Beer – BarleyWhine
I didn’t care much for the particular bottle of barley wine that I last had – see Beer – #1037 – McLeod’s – Barley Wine, a beer I found so unpalatable that I genuinely couldn’t finish it, and MrsPhil was left bemused and confused because that rarely, happens and commented with amazement and incredulity.
Me, not finishing a beer.
I rated it using arbitrary scores of course, and on one app it comes in at 6 from 10, but it’s better than that so I made it an arbitrary 7, o the pdubyah-o-meter, a middle of the road beer, but not disaster, just not a good beer on the arbitrary scale I made up. I’m not going to cruel or unthinking, generally beers are crafted with good intentions and they can be uncovered, and there were some underlying nice things with this beer, but it was just way way too bitter and enjoyable. I’d rather avoid conflict and say it’s average, I’m not a beer expert, I’m just me having a good time, Hopefully.
I’m also mindful, and noted that I had another bottle, and that I’m sure that the particular bottle I had wasn’t a good example in some way and would re-visit it sometime in the future.
So, with that in mind, What could possibly go wrong?
Well…..
I though 3.25 was generous
The Untappd monitor seems to have taken umbrage at this, and seems to be upset and somewhat annoyed and started (I think) badly, bragging and then just being curt, all in such a few words. The whole exchange is here;
take that
You’re ‘Sorry I don’t care for it’, that’s rather caustic I though, but kindly they sent me this here link https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley_wine so I read it, because I could be wrong, and I’m not afraid to learn, or be corrected or pointed in the right direction.
I found this under Characteristics
The beer writer Michael Jackson referred to a barley wine by Smithwick’s thus: “This is very distinctive, with an earthy hoppiness, a wineyness, lots of fruit and toffee flavours.”
Which is exactly the thing that my bottle of this Barleywine didn’t have. I replied, I really couldn’t help myself
The Untappd monitor then chides me with:
“Wine and vinious come with age. Allow it to warm slightly to accentuate caramel and toffee”
Which got my hackles up, and I couldn’t help a sarcastic reply, clearly they’re just commenting, on the defensive, without research, shooting on the hip, and my reply didn’t go over well as they come back to finish with this:
We’re here to help make your beer experience the best 🙂
A cursory and quick check of my beer history revels 31 different Mcleods beers rated and logged. That’s almost 2%. That puts them in the top 5 or 6 brewers I enjoy, and rate, certainly the top 10.
There’s 23 Barleywines in the list too.
At 3.25 stars from 5, the worst of the McLeod’s beers is the Mcleods Barley Wine, which I rated 3.25. 3.25 is not the worst rating that I’ve ever given a beer. But 3.25 is the worst rating amongst the Barleywine beers that I’ve logged.
I enjoy the McLeods beers, and have had, up to now a great experience on the Social Media platforms. I’m not going to shy away from saying a beer isn’t good, and I’m likewise not going to be shy when it comes to saying beer is great. So when I recon that their Triple is “As good as anything I’ve had, possibly the best NZ Tripel.” there’s no interaction, and so I’m not expecting such a defensive and aggressive interaction when for me a beer falls short.
There are a lot of beers that I can drink, and do, and I enjoy the banter that some of the brewers social media bring to the table. This however leaves a bitter taste (not as bitter as that Barleywine though).
I drink beer for enjoyment, I write about them because it’s nice to remember them and because it’s great to look back and see where I went wrong, and what I learnt over the years.
Today I’ve talked myself into avoiding the Mcleods beers i future, I don’t enjoy confrontation, I’m annoyed they toss off the vague slur that I don’t know what I’m talking about, and they’ve got a Wikipedia article that backs up their magnificence.
No, Mcleod’s you have not made my beer experience the best, and I’m annoyed and angry with your brand.
Well done you.
The pdubyah-o-meter rates the interaction with MclLeods at 3 of its things from the thing. That’s from 10. of 1.5 in Untappd money.
The double dip review
- Where did I get it? Untappd
- Am I enjoying it? Far from enjoying it it really annoyed me
- Would I have another? I’ve had them in the past, I’m having it now, and I’m sure they’ll be others.
- Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I thought I’d just share it here.
Music for this: ‘Who’s sorry now’ sprang to mind.
A life just as ordinary 
Good day Phil. We go by the old saying ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all.’ We celebrate positive comments about our beers on social media and we analyse the issues when we receive negative ones. As I/we are focused on quality above all. I have no issues with you scoring our beer low, I don’t appreciate the snide comment ‘no redeeming quality.’ We work tirelessly sacrificing personal time and money to make this business successful. I laboured over that beer for six weeks from recipe to ferment to conditioning time and temperature. Coming home from a hard days work and reading your comment was offensive. We often see people scoring beers poorly because they do not understand the style. You being insulted that I dared comment on your criticism is rather ironic. I was polite, and sincerely concerned by your comments. If you decide not to buy or drink our beer over a silly comment on Untappd then so be it. All the best. Jason Bathgate – Head Brewer
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Jason, as you wish.
I’m sorry that you weren’t drinking the beer I had, you’d have been embarrassed, because it’s not what you say it should have been. But then I’m no expert, and drinking beers is a hobby.
Also you can’t like every beer and I really do have a choice.
All the best. Philip
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