Mad River Brewing Co. John Barleycorn

When a friend tells you that you can grab anything from their fridge, you should take them up on it. First, always conduct a quick confirmation. “Anything?,” you ask. “Anything,” they reply.

A quick scan of the icebox revealed a barleywine I’d never heard of before. So, out it came. Look, I didn’t grab the things that I knew were valuable. I’m not a jerk. So, the Bourbon County and KBS stayed in their places, along with some interesting sours and local cans. Another time, I thought.

Once this hit my lips, I knew that this was special beer, whether I originally realized it or not. Scanning the label for clues, I saw the vintage: 2007. This beer had been cellaring for almost six years, and it tasted wonderful. John Barleycorn, aged to this state, was very sweet with a tad of booze. The carbonation was almost uniformly flat; but it still retained a bit of tingle despite the age. There was molasses and honey, an honest and natural sweetness, coupled with a rich caramel malt and only the faintest remnant of piney hop bitterness.

I am officially on the lookout for more bottles of this. So, if you see any, help a brother out. I promise not to steal your KBS.