer, Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild, Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome, Fuller’s 1845, Fuller’s Old Winter Ale, Great Divide Hibernation Ale, Founders Curmudgeon, Cooperstown Pride of Milford Special Ale, Coniston Old Man Ale, and Avery Old Jubilation. We decided to sample Theakston Old Peculier.

Theakston Old Peculier has the following characteristic which is a bit low in alcohol content for the style:

• ABV = 5.6% (min 6.0% for style)

This beer is dark brown in color with a cream colored head that lasts a while. Treacle and burnt caramel aroma and flavor. Moderate carbonation with a slight oily mouth-feel.

Typical ingredients used when brewing this style include the following according to the BJCP Style Guidelines:

• Generous quantities of well-modified Pale malted barley (generally English in origin, though not necessarily so), along with judicious quantities of Caramel malts and other specialty character malts.
• Some darker examples suggest that dark malts (e.g., Chocolate, Black malted barley) may be appropriate, though sparingly so as to avoid an overly roasted character.
• Adjuncts (such as molasses, treacle, invert sugar or dark sugar) are often used, as are starchy adjuncts (maize, flaked barley, wheat) and malt extracts.
• Hop variety is not as important, as the relative balance and ageing process negate much of the varietal character.
• British ale yeast that has low attenuation, but can handle higher alcohol levels, is traditional.

English Barleywine

Commercial examples of this style include Thomas Hardy’s Ale, Burton Bridge Thomas Sykes Old Ale, Robinson’s Old Tom, Fuller’s Golden Pride, AleSmith Old Numbskull, Young’s Old Nick (unusual in its 7.2% ABV), Whitbread Gold Label, Old Dominion Millenium, and Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot. We decided to sample J.W. Lee’s Vintage Harvest Ale and North Coast Old Stock Ale.

J.W. Lee’s Vintage Harvest Ale has the following characteristic which is towards the top of the range for alcohol content:

• ABV = 11.5%

This beer is the 2012 version which is orange in color and slightly cloudy with no head. Aroma is of sherry and toffee as is the flavor with some sweetness. Low level of carbonation with a slightly slick mouth-feel.

North Coast Old Stock Ale has the following characteristic which is towards the top of the range for alcohol content:

• ABV = 11.8%

This beer is the 2012 version which has a cloudy orange color with no head. A sherry aroma and an alcohol & fruit cake flavor. High level of carbonation with a slight oily mouth-feel.

Typical ingredients used when brewing this style include the following according to the BJCP Style Guidelines:

• Well-modified Pale malted barley should form the backbone of the grist, with judicious amounts of Caramel malts.
• Dark malts should be used with great restraint, if at all, as most of the color arises from a lengthy boil.
• English hops such as Northdown, Target, East Kent Goldings and Fuggles.
• Characterful English yeast.

American Barleywine

Commercial examples of this style include Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Great Divide Old Ruffian, Victory Old Horizontal, Rogue Old Crustacean, Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine, Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale, Anchor Old Foghorn, Three Floyds Behemoth, Stone Old Guardian, Bridgeport Old Knucklehead, Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws, Lagunitas Olde GnarleyWine, Smuttynose Barleywine, and Flying Dog Horn Dog. We decided to sample Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine and Southern Tier Backburner Barleywine.

Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine has the following characteristics which has a too high alcohol content for the style but is within style for bitterness:

• ABV = 13-16% (max 12.0% for style)
• IBUs = 85

This beer is cloudy orange in color with no head. An alcohol aroma and flavor with slight toffee notes. High level of carbonation with a sherry aftertaste.

Southern Tier Backburner Barleywine has the following characteristic which is within style for alcohol content:

• ABV = 9.6%

This beer is brown with red hue in color and a cream colored head. Aroma is sweet caramel with some alcohol. Flavor is malty sweetness with hop bitterness and lingering alcohol. Moderate carbonation and a slick mouth-feel.

Typical ingredients used when brewing this style include the following according to the BJCP Style Guidelines:

• Well-modified Pale malted barley should form the backbone of the grist.
• Some specialty or character malts may be used.
• Dark malts should be used with great restraint, if at all, as most of the color arises from a lengthy boil.
• Citrusy American hops are common, although any varieties can be used in quantity.
• Generally uses an attenuative American yeast.

What next?

Our next article will look at BJCP Category 20, ‘Fruit Beer‘, where we will examine the one style making up this category.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, please do not hesitate to contribute to the discussion below.

* Beer Styles’ data is courtesy of BJCP.org.