Five years in the Houston area craft beer scene makes you a veteran of the area. Most of the breweries in Greater Houston are newly opened within the last couple of years, so seeing somebody like No Label Brewing Company out in Katy celebrate five years is quite an accomplishment.
I’ve been drinking their beer pretty much since day one. El Hefe was the first beer I had from them and that’s what got me hooked. It was a nice respite from the Blue Moons of the world, plus, it was local. From there, branching out to their Perpetual Peace, other Off Label series, and new seasonal beers, I was able to see their growth and experimentation as a brewery.
With this American-style Barleywine, I’m seeing an entirely different side of them. Now, it’s important to note that this beer is not coming out on their fifth anniversary, but actually closer to their sixth. Like I always say, better late than never.
James Wolfe, head brewer for No Label, is very proud of this beer. Like a dummy, I should have hit up cellarman, Mark Vandervoort, in advance because he let me know he would have been happy to let me try it right out of the brite tank. I’ve learned my lesson and will definitely take him up on that next go-round.
As for the beer itself, I found it to be very enjoyable. It’s not for a lightweight beer drinker as this is an 11.4% ABV beer. Shockingly, it was a little hoppier than I had imagined as I was expecting a much fruitier flavor. However, it was very pleasant and the prevalent alcohol flavor of the barleywine was nice as I paired it with some Tillamook Cheddar we had in the refrigerator.
It’s currently available in 22oz bombers and in select bars on tap. I was able to find it in a bomber, which seems like a solid choice considering these beers tend to hold up well as packaged options. However, I genuinely want to make it to No Label’s sixth anniversary party on December 10th as there is word they will have this barleywine on tap.
The folks at No Label are proud of this beer and frankly, they should be. It’s a pleasant barleywine that defies convention. Lately, their cellared beers have come out nicely and have been some of my favorites. This is no exception, so I can’t wait for some new brews they have on their horizon (including, from what I’m told, a new gose).