Barmy is one of the strangest beers Ballast Point ever made, and the name is the first clue. On old sailing ships, barm was the foam on top of fermenting beer, and barmy was the adjective for it. Ballast Point built this strong golden ale from just six ingredients: malted barley, hops, orange blossom honey, California ale yeast, apricots, and San Diego water. On paper it sounds like a fascinating experiment. In the glass, it is a different story.

The basics

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, CA)
• Style: American Strong Ale
• ABV: 12%
• IBU: 25

What to expect

Barmy pours a clear golden color with a thin head. The aroma is dominated by apricot and honey, with a sweet, almost wine-like character and a hot alcohol edge that never quite hides. On the palate the tart apricot fruitiness and honey sweetness arrive first, then the 12% alcohol takes over with a warming, phenolic bite that throws the whole thing off balance. The finish is sweet, hot, and a little acrid, and the flavors never really knit together into something you want to keep sipping.

The brewery says Barmy can be cellared for years, with a honey wine character emerging over time. Fresh, though, it is a beer that asks a lot of the drinker and gives back very little.

Our rating

0/10

Rated by Nick (0). Nick gave this one a 0, and we are not going to soften that: this is our not recommended pick. The idea is interesting and the ingredients are honest, but the alcohol heat swamps the apricot and honey, the balance never arrives, and it ends up as a chore to finish. Interesting is not the same as good, and Barmy proves it. Skip this one.