Anecdotal explanations come from ageing - like a good Barley Wine.

[Drover's dog]

Here the story begins: (please bare with me it’s my age). Me as an 8 year old and my Grandparent’s (God bless ‘em) had an off-licence shop in Lancashire. For those of you you who haven’t experienced the off-licene scene its your local milk bar that sells ale’s to be consumed off the premises. Grandad’s shop had a cellar where beer was delivered in wooden barrels by horse and dray. My Dad and I helped roll the barrels onto their specific stands the shop. There were normally 4 barrels “Tipped”… A Tetley's Bitter, a brown ale, a Guinness and a Newcastle brown. It was quite a sight (when I think about it now) but men and women would bring glass, porcelain, whatever type of jug to take home this brew available from Grandad’s shop. Lucky for me all of this brew had to be measured in (to say the least, fairly basic copper (Sized Jugs). Of course many a-top-up was necessary because everyone ensured they got good measure. The drags of the copper jugs became my “helpers prize” and I’ve loved it everyday since. Let me now get to the point: at Christmas the breweries delivered Barley Wine, a drink to be recognised as strong, warming and special (it came in little bottles and I never got more than a swig on the day).

Now after all that, I’m looking for that old style Barley wine, can’t find what I want, it looks like an all-grain with extract is the go. I guess I’m looking for suggestions that equals that original taste.

If I bored you I apologise, but yarns and questions in some way benefit us all.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Here the story begins: (please bare with me it’s my age). Me as an 8 year old and my Grandparent’s (God bless ‘em) had an off-licence shop in Lancashire. For those of you you who haven’t experienced the off-licene scene its your local milk bar that sells ale’s to be consumed off the premises. Grandad’s shop had a cellar where beer was delivered in wooden barrels by horse and dray. My Dad and I helped roll the barrels onto their specific stands the shop. There were normally 4 barrels “Tipped”… A Tetley's Bitter, a brown ale, a Guinness and a Newcastle brown. It was quite a sight (when I think about it now) but men and women would bring glass, porcelain, whatever type of jug to take home this brew available from Grandad’s shop. Lucky for me all of this brew had to be measured in (to say the least, fairly basic copper (Sized Jugs). Of course many a-top-up was necessary because everyone ensured they got good measure. The drags of the copper jugs became my “helpers prize” and I’ve loved it everyday since. Let me now get to the point: at Christmas the breweries delivered Barley Wine, a drink to be recognised as strong, warming and special (it came in little bottles and I never got more than a swig on the day).

Now after all that, I’m looking for that old style Barley wine, can’t find what I want, it looks like an all-grain with extract is the go. I guess I’m looking for suggestions that equals that original taste.

If I bored you I apologise, but yarns and questions in some way benefit us all.

This is about your era. http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/lets-brew-wednesday-1972-whitbread-gold.html
Or there is Owd Roger from Marstons.

 

[RobW]

I don't know where you are but this is available at Purvis Beer.

Also Beer Cartel

You should be able to track them down elsewhere.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Just having a look at some of those Barley wines, that Bigfoot Barley wine at 9.6% ABV ferments out in 6 days. Lot to be said for those open fermenters.

 

[Drover's dog]

This is about your era. http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/lets-brew-wednesday-1972-whitbread-gold.html
Or there is Owd Roger from Marstons.

It’s good, I like it I will brew something like it...

 

[wide eyed and legless]

It’s good, I like it I will brew something like it...

I did, and it takes an age to mature into what your looking for, and you can never deny when you wife says, "Have you been drinking" But it is good for the colder months.