2013 Entries
Winners Announced Below!
Thanks to all participating breweries.

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Beer: 15th

Brewery: SweetWater Brewing Co.

Description: For the first ever SweetWater anniversary beer (yeah it took us 15 years), we went back to our roots, dusted off our original ESB recipe, and gave it a big ol' bump. The recipe consists of 7 malts, one of which Kevin toasted personally in his toaster oven, just like the old days, and 5 different styles of hops. In true Sweetwater style, there is no style, but it's big, bold, and meant to grow old, meaning this beer will be fantastic out of the gate, or you can lay her down in the cellar for many years to come.

Style: American



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Beer: All Access Bandstand Barley Wine

Brewery: Starr Hill Brewery

Description: Starr Hill's All Access Bandstand Barleywine is a full-bodied brew with massive quantities of caramel malt notes reminiscent of burnt sugar and toffee. Hops from the Pacific Northwest bring balance to the intense malt flavors. With an alc. by vol of 9.5%, this beer is perfect for cellaring.

Style: American Barley Wine


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Beer: Angel's Share (Bourbon Finish)

Brewery: The Lost Abbey

Description: Our version of an English Style Barleywine aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Style: English Style



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Beer: B.L. Barleywine

Brewery: Manayunk Brewing Co.

Description: This beer pushes the limits. Brewed from the recipe of a local Homebrewer from the Barley Legal Homebrew club, this exceptionally high-alcohol brew will keep you warm on a cold night. Extreme amounts of malt, sugar and hops were used to maintain a balance while contributing a complexity of interesting flavors and aromas.

Style: American



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Beer: Barley Wine, 2011

Brewery: All Saints Brewing Co.

Description: A well balanced, English-Style Barley Wine. Aged 1 year.

Style: English


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Beer: Barley Wine, 2012

Brewery: All Saints Brewing Co.

Description: A well balanced, English-Style Barley Wine. Brewed Dec. 2012.

Style: English



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Beer: Barleywine

Brewery: Railhouse Brewery

Description: English Barleywine, 10.5% ABV. Brewed with East Kent Goldings, 2 additions. 46.6 IBU's.

Style: English Barleywine



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Beer: Barrel Aged Church On A Hill

Brewery: Cigar City Brewing

Description: English Barleywine aged in Cognac barrels.

Style: Barrel Aged English Barleywine


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Beer: Bolt Cutter

Brewery: Founders Brewing Co.

Description: Bolt Cutter is a cellarable 15% ABV barley wine brewed in celebration of our 15th anniversary. Dry-hopped with a mountain of Cascade hops, it's balanced by a malty sweetness and spicy complexity, resulting from barrel aging some of it in bourbon barrels, some in maple syrup-bourbon barrels and some not at all (standard fermentation only). We allowed the beer to mature in bottles and kegs for four months so that it would be perfect for its release in November 2012. Bolt Cutter pours a deep copper color and is best sampled at different temperatures to allow the flavors to unfold.

Style: American Barleywine



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Beer: Bye-Bye Frost Barleywine

Brewery: Elysian Brewing Company

Description: Bye-Bye Frost is a grown-up but ill-behaved version of Bifrost, our pale but still substantial winter ale. Brewed from Northwest pale malt with a bit of Munich and barely a pinch of Weyermann Cara-Hell, it is aggressively hopped with Chinook, Amarillo and Centennial, including two dry-hop additions. Just to keep things confusing, it was pitched with yeast from a previous fermentation which included Galangal (Thai ginger) and lemongrass, the spicy touch of which carries through like a quiet reincarnation. 22°P starting gravity; alcohol 10.5% by volume. Night night.

Style: NW Barleywine



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Beer: Chad

Brewery: Lakefront Brewery

Description: 12.5% American Style 100% organic barleywine.

Style: American


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Beer: Frostbite Barley Wine 09'

Brewery: Madison River Brewing Company

Description: Our Frostbite Barleywine is rich and malty in flavor, with hints of fruity esters, a deep reddish brown color, and a well-hopped finish. This beer has been cold aged in kegs for four years, over the years it has smoothed out considerably to leave a delicious after taste every sip.

Style: American Style



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Beer: Grand Reserve Barleywine

Brewery: Parish Brewing Co

Description: Patience. Grand Reserve should be saved and shared. Brewed only once per year, our barleywine ale is characterized by an intensely complex malt, hop, and fermentation profile. Naturally carbonated, it will age gracefully when cellared.

Style: American Barleywine



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Beer: Griffins Bow

Brewery: Boston Beer Company

Description: Golden in color and wine-like. Flavors of honeysuckle and grapefruit are layered with toffee, vanilla, and the distinct character of toasted oak. This unique take on a barleywine surprises with its smoothness and balance of fruit, hop citrus, and warming strength.

Style: Oak aged blond barleywine


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Beer: Hog Heaven

Brewery: Avery Brewing Co.

Description: This dangerously drinkable garnet beauty is a hop lover's delight. The intense dry-hop nose and the alcohol content are perfectly balanced for a caramel candy-like malt backbone. This is a serious beer for serious beer aficionados.

Style: Dry-Hopped American Style Barleywine



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Beer: Jack Hammer

Brewery: The Brew Kettle Production Works

Description: The biggest beer we brew! This beer is all about malt and it dominates the flavor with just enough hops to keep this malty beast in check.

Style: English



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Beer: Jerome & Spike's Collaboration Ale 2011 Barley Ryne

Brewery: Terrapin Beer Co.

Description: American Barleywine brewed with rye malt. 2/3 ale blended with 1/3 ale matured on American oak and bourbon. Brewed in September of 2011 in collaboration with Jerome Rebetez from BFM, this beer aged almost a full year before its release.

Style: American


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Beer: John Barleycorn Barleywine

Brewery: Mad River Brewing Company

Description: This vintage has a deep amber hue with malty caramel aromas. Pleasing rich crème brule and caramel flavors with hints of spice, raisin and dried stone fruits. It possesses a smooth bitterness, with an opulent and pleasing mouth feel which entices the palette and promotes contemplative sipping. The ideal winter warmer best served in a snifter in front of the fire throughout the Harvest Season. Ages extremely well with optimum maturity reached at one year and beyond.

Style: American



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Beer: Killer Penguin

Brewery: Boulder Beer Company

Description: Our extremely limited winter barleywine ale. Traditional winter seasonals are warm and comforting -- not this bird! Diving in at around 10 percent alcohol by volume, Killer Penguin uses over twice the malt as other winter beers. Aged to perfection, this beer doesn't ferment, it hibernates -- and wakes up with an attitude! 10% ABV 60 IBU Malt: Pale Malt, 70/80L Crystal Malt Hops: Nugget, Willamette, Cascade.

Style: Barleywine Ale



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Beer: Kong

Brewery: Monkey Paw Pub and Brewery

Description: Kong is a big beast of a beer, from the hop, dark fruit, and apricot aroma, to the bold grass notes on the palate, to the bitter finish. Kong weighs in at 11.8% Abv, and is a beer that can unleash the beast in you if not treated with respect. Despite the size of this beer, the balance of hops and malt are well-executed, with an interplay throughout the beer. Plums, earthy malt, and jam compliment the columbus hop base. Truly a beer worthy of the name kong.

Style: English Barleywine


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Beer: Leon

Brewery: Cigar City Brewing

Description: English Barleywine aged in brandy barrels.

Style: Barrel Aged English Barleywine



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Beer: Mirror Mirror

Brewery: Deschutes Brewery

Description: Mirror Mirror is an oak-aged barley wine, designed as an inspired version of the brewery's flagship, Mirror Pond Pale Ale. Doubled up to barley wine strength, it yields a rich malt base with hints of raisin and oak tinged with the slightest citrus hop aroma.

Style: Oak aged barley wine



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Beer: Notorious

Brewery: Boneyard Beer

Description: American style Barleywine. 12% ABV, 60 IBU. Copper in color.

Style: American


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Beer: Ol' Cattywhompus

Brewery: White Birch Brewing

Description: Ol' Cattywhompus: it is what it do. Bigger, bolder, and better than most, our English barleywine cuts no corners. Using a reiterative mash, we produce an ale both hearty and elegant. Brewed with malts from Thomas Fawcett and Sons of Great Britain, this strong ale is made for sitting, sipping, and savoring. Take your time with this one, folks. Ruby in color with earthy British hops, Ol' Cattywhompus is for today, tomorrow, ten years from now.

Style: English



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Beer: Old & In The Way Barley Wine

Brewery: High Water Brewing

Description: Old and In The Way Barley Wine Style Ale is brewed in the traditional English Barley Wine Style. Flavors of toffee, treacle and caramel emerge as the beer opens up. A slight level of vanilla from the toasted french oak impart a clean and delicate finish. Enjoy this beer a little warmer to fully appreciate the depth and complexity of flavors in this beer. Brewed to be enjoyed as a sipping or fireside beer. Share one with a good friend.

Style: English Oak Aged



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Beer: Old Blarney Barleywine

Brewery: Moylan's Brewing Co.

Description: Our Barleywine Style Ale is a rich and heavy ale brewed to a high gravity. Massive body, mouthfeel and hoppiness. Barleywines are the "brandy" of the ale world. A great sipping ale, and a perfect finish to any meal.

Style: American


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Beer: Old Devil's Tooth

Brewery: Sockeye Brewing

Description: American Style Barleywine.

Style: American



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Beer: Old Ruffian Barley Wine

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Company

Description: OLD RUFFIAN is a hefty, hop-forward Barley Wine. Seemingly mellow at the start with subtle fruit aromas and complex caramel sweetness, it quickly becomes aggressive with its bold hop flavors and huge hop bitterness. Ultimately, the big body, succulent sweetness and massive hop character come together to work wonders on your palate.

Style: Barley Wine



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Beer: Smokehouse Barley Wine

Brewery: Millstream Brewing Company

Description: Our Smokehouse Barley Wine has a rich toasted malt character with a smooth & warming effect when drank. The big malt character is counterbalanced with the addition of a nice hop bitterness. It has a smoky brown color to it. With a mellow cherry wood smoked aroma and flavor, this is a beer to enjoy in the cool months to come. Malts: 2 row, Briess cherry wood smoked malt, munich 20, carmel 80, briess extra special, chocolate Hops: Millenium, Willamette OG: 22.6 deg plato ABV: 9.3% FG: 6.3 deg plato Color: 20.2 SRM.

Style: Smoked English Barley Wine



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Beer: The Gimp

Brewery: SweetWater Brewing Co.

Description: A wide open Old Ale, The Gimp gags up Alc. 10.3% by Vol. and is bred to be stashed in a Dank dark cellar only tobe brought out for your most"special" guests! This full-bodied Gimp gives off sweet scents of caramel and toffee and, as legend has it,warm undertones of malt and alcohol balanced by low voltage doses of hops delivering a SHOCKER you'll actually wan t to receive. Don't keep The Gimp's leash too tight, as he will mellow with age and become more experienced the longer he stays locked up in the cellar. Bring out The Gimp!

Style: American



2013 Coles Barley Wine Competition Results

1st Place ~ Founders Brewing Co. - Bolt Cutter

2nd Place ~
Sweetwater Brewing Co. - 15
3rd Place ~ Cigar City Brewing Co. - Leon


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