Barley wine

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A barley wine typically reaches an alcohol strength of 8 to 12% by volume and is brewed from specific gravities as high as 1.120. It is called a barley wine because it can be as strong as wine; but since it is made from grain rather than fruit, it is in fact a beer.

Its natural sweetness is usually balanced with a degree of hoppy bitterness, though traditional English barley wines often have far less bitterness than their American counterparts.

This beer is meant for slow sipping and savoring of its fruity, high-alcohol and well-aged character. It is brewed often to celebrate events and the high levels of both hops and alcohol allow some barley wines to be aged for years, much like wines.

Most barley wines range in color from amber to deep reddish-browns. Though until the introduction of Whitbread Gold Label in the 1950s, British Barley Wines were always dark in color.