BeerBorg

So back in 2012, when I had only recently moved to NYC, I decided to brew up a Night of the Lepus Barleywine on Feb 29th. I had recently brewed a Scottish 60/- so I figured the yeast cake would be good for a barleywine.

I must've put more than 25 lbs of grain into this 5 gallon batch. It also had an absurd amount of hops (mostly Columbus, but some others in there, too). I recall doing a long, stepped mash for maximum fermentability.

I also recall this beer hitting around 13.5% when I eventually bottled it from the keg!

Well tonight, Thorn (my wife) and I facetimed while we opened the last two 750ml bottles of this (which, sadly, means no pics for you).

Jiminy Christmas, this stuff is strong! It's not hot to the taste (it was mostly fermented cool and reaerated several times in the first 24 hours, then slowly warmed up), and over 4 years the hop flavor has vanished...but it's still noticeably sweet, with a distinct bitterness. I think the FG was around 1.028 when I finally bottled it, but I don't really remember for sure. It also wasn't stored in ideal conditions, and only had a few hours in the fridge to settle--so it was actually quite cloudly (which I assume was from yeast, but I could be wrong).

This is all I've had to drink today, and I have the hiccoughs. I tried ell my hiccough cures, but still have them. This was a serious beer.

Maybe I'll brew up another one in another 4 years.

Don't you mean "Maybe I'll brew one soon, and drink it in four years"?
I've got a few bottles that are two years old. One IPA that has lost it's hops and become oxidized. Also a Belgian Strong that is still just lovely.

Jon wrote: This is all I've had to drink today, and I have the hiccoughs. I tried ell my hiccough cures, but still have them. This was a serious beer.

When was the last time you seen a white horse..............Think about it hard and the hiccups will be gone

These strong brews are fun aren't they. My first crazy strong brew was a Christmas Ale in the Belgian style. Multiple yeasts, feedings & araetions. Aged a year and served only at Christmas, lasted for 6 years. Our daughter works at UM had a friend test the brew it came in at 23%!!! First year you could taste a nice hop flavor, a bracing bitterness and malt. The final bottle was much like a Tawny Port a bit sweet, a little hop presence. I miss that I have yet to brew one as good. I have come close but never achieved that level. Brew that my first year brewing!!!

John Sand wrote:Don't you mean "Maybe I'll brew one soon, and drink it in four years"?

@John Sand I'm sure Jon might have actually said that, before he had that last beer