The term Barleywine was noted in historical documents during the 18th century, when brewers tried to curry favor with wine drinkers by hinting at the strength, nutrition and quality of their beer. Whether that strategy worked or not is debatable, as most regions of Europe that are known predominantly for either wine or beer have long been that way, with some crossover of course. This has more to do with climate and agriculture than any sort of class distinction, perceived or otherwise.
Barleywine is often appropriately brewed as a commemorative or annual offering to demonstrate the skill of the artful Brewmaster. Classic English and American versions differ, the former showing some refined restraint, the latter rowdier and more impetuous—a neat metaphorical difference. Formidable in both spirit and makeup, Barleywine is a perfect nightcap, but also lends itself well to comparative tastings, given its lability over time and the many interpretations. Due to the high alcohol content Barleywines were traditionally aged in wooden casks to mature.
Amaro (or amari for plural) means "bitter" in Italian and the digestif definitely lives up to its name. It's a confusing category of alcohol because each amaro can be so different. By definition, amaro is a liqueur that includes alcohol, sugar and some bittering agent. Some are made with a neutral spirit base such as beet molasses, while others have a grappa base. Many use flowers or roots as the bittering agent, but some use bark, like wormwood. And when it comes to flavoring, there are countless blends incorporating as many as sixty different herbs, fruits, spices, citrus and other ingredients. The liqueur is sweetened and aged, sometimes for years and perhaps even in a barrel.
For our second release of Amaro Barrel Aged Barleywine, we’re using barrels that previously held Amaro del Capo. From the Calabrese region, the Amaro del Capo has a sweet flavor with a rich aftertaste. The recipe blends twenty-nine herbs, flowers, fruits and roots from the area, including mandarin, sweet and sour oranges, anise, chamomile, juniper, licorice, mint and hyssop. We aged our British style barleywine in these barrels for 3 months before bottling, infusing it with a botanical and herbal bitterness that brings balance to the rich caramel malt of the beer.
