A BEER WORTH WAITING FOR

Lucy Corne takes a look at the history, the recipes and the tasting notes of this strongest of ales. Barley wine is the biggest beer you can brew,” say Fal Allen and Dick Cantwell. And they should know – they literally wrote the book on it.

This rich, viscous beer is rarely seen on South African shelves. It is tricky to brew and the extended ageing time puts many a brewer off. But when you pour that luscious liquid into a snifter glass and sit down to savour it, the stuck mash and 12-hour brewday all become worth it.