The 101 Best Beers in America

Brewer: Free State Brewing

Style: American Barleywine

It wouldn’t be a stretch to call the crew at Free State the godfathers of Kansas craft beer. Opening in 1989, it was the state’s first brewery since prohibition, and they’ve only honed their craft in the ensuing years. The Old Backus is a huge but balanced barleywine that matches rich caramel barley with biting, citrusy American hops. Like all great barleywines, we recommend cracking a bottle immediately and letting a couple more age and develop for one to three years.

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