Three Sheets is Ballast Point’s American barleywine, inspired by the hoppier West Coast barleywines of the late 1980s and early 1990s, full of rich roasted caramel and hop spice. The bourbon barrel-aged version takes that big base beer and lets the barrel round it out, adding bourbon, vanilla and oak to an already substantial brew.

The basics

• Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, CA)
• Style: American Barleywine (Bourbon Barrel-Aged)
• ABV: 9%
• IBU: Not published for the barrel-aged version (base beer: 55)

What to expect

Expect a deep amber to reddish-brown pour with a small, short-lived head, which is normal at this strength. The aroma and flavor run toward caramel, toffee, dark fruit and molasses, with bourbon and vanilla from the barrel and a warming alcohol presence. The hop character from the base beer is still there in the background, but the malt and barrel dominate.

This is a slow beer by design. It is rich, sweet-leaning and warming, best in a small glass, best shared or savored, and best when it has had a few minutes to warm up from fridge temperature. Fans of big barleywines will find a lot to like; drinkers who prefer balance may find it a bit much.

Our rating

5.5/10

Rated by Nick (5.5). Nick’s middle score reflects a beer that is impressive in scale but not fully convincing in execution. Three Sheets Bourbon Barrel-Aged has the right ingredients and plenty of flavor, but it never quite pulls together into something we would reach for again over Ballast Point’s stronger barrel-aged releases. A solid try for barleywine fans, a pass for everyone else.

Sources: BeerAdvocate, Three Sheets Barrel-Aged, Ballast Point, 9% ABV; TapHunter, Three Sheets Barleywine, 10% ABV, 55 IBU (base beer)