Barley's
The Highland Hammer

Style Guidelines: This one is a bit tough to place. It could be an IPA, and we thought about placing it there, but then we thought we'd get too much flack because it's different than what you're used to in an IPA, or even an Imperial IPA. It drinks like an impressive ESB, but with more pronounced hops. It's almost like we blended two styles to come up with this one.

Indeed, that's what we did. We know it sounds crazy, but they do it for scotch, so why can't we do it for beer?

We're calling it a Peated Bitter, though we're up for suggestions as to where you'd place it in the Garden of Beer.

Rotation Schedule: once a year, in late February at Barley's Smokehouse & Brepwub

Food Pairings: smoked ribs, meatloaf, hard aged cheese, game of all sorts; a pile of smoked, grilled wings or a mound of nachos

"This came to us as a happy accident. Brewdood was curious as how Robert Burns Scottish Export Ale would taste if it was turbocharged with hops.

There being no practical way to brew this on an experimental basis, he simply topped it off with some Centennial IPA. The result was astoundingly good.

As he offered a sample to one, then another victim, no one could guess that this was a Barley's ale. Everyone agreed that it was damn good, though.

The hops do something to the sweet and smoky notes of the Burns that they don't do in an IPA. The result is bigger than the sum of the parts.

We artfully blended a small batch in the brewery so you all could enjoy it on tap.

If you don't agree that it's a truly wonderful ale, we'll just rename it "Brewdood's Folly!"

Body: medium / full

Color: copper haze

Blend: an artful brewery blend of Robert Burns Scottish Export Ale and Centennial IPA

IBUs (estimate): 55

Alcohol By Volume: 7.5%

First Tapped: February 26, 2007

Barley's Brewing Company Ale House No. 1xxxxx 467 North High Street Columbus OH 43215

Barley's Smokehouse & Brewpub Ale House No. 2xx 1130 Dublin Road Columbus OH 43215