Tenacious strong ale reaches rich dried fruited pinnacle, though boozy sherry-brandy whir and listerine-like ethanol burn may turn off lighter thirsts. Ripe red cherry, dried prune, raisin, fig and grape illusions enhance caramelized molasses malting. Resinous piney hops contrastively enhance syrupy maple-sugared chocolate cake sweetness.

On tap at Copper Mine, glorious bourbon-aged version of standard barleywine (14% alcohol volume) perfect as slow sipping nightcap. Creamy Belgian chocolate-spiced entry enjoins brown-sugared vanilla, butterscotch, toffee and coconut sweetness as well as rum-soaked cherry, fig, prune and banana niche. Oaken remnant seeps into mocha influence. A terrific step up from original ‘back burner.’ 

Multi-dimensional British barleywine aged in apple brandy barrels picks up candied coughdrop sweetness over rich cherry pureed whiskey boozing and chewy caramel malting. Candied apple finish gains sugary overload.

Iffy ruddy-browned barleywine stylistically closer to an Imperial IPA with its aggressive hop-oiled fruiting. A delicate sherry insistence coats ripe pineapple, grapefruit, apricot and peach illusions above creamy cocoa-sugared crystal malting. Caramelized vanilla buttering pleats ancillary raisin-breaded niche and dainty floral bouquet.

On tap at Peekskill Brewery, savory barleywine allows sweet bourbon whiskey boozing to affect creamy brown chocolate spicing and chewy overripe fruiting. Black cherry-pureed banana taffy, red grape, raisin and fig engage brown-sugared malting and ancillary butterscotch-vanilla conflux. Well disguised 10.5% alcohol fusion pervades luxurious candied center. 

Impeccable oaken bourbon-barreled strong ale (a.k.a. Abacus) is a decadent British-styled barleywine. Chewy caramel nuttiness, rum-soaked crème brulee creaminess and syrupy maple molasses deepen bourbon whiskey theme. On second passing, rich raisin-pureed plum, prune and black cherry tartness seeps into surging chocolate-y toffee sweetness as ancillary burgundy, port and sherry ease into calm alcohol-burnt backdrop. Toasted coconut, vanilla extract, marshmallow and almond illusions further sweeten slow sipping heavy dessert treat.

Boozy English-styled winter warmer (with bracing 10% alcohol volume) gets labeled as an unfiltered barleywine but seems closer to a nebulous strong ale. Seasonal cinnamon, gingerbread and sugar plum spicing loses out to phenol-hopped orange peel bittering. Ancillary molasses honeyed sweetness, caramelized apple stickiness, tangy peach ripeness and dried cherry pureeing waver through solvent alcohol burn.

Boozy pale-malted English-styled barleywine with medicinal 10% alcohol burn coalesces cherry coughdrop astringency with bruised orange splurge, mild Cognac warmth and musty stone-fruited aromatics. Prickly carbolic fizz outlasts tertiary apricot, peach and apple spicing, debunking caramelized vanilla sweetness.

On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, mild helles lager-like barleywine ups the spice-hopped sugaring and honey roasted caramel malting, leaving behind any true ‘winey’ conviction. Butterscotch-candied praline, almondine, and chestnut illusions enrapture zesty citric snip. But it’s too toned down for exalted style.

Elegant lighter-bodied ‘blonde’ barleywine stays smoother and more sessionable than darker, more robust traditional fare, satisfying Chardonnay lovers more than port-burgundy imbibers. Bruised cherry and orange waft through creamy marzipan center, leaving toasted almond, pecan, coconut and oaken vanilla in its wake. Lilting cognac kick and surging maraschino cherry lick sweeten vodka-like ethanol astringency of soft-toned 11.5% alcohol elixir. 2012 re-tasting: Piney citric overtones ride above tangy apricot, nectarine, cantaloupe, melon and red cherry illusions. At the midst, surging grapefruit-peeled bittering contrasts tart pineapple juicing and honey-spiced Mead wining. Tried Batch #2, autumn 2012, and noticed its lower 10% alcohol volume may’ve propeled the white-wined Sauvignon Blanc-related Nelson Sauvin hops above the oak toasted residual sugaring.