21 of the Best American Barleywines, Blind-Tasted and Ranked

Learn about how we rate & review beers with our BJCP blind panel here


Rowley Farmhouse Ales Body Isn't Life (85)

“An English-style barleywine brewed with all English malts and hops.”

Epic Brewing Barleywine (85)

“Complex flavors ... raisin, dark bread, and sherry.”

Triptych Brewing Charlie's Fine Barley Wine (85)

“Lots of British malt plus Simcoe and Cascade hops.”

Tampa Bay Brewing Co Production Brewery Moosekiller (85)

“A full-bodied, high-octane ale balanced out by a 100 IBU hop payload.”

AleSmith Brewing Company Old Numbskull (86)

“Caramel and toffee notes abound in this deep copper-colored American Barleywine-style ale alongside toasted malt and a hint of ripe dark fruits. Old Numbskull showcases malt sweetness, intense American hops, and an aggres- sive bitterness.”

The Brew Kettle Jackhammer (86)

“Malt dominates the flavor with just enough hops to keep this malty beast in check.”

Live Oak Brewing Co Old Treehugger Barleywine (87)

“Wine-strength ale made entirely with our base barley malt.”

Ecliptic Brewing Orange Giant (88)

“Three malts create a hearty malt profile with robust character. Copious amounts of Chinook and Nugget hops combine for a nice resiny hops flavor. Perfect for aging in your cellar.”

Central Waters Brewing Bourbon Barrel Barleywine (88)

"A barleywine ale aged for a full year on used bourbon barrels, this beer has avors of dark fruits and wood, winner of the Gold Medal at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival.”

Weldwerks Brewing Rye Whiskey Barleywine (88)

“Barleywine aged for 15 months in 10-year-old rye whiskey American oak barrels.”

Old Thunder Brewing Burned & Broken (89)

“An American barleywine aged in a blend of bourbon barrels.”

Fort George Brewery Ology '22 (93)

“An American barleywine aged in bourbon barrels.”

Core Brewing & Distilling Co Batch 01 - Barrel Aged Barleywine (93)

American Barleywine aged for 12 months in Maker’s Mark and Four Roses barrels, then blended.

Reuben's Brews Three Ryes Men: Apple Pie (93)

Brewed with three kinds of rye malt and aged in a blend of apple brandy barrels and cinnamon whisky barrels, this homage to a classic American pie adds notes of baking spice and caramel apple to our award-winning barleywine.

Pure Project Forgotten Brilliance (94)

“Features Centennial, Amarillo, Cascade hops, and Maris Otter and English crystal malts.”

American Solera Stuffed Crust (94)

“English-style barleywine aged 12 months in bourbon barrels.”

Firestone Walker Sucaba 2019 (94)

“Big, boozy bourbon and American oak aromas with soft chocolate malt undertones.”

Fort George Brewery Etym (95)

“Barleywine bridging the gap between American barleywine and English barleywine.”

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co Bigfoot (95)

“Packed with bittersweet malt and heaps of aggressive whole-cone hops.”

Ecliptic Brewing Orange Giant Barleywine: Triple Dry-Hopped Edition (95)

“Dry-hopped three separate times with Columbus, Chinook, and Simcoe, as well as Mosaic and Azacca.”

DESTIHL Brewery Triton Barleywine (97)

“Our English-American hybrid barleywine has a dark amber color, full body, high residual malty sweetness, and caramel-toffee aroma and flavor. The complexity of alcohols and fruity ester characters are counterbalanced by assertive American citrus hop bitterness and extraordinary alcohol content. English varietal hop aroma and flavor are at high levels.”