Liquid Solutions

Folks, I think I just got a new favorite barley wine. This one is soooooo intense and malty. I would almost call this one an “Old Ale” instead of a “Barley Wine”. Totally malt driven. Malty, rich and smooth with some fruity tones and more alcohol that the flavor lets on.


Here is what the brewery has to say about it:
Arctic Devil Barley Wine, aptly named after the ferocious wolverine of the north, is brewed once a year then cellared in wine, port or bourbon oak barrels and released in December. This English-style barley wine is true to style, being bright, coppery-amber in color and intense in all aspects of the palate--very malty and balanced in bitterness with a warming alcohol finish. Arctic Devil is a vintage product, each year distinctively different from the next. Aging in different types of oak barrels for various lengths of time makes this beer rich and complex yet very smooth for such a big beer. The beer is carefully monitored throughout the barrel-aging process and transferred to stainless steel kegs at just the right time. Sometimes blending with other versions/vintages is appropriate to achieve the best flavor and complexity.

Awards:
Third Place and Best Barley Wine in Alaska - 2003 Great Alaska Winter Brew and Barley Wine Festival, Anchorage, Alaska. Vintage 2000 (More time on oak than the ADBW that won the 2001 Fest.)

First Place and Best Barley Wine in Alaska - 2001 Great Alaska Winter Brew and Barley Wine Festival, Anchorage, Alaska. Vintage 2000.

Best Barley Wine in Alaska - 2000 Great Alaska Winter Brew and Barley Wine Festival Anchorage Alaska. Vintage 1999.

Gold Medal English-Style Barley Wine and Best of Show - 1999 Great Alaska Beer Festival. Vintage 1998.

Gold Medal Barley Wine - 1999 Winter Brew and Barley Wine Festival.
Vintage 1998.