Napa Smith Grateful Dog Barleywine

BARLEYWINE with Botrytis-infused Semillon grapes & 2-year-old Barrel Aged Imperial Porter.

Take a trip with us to a simpler time with this “one-off” Barleywine from Napa Smith Brewery. Staying true to our roots in Napa Valley, we have produced Grateful Dog by incorporating late harvest Semillon Grapes sourced from Roger Harrison — one of the Napa Valley’s most noted dessert wine specialists who produces Nightingale and Nobility wines. But our collective journey has just begun.

Before kegging, we blended in a portion of our 2-year old Barrel Aged Imperial Porter. Grateful Dog is a BIG beer. At 10% alcohol this beer is a Zen-like invitation to practice moderation. Grateful Dog pours with a rich, dark mahogany color and a long-lasting creamy off-white head. Aromas of cherries, dried fruit, chocolate and coffee show strongly. The flavor is complex and multi-layered, starting with a subtle, sweet fruitiness and progressing to dark caramel with a pronounced wood aged porter character to finish. Here in the Napa Valley we turn wine into beer!