Beer · Explainer
What is barley wine?
Barley wine is beer, not wine. The Beer Judge Certification Program gives 8 to 12 percent alcohol, 35 to 70 IBU and 8 to 22 SRM for English Barleywine. American Barleywine has the same alcohol band, but 50 to 100 IBU. The name refers to the strength of wine, not to grapes.
In brief
The key figures
| What it is | A very heavy beer made from barley malt, not a wine made from grapes |
|---|---|
| Alcohol English Barleywine | 8 to 12 percent |
| Bitterness English Barleywine | 35 to 70 IBU |
| Colour of English Barleywine | 8 to 22 SRM |
| Alcohol American Barleywine | 8 to 12 percent |
| Bitterness American Barleywine | 50 to 100 IBU |
| Colour of American Barleywine | 9 to 18 SRM |
| Name first used | Bass No. 1 was called a barley wine in 1872 |
Is barley wine wine or beer?
Barley wine is beer. The alcohol comes from fermented malt sugars, not from grapes, and it is brewed and hopped like any other beer.
The name refers to the strength. At 8 to 12 percent alcohol, barley wine falls within the range of many wines, which explains the comparison.
It remains confusing, though. Anyone who reads the word wine on a label expects a grape product, while here you are holding a beer.
Which numbers go with the style?
The Beer Judge Certification Program distinguishes two variants. English Barleywine stands at 8 to 12 percent alcohol, 35 to 70 IBU and 8 to 22 SRM.
American Barleywine has the same alcohol band of 8 to 12 percent, but runs from 50 to 100 IBU and from 9 to 18 SRM. The picture is therefore more bitter and on average lighter in color.
Both variants start at an original gravity of 1.080 to 1.120. That much sugar in the wort explains why the end result turns out so heavy.
Where does the name barley wine come from?
The name comes from the English brewing tradition. According to the Beer Judge Certification Program, Bass No. 1 was first called a barley wine in 1872.
The style grew out of strong Burton Ales. For a long time barley wine was a dark beer, until Tennant introduced the golden-coloured Gold Label in 1951.
Since then, pale and dark barley wines have existed side by side. You can see that in the wide colour range of 8 to 22 SRM for the English variant.
Why does barley wine mature for so long?
Maturation changes the beer profoundly. The Beer Judge Certification Program describes that older versions develop oxidative or wine-like notes and that the aroma intensity decreases.
The structure shifts too. For the American version, it says that age often makes the beer drier and smooths out the flavours.
The guidelines therefore describe ageing as part of the style. As a result, a fresh and an aged bottle from the same brew can differ greatly.
Is barley wine a protected name?
No. Barley wine is not a legally protected designation, but a style name. The guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program are written for competitions, not as a regulation.
The programme says so itself. The introduction to the 2021 edition states that these are guidelines and not specifications, and that commercial brewers are not told what they may brew.
A brewery may therefore decide for itself what it calls barley wine. The numbers from the guidelines give you an expectation, not a guarantee.
From the shop in Bathmen
Which strong beers are there in Bathmen?
In the shop in Bathmen there are 83 strong beers from 43 different brands from 6 countries. Prices range from € 1.85 to € 47.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 8.5% to 20%.
- 't Zwarte Schoap Het Lam Oaked Quadrupel 10% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- 't Zwarte Schoap Het Lam Oaked Quadrupel 10% · 75 cl · Netherlands
- Berging Brouwerij Sailing'22 Rum Barrel Aged Quadrupel 10.3% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- Berne Abdijbier Abt Generaal Quadrupel 10.5% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- Bevog Hagger 4/22 12% · 33 cl · Austria
- Big Belly Jacques Holy Quadruple 11% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- Brewery42 De Kroeg Krijger Barleywine 11% · 44 cl · Netherlands
- Bronckhorster Barrel-Aged Series No. 40 11.5% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- Brouwerij Avereest PK26 Quadruppel 10% · 33 cl · Netherlands
- Brouwerij Chamaven Rijkhard Quadrupel 9.6% · 33 cl · Netherlands
Related questions
What is the Reinheitsgebot?What is the difference between ale and lager?What is the difference between dubbel, tripel and quadrupel?
Short answer
Short answers to related questions
- What is the difference between barley wine and imperial stout?
- Both are strong beers, but imperial stout is brewed with roasted malt and is therefore dark. Barley wine runs, according to the guidelines, from 8 to 22 SRM and can be golden in color.
- How much alcohol does barley wine have?
- According to the Beer Judge Certification Program 8 to 12 percent, for both the English and the American variant.
- Why is American barley wine more bitter?
- According to the guidelines, the American variant puts more emphasis on hop bitterness, hop flavour and hop aroma, often with American hop varieties. The range runs from 50 to 100 IBU against 35 to 70 IBU for the English one.
- How long can you keep barley wine?
- No fixed period is set for it. The guidelines describe aged versions as a normal part of the style, so bottles are often kept for years.
The reasoning
Sources
- 2021 Style Guidelines, 17D English Barleywine, Beer Judge Certification Program (accessed 4 September 2026)
- 2021 Style Guidelines, 22C American Barleywine, Beer Judge Certification Program (accessed 4 September 2026)
- Introduction to the 2021 Guidelines, Beer Judge Certification Program (accessed 4 September 2026)
Deze pagina is geschreven en gecontroleerd door ’t Bockje Bathmen, slijterij aan de Brink 2 in Bathmen. Laatst bijgewerkt op 27 oktober 2026.
Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.