BREWERY // In 2012 four friends from different parts of the world - Adam (Australia), Richard (New Zealand), Darryl (South Africa) & Anders (Sweden) - decided to start a brewery in Gothenburg. Their name is derived from the Latin word Bibliotheca and creating a 'library of beers' is at the heart of what they do. They decided to create a wide variety of new beers with few repeat brews and many one offs. The big number on each can represents the number of different beers brewed up to that point. The past few years have seen steady growth for Beerbliotek and good beer on the whole in Sweden. There have been Gothenburg breweries since the city was founded in 1621 but at the turn of this century the last city brewery, Pripps, moved production abroad. Fortunately the craft beer boom came soon after and the city is now filled with awesome independent craft breweries. Next time you're in Sweden be sure to visit the Beerbliotek taproom, we have it on good authority it's a real good time.
BEER // The world was a very different place in early 2018 when this beer was brewed. People were mainly concerned with arguing over Laurel or Yanny and being sad about the end of Girl Guide biscuits. With the obsession around 'fresh is best', it's easy to overlook the fact that many beer styles improve with age. Beerbliotek carefully crafted this massive beer before ageing it in oak barrels for 6 months then blending it with a fresh batch to ensure a perfect balance. The name barley wine comes from the alcohol strength which is generally around the same as wine. The style has an interesting history with a commonly told story of origin being that during the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain was often at war with France meaning no claret for the dining tables of the upper classes. Locally brewed barleywine took its place handsomely. The high alcohol content comes from using a lot of malt in the mash, double that of a standard beer. The amount of malt makes for a very rich, complex beer with lots of syrupy sweetness. Wood I Lie To You was canned two and a half years ago and age has allowed this barley wine to reach its full potential. Flavour is dominated by fruitcake and brown sugar flavours with layered vanilla, oak and marzipan followed by a surprisingly dry finish. For those with the patience, it is great to cellar barley wines where the flavour will continue to mature and change over the years. We'd recommend grabbing a few more cans to enjoy over the next decade. Be sure to drink this one at room temperature to release all of the flavours and aroma.
BREWERY // Beerbliotek
BEER // Wood I Lie To You?
STYLE // Barrel Aged Barley Wine
ORIGIN // Gothenburg, Sweden
ABV // 12.1%
TEMPERATURE // Cold - 5-7C
FOOD MATCH // Toad in the Hole. Roasted Almonds. Stilton. Hazelnut Chocolate
VESSEL // Snifter, Tulip, Wine Glass