North Coast Class of '88 Barley Wine

North Coast Class of '88 Barley Wine

1988 was a pivotal year for the emerging craft brewing industry on the west coast, marking the founding of some of America’s most influential breweries, North Coast Brewing Co. among them. It was also the year Fred Eckhardt published The Essentials of Beer Style—a book that quickly became an indispensable reference for aspiring brewers and critics.

In recognition of the 25th anniversary of this milestone year, North Coast Brewing and two other west coast members of the pioneering “Class of ’88,”—Rogue Ales and Deschutes Brewery—have collaborated on a trio of commemorative beers evolving from Fred’s style guidelines.

Each of the breweries has created its own distinctive interpretation of a barleywine. Brewers traveled to each other’s locations and teamed up to brew all three ales. Their common heritage, joint efforts and inherent camaraderie resulted in a cohesive set that allows beer aficionados to enjoy three examples of the style.

These exceptional barleywines are being released in late March of 2013 and are available around the country for a limited time, distinctively packaged in either 22 oz. or 750 ml bottles, or on draft. The breweries are planning Class of ’88 celebrations in Bend and Portland, Oregon and San Francisco and Fort Bragg, California.
3.6
217 reviews
Fort Bragg, United States

Community reviews

3.8 Bready-malty nose, a touch of spritziness. Figgy-toffee-rasin notes as it warms up and breaths. Nicely-balanced sweetness and bitterness. Medium-heavy oily body. Warming as it goes down. Lingering finish, no harshness. Very good barley wine, but not quite one of the all-time greats.
3.7 A very nice, refined barleywine. Pours a bright red with a white head. Smells of caramel, sea salt, vanilla, strawberry. Taste is very smooth, with caramel and vanilla upfront, followed by banana. Bit of a spicy, dry finish. Paired with Sriracha shrimp and udon noodles, brings out more sea salt and tang. Had in the bottle.
3.7 Bottle shared at Craft Beer Co Islington - many thanks to Mitchy Mitch. Pours clear orange-gold with a creamy, white head. The nose holds toasted bread, orange rind, dry caramel, some toasted pine. Medium to big sweet flavour with hearty malts, more caramel and pine, some rind. Medium to full bodied with average carbonation. Warming finish, with notes of ripe citrus, subtle oily pine, lots of lightly toasted bread. Quite good stuff.
3.3 7th July 2016 Big Bottleshare at Craft Islington. Hazy amber beer, tidy cream colour head. Palate is airy and semi dry, modest fine carbonation. Soft malts. modestly sweet. Spice. Alcohol spice. Tired dried fruits. Mild floralness. Light dry finish. It’s not bad but it’s one of those big beers that doesn’t seem to have aged that well. The punch is there but the flavours are a little tired.
3.9 Bottle shared at the CBC big bottle share. 7/7/2016. Many thanks to Kenny for this one. A hazed dark orange coloured pour with a lasting halo of white head. Aroma is fresh lemon pez sweet, strawberry jammy fruits. Flavour is composed of nutty sweet grains, strawberry, pale us medium sweet, sticky, moderate carbonation, . Nice jammy fruits.
3.6 75cl bottle shared at the July London Tasting @CBC Islington. Many thanks to Ken for this one. It pours a clean golden color with a small white head. Aroma is tangy and sweet fruity with persimmon and melon and some tangy lemon peel. Taste is also sweet fruity and tangy with notes of persimmon, lemon peel, orange marmalade. Medium to full bodied with good carbonation. Overall, tasty
3.4 Bottle at RB London Meet. Amber color, small off-white head. Aroma has malts, toffee and fruits. Medium-bodied. Very fruity, a bit toffeish. Easy bw. Probably somewhat aged for this easy sippable bw.
3.6 Bottle thanks to Chow. Pours a cloudy brown with small beige head that diminishes to nothing. The aroma is candy sugar, toffee, booze. Medium mouth, similar flavors to nose, nice dark fruit, boozy finish, very good.
4.2 (North Coast Class of ’88 Barley Wine) Bottle 750 ml at home, corked and caged. Gotten from a trade wth a swedish guy it seems, but can’t remember whom. Thanks anyway! Served into a snifter, ABV 10% Deep orange to red colour on the body, mostly clear, with a good sized and thick enough off-white head on top, with average retention. Aroma has still strong hops, caramel, alcohol,tropical fruits, apricot. Taste is sweet, nice caramel notes, notable alcohol, hops, red fruits, apricot, peach, light orange peel, some pine even. Medium thick body, biting carbonation, quite dry on the palate. Very good and not your usual barleywine, this still tastes like a fresh DIPA with Hopslam coming to mind. 10% but so easy to drink, great beer.
3.8 Pours a hazy reddish brown. Aromas of hops, caramel malts, kind of medicinal. Flavor is to strong for me, big alcohol taste, malty with a dark fruit taste.
3.9 Bottle from Brewery Creek, Vancouver, corked if it was released in March 2013, it’s 2 years old Hazy amber color with creamy and persistent head. The aroma is very nice, more fruity than the usual American Barley Wine, adding a dimension; there is also a delicate Bourbon vanilla touch. Good body strength, moderate sweetness, but expect less thickness and sugars than usual; instead this Barley Wine has a remarkable spicy character, like rye; good bitterness level, the hop participates with some fruity resins, more was expected. Even if it’s a Barley Wine, I suspect it was better when fresher; good brew, a bit different, but not mind blowing.
3.1 Bottle - pours orange gold white head - nose/taste of old hops, orange peel, toffee, metallic notes and resin - medium body.
2.8 Bottle. Golden pour with tan head. Fruit, boozy and hoppy aromas. Herbal, fruity, boozy, hoppy grassy Flavors.
4.0 Pours a cloudy, dark amber color with an off-white head. Aroma is dark fruits, caramel malts, and some alcohol. Flavor is similar but not as thick on the mouth feel as I usually like with barley wines. Some warming on the finish but not a whole lot.
3.7 750 bottle, thanks Adrien! Amber color, mild traces of sediment floating around, no head. Aroma is toffee, pine needles, dough malts, and booze. The flavor still has plenty of bitterness, more bitterness then should be here for a three year old bottle. Plenty of pine, floral hop hints. Tobacco leaves, earthy notes. Body is damn near syrupy. Carbonation is still here. No oxidation can be found.
3.5 From notes. Enjoyed at the 3rd Annual Barleywine Tasting at Travis’s house on February 20. 750 mL bottle. The pour on this one is interesting. It’s a brighter orangey color with a small cap of light tan head and a light lace as it falls down. This one is definitely an American. There is a nice light caramel and toffee up front, and it then just rolls through a huge hoppy bitterness. There is a lot of pine resin, and not really any more sweetness once the pine sets in. The flavors are very similar. It’s got a strong hoppiness up front, backed up with a strong resin on the back end. There is a little sweetness in the middle. A touch of citrus and the toffee come back through, but are definitely overshadowed throughout. The mouth feel is a little thin and light, with a touch too much bubbly carbonation. The aftertaste is lingeringly bitter and carries a touch of fruitiness. This one is definitely interesting. The booze that exists is really well hidden. It’s a nicely done American.
3.6 Bottle. Pours hazy orange, small beige head, decent residual and lacing. Aroma is caramel, toffee, pine. Flavor is medium sweet, light plus bitter, hints of orange zest, caramel and toffee with piney hops adding bitterness on the finish. Medium body, creamy mouthfeel. Pretty much right down the middle of the American barleywine fairway on this one.
3.0 Light amber color. Also very thin palate like widmer. More hops, bitter, and lightly sweet. Dry finish.
4.0 750 mL bottle from Jungle Jim’s International Market, Fairfield, OH. Cloudy dark orange pour with a frothy off-white head. Aroma of tangerine, pine needles, caramel, toffee, and booze. Citrus and piney hop taste with a sturdy sweet malt backbone. Mild bitter finish. Pairs well with stilton, sharp cheddar, and smoked nuts. A nicely done barleywine.
3.8 Bottle shared at a tasting. Thanks Tim! Pours a fairly clear copper with a small off-white head. Fruit-filled aroma with some peach, pineapple and grape along with some honey and biscuits. Super clean for a barley wine with good fruitiness. Feels kind of light and dangerously drinkable. Finish is rather fruit forward and lingers for a bit. Enjoyable.
3.4 Clear amber pour from a 750 ml bomber. Solid hop-forward barleywine with the intense maltiness balanced by hop bitterness. This is fine, nothing special. Cellared for about 2 years.
4.0 Bottle. Thanks Tim. Minerals, pineapple, booze, but very easy drinking. Tropical, peaches. Taste is good, minerals again, fruity. Nice stuff
3.9 Bottle. Almost clear amber liquid with small white head. Aroma of raw sugar, raisins, caramel, toffee, biscuit and vanilla. Taste is light to medium sweet and light bitter with notes of raw sugar, sweet alcohol, raisins and toffee. Medium to full bodied with medium carbonation. Nice!
3.5 Pours a deep straw yellow with very little foam. Nice grainy, hoppy aroma. Somewhat tart and slightly bitter but not unpleasant. Reminded me of Samuel Adam’s Rebel IPA. The bitterness gives it a nice bite but not too harsh. Smooth finish with a nice lingering taste. Hides the alcohol well. Not what I was expecting from the description but it was a pleasant surprise. I don’t like most bitter style beers but I enjoyed this a lot.
3.6 Bottle @ Haket Pub. Hazy amber with a small tiny whit head. Malty and fruity tones. Malt, fruit, caramel and hops. Full body with a long bitter / sweet finish.
3.7 Bottle at Haket during Ölets Dag 2015. Clear copper/golden beer with a small offwhite head. Malty caramel aroma, raisins, figs, caramel notes, vinous, spicy notes, some caramel and some earthy notes. Malty caramel flavor, raisins, bready, earthy notes, some raisins and alcohol. Quite nice.
4.2 Bought September 5, 2014. Best before June 2019. Hazy deep orange beer with a two finger high, beige head that leaves lacing on the glass. Nose: Orange, butter, marmelade, honey, caramel malt, dried fruit and fruity hops. Taste: Sweet malt, a lot of hops, citrus, pine, brown sugar and grapefruit. Body: Medium to full body. Oily texture. Creamy and thick with a great balance of sweetness and bitterness. Soft carbonation. Soo good!
4.0 750ml Bottle from Systembolaget, purchased September 2014. Dark amber with a creamy white head. Sweet aroma of toffee and dark dried fruit. Medium/full bodied mild carbonated. Rich, creamy liquid.,beautiful balanced sweetness. Taste of caramel,sweet orange, ripe yellow fruit, toffee . The aftertaste is long, sweet and with pleasant heat. Refusing to share this bottle!
3.3 Bottle shared. Very clear body. Dried apricot, fig, honey, alcohol, dry finish. Hmm not as exciting as expected, almost too smooth and simple, maybe I don’t get the "old style" aspect.
3.4 Subtle hop notes with brown sugar aftertaste and a little star anise. It has a medium body with the alcohol lvery well hidden. Average barleywine.