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Hooksett, New Hampshire's Bill Herlicka was burned out. So with layoffs impending at his firm, the avid homebrewer took a leap of faith: "I thought, You only live once. Let's see how you can make a brewery work."
Last June, Herlicka launched the artisanal White Birch microbrewery -- emphasis on micro. White Birch is essentially a one-man operation, with Herlicka brewing, bottling, labeling and distributing his robust, complex line of barley wines, wild ales and Belgian-style brews.
"I have 14 different beers fermenting in the brewery, as well as several wild ales that might not see the light of day for two or three years," Herlicka says of his limited-edition creations. And they are limited. Since Herlicka only brews one barrel (about 31 gallons) at a time, only a couple hundred wax-dipped 22-ounce bottles comprise each release.
But should you get your mitts on a bottle, whoa boy: The Belgian-style pale ale is crisp and fruity, while the Saison sings with spicy, peppery notes. However, we must tip our caps to Herlicka's winter-season masterpiece, the barrel-aged Barley Wine. The English-style ale spent five months aging in an old bourbon cask before Herlicka deemed it ready for consumption. "There was no timetable on when the beer should come out," he says. "I took a sample and said, 'Wow, this one's ready.'"
But should you get your mitts on a bottle, whoa boy: The Belgian-style pale ale is crisp and fruity, while the Saison sings with spicy, peppery notes. However, we must tip our caps to Herlicka's winter-season masterpiece, the barrel-aged Barley Wine. The English-style ale spent five months aging in an old bourbon cask before Herlicka deemed it ready for consumption. "There was no timetable on when the beer should come out," he says. "I took a sample and said, 'Wow, this one's ready.'"
We'll second that. The naturally carbonated, chestnut-colored ale possesses the classic wood-aged aromas of vanilla and oak, but the rich, malty flavor is much more beguiling: a smooth blend of black cherries, figs and toffee that masquerades the 10.8 percent ABV. It's fit for savoring over a roaring fire alongside friends.
If you miss this release, don't fret: "We're in the process of doubling our capacity," Herlicka says, laughing, "to two barrels."
Do you crave a belly-warming barley wine? Spill it in the comments.
Joshua M. Bernstein has written about brews, bars and booze for New York Magazine, Time Out New York, ForbesTraveler.com and the New York Times.
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