Southern Tier Back Burner

Southern Tier Back Burner

9.6% ABV

Light & Dark carmel malt

Kettle hops: Chinook

Aroma hops: Wilamette

Dry hops: Amarillo, Centennial

Brewed and bottled by Southern Tier Brewing Company
Lakewood, NY

Look: Opaque deep copper-colored body with a quickly-dissipating head

Taste: Bitter upfront unfolding into a carmel-toffee malt flavor. Hints of sugarplum and citrus sneak over the tongue, finishing on a boozy note.

Other notes: My taste buds are a little less trained to enjoy the bitterness of this kind of beer, but it was surprisingly enjoyable to me. The bitterness slowly dissipated and became tolerable (to my sugar-loving taste buds) as the flavors unfolded and expanded with every sip. I began to really enjoy and appreciate the taste of this beer towards the end of the glass. If you're into the bitterness of IPAs but are looking for some more sugary fruit flavors, this might be up your alley.

As noted by BeerAdvocate.com, "Despite its name, a Barleywine (or Barley Wine) is very much a beer, albeit a very strong and often intense beer! In fact, it's one of the strongest of the beer styles. Lively and fruity, sometimes sweet, sometimes bittersweet, but always alcoholic. A brew of this strength and complexity can be a challenge to the palate."