United Nations of Beer

Sprecher Barley Wine Ale 2007

by Ashley Cotter-Cairns
(UNOB HQ)

Sprecher Barley Wine Ale 2007 (9.7% ABV)
Sprecher Brewing, WI, USA
Visit the UNOB's Wisconsin beer guide

Thanks to Dave Oplinger for the most awesome beer care package ever delivered!

I knew when I saw the gold wax sealed top and the metal front label that I was in for a special treat with this beer. The label confirmed that I really ought to take advantage of my beer cellar and let this age for another year or two: though it was brewed three years ago, so it's right in the middle of the recommended five-year age range.

Pours orange-amber with a small head. Smells sweet and serious, like you might not want to finish this all in one go. Indeed, the mouthfeel is quite syrupy and there is a danger of the sweetness overpowering the beer.

At the swallow, a little bitterness comes into play to wrestle with the sherry cask flavor. Sweetness lingers on quite a while after the swallow though.

If you ever get invited to a high-class Medieval reenactment day, this is probably what they'll be serving in goblets. It's very tasty, but I struggle to really appreciate sweet beers and this definitely falls into that category.