Karl Strauss – Plead The 5th Anniversary Barleywine Coming 2/8 @ Phineas Foggs

The beer registers at 12.5% alcohol-by-volume and 60 IBUs (international bittering units), which is higher than most barleywines and brought on by Bravo and Willamette hops. Brown sugar and blackstrap molasses were incorporated to help level out the hoppiness. Right now, it should taste good, albeit mighty powerful, but should express expanded flavors after soaking up the wine from those barrels—one chardonnay, one cabernet sauvignon.

The anniversary beer will debut February 8 at Phileas Foggs. It will also be made available at Karl Strauss’ Carlsbad location (where it was brewed) as well as the company’s new 4S Commons Town Center brewery restaurant. A small seven-barrel batch was brewed, so supplies are limited. The barrel-aged versions should debut during San Diego Beer Week and, next year, when Phileas Foggs turns six. Word around the bar is that they may sour the chardonnay barrel with a mixture of brettanomyces and lactobacillus.
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