Characteristics
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.
There are two primary styles of barley wine, the American which tends to be more hoppy and thus more bitter with colors ranging from amber to light brown and the English style which tends to be less hoppy and thus less bitter with more variety in color ranging from red-gold to opaque black.
Until the introduction of amber coloured Whitbread Gold Label in the 1950s, British barley wines were always dark in colour.
The Anchor Brewing Company introduced the style to the United States in 1976 with its Old Foghorn Barleywine Style Ale.
Writer Michael Jackson referred to a barley wine by Smithwick's thus: "This is very distinctive, with an earthy hoppiness, a wineyness, lots of fruit and toffee flavours." He also noted that its original gravity is 1.062.
Martyn Cornell has been quoted as saying "no historically meaningful difference exists between barley wines and old ales." He later clarified, "I don’t believe there is actually any such meaningful style as 'barley wine'".
The highest strength Belgian beer 'Bush' has often been said to resemble a barley wine rather than more traditional Belgian styles.
Read more about this topic: Barley Wine