4 Giant Cold Weather Barleywines

A Portland, Oregon brewery is taking a less common style some interesting places this month.

And with the weather cooling and the winter holidays ON, these releases are perfectly timed.

Barleywine Basics

The existence of Barley Wine (its original spelling, used predominantly in England) can be traced back to Ancient Greece, predating the use of hops as a preservative.

Modern brewing and naming of the style occurred during the battles between England and France in the 1700s, as the English didn’t want to be caught quaffing Claret (their term for red wines coming from Bordeaux France). Thus Barleywines came into being, consumed mainly by the aristocracy.

The mass production of this huge beer, ranging between 8% and 12% ABV, began in 1870 when Bass marketed their No. 1 Ale as a Barleywine. Anchor Brewing was the first to introduce the style to the American audience with their Old Foghorn in 1976. The main difference between the English and American styles, other than the spelling, is the prominent use of hops.

It’s recommended that this style allow warming, closer to room temperature, enabling esters to better develop.

Barleywines lend themselves to aging and Portland’s Ecliptic Brewing is celebrating the style’s possibilities with four different Orange Giant variations all of them available this month.

“Orange Giant is our classic winter Special Release, but we wanted to have some fun with it this year and create an additional version to try side-by-side,” said Owner and Brewmaster, John Harris.

And it’s clear that he did have fun with the style…

Orange Giant Barleywine

Named after the giant orange stars in the sky and perfect for aging in your cellar, Ecliptic’s flagship Barleywine is defined by its hearty malt profile and robust character. Copious amounts of Columbus, Chinook and Simcoe hops combine for a nice resin hop finish. (12.5% ABV)

Orange Giant Barleywine: Pineapple Upside Down Cake Edition

This variant of Orange Giant Barleywine Ale is new for 2020. Described by the brewery as “dessert in a can,” this newbie pushes the envelope on what the style can be with the addition of real pineapple and Azacca hops. (12.5% ABV)

Rye Barrel-Aged Orange Giant Barleywine

Ecliptic’s massive Barrel-Aged Orange Giant Barleywine is back for 2020 , and this even higher octane variation spent 12 months aging in rye whiskey barrels, developing bold notes of spice, balanced by vanilla and oak. (15% ABV)

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Orange Giant Barleywine

Another massive take on what the Barleywine style This version spent more than  12 months aging in bourbon barrels, developing notes of orange, honey, coconut and oak. (15% ABV)