Devils Backbone Brewing Company

We've just tapped last winter's Tectonic Barleywine today (12/20) that we've been hoarding since last year.  The extra year of age has smoothed out what was already a smooth & complex beer.  The Tectonic Barleywine is an English-style barleywine, which is a type of very strong ale.  Ours is amber in color, full in body, with a sweet finish that has hints of cognac and dark berries. The malts used in it are English Crystal & Dark Crystal, English Amber, English Pale Chocolate, English Pale Optic malt, Torrified Wheat, and Canadian Pilsner malt. It's hopped with Northern Brewer & Fuggle hops. It is a perfect beer to enjoy out of a snifter in front of one of our fireplaces on a cold winters day. Tectonic Barleywine is around 11-12% abv, and 35-40 IBU's.  For more information on this style the Brewers Association's guidelines for this type of beer are the following:

Barley Wine-Style Ale

A. Subcategory: English-Style Barley Wine Ale

English style barley wines range from tawny copper to dark brown in color and have a full body and high residual malty sweetness. Complexity of alcohols and fruity-ester characters are often high and counterbalanced by the perception of low to medium bitterness and extraordinary alcohol content. Hop aroma and flavor may be minimal to medium. English type hops are often used but not necessary for this style. Low levels of diacetyl may be acceptable. Caramel and some characters indicating oxidation, such as vinous (sometimes sherry-like) aromas and/or flavors, may be considered positive. Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

No growlers of Tectonic Barleywine will be sold except to Mug Club members due to the limited amount which was saved from last year.  I'll probably tuck the last keg of this away for next year as well.  The next batch of Tectonic Barleywine will be brewed in 2011 and next winter we will have an opportunity to compare a two year old example with the newer batch.

Cheers,

Jason