Barleywine – English | 11.5% ABV

Commercial Description:

J.W.Lees Vintage Harvest Ale is only brewed once a year for release on December 1 of each year. It is a Limited Edition Vintage to celebrate the first brew from each year’s harvest of barley and hops. Only the first delivery of the year’s classic barley malt ‘Maris Otter’ and the classic hop variety ‘Goldings’ from East Kent is therefore used.

Fermentation is induced by J.W.Lees ‘distinctive three-strain top-fermenting yeast. J.W.Lees Vintage Harvest Ale reaches 11.5 % alc./vol. once completely attenuated with a natural fermentation in open copper lined fermenting vessels that were commissioned in 1876 when the brew house was refurbished [J.W.Lees has been brewing at Greengate Brewery in Middleton Junction for six generations since 1828].

Pale in color it has a warm, estery aroma, a good deal of malty flavors on the palate, and a lot of hoppy dryness in the finish.