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Kasō

Godspeed Brewery
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🌍 Canada · Barleywine · One of 16 Barleywines in hopIQ

A smoked barleywine at 10.2%, brewed with Brasserie Dieu du Ciel and Messorem Bracitorium. The malt bill combines specialty English crystal malts with a small amount of beechwood smoked malt, so the smoke sits as a layer inside the malt rather than on top of it. The brewery lists dark dried fruit, caramel, toffee and biscuit against that smoke. The name means cremation in Japanese.

ABV
10.2%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber14
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How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Full-bodied and gently sweet.

A slow, coating pour that settles on the tongue and rewards the sip that follows.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Barleywine.
Malt character
caramel
malty
toasty
Distinctive notes
smoky
dark fruit
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Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Kasō

Appearance

Deep amber to light copper hue with excellent clarity. The beer presents a substantial, tightly-knit head that clings persistently to the glass, leaving crisp lacing as you drink. Carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, supporting the full-bodied character without excess effervescence.

deep amberexcellent claritypersistent head retentioncrisp lacing

Aroma

Smoke emerges first and most prominently, layered with rich dark fruit notes—raisins and plum—rather than sitting on the surface. English crystal malts contribute caramel sweetness and toasted complexity, while the beechwood smoke weaves through without dominance. A subtle biscuit and toffee undertone rounds the nose.

smoke, integrateddark dried fruitcaramel, toffeetoasted malt

Taste

Entry is full and malty, with sweet caramel and toffee character balanced by the gentle smoke that persists through the mid-palate. Dark fruit emerges cleanly—not candied, but deep and dried. The 10.2% ABV is present as warmth and body, though alcohol remains well-bound within the malt structure rather than assertive. Residual sweetness dominates the palate; bitterness is minimal.

full-bodied, maltycaramel, toffee dominantsmoke, persistentwarm alcohol integrationlow bitterness

Finish

The finish is long and warming, with smoke and dark fruit fading slowly into a toasty, slightly sweet aftertaste. The alcohol heat lingers gently without harshness, leaving the palate with a soft malt sweetness.

long, warming finishtoasty aftertaste
85
hopIQ score
Aroma
88
Taste
86
Appearance
84
Finish
83
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Kasō

Serve at 12–16°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 12–16°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Excellent cellar candidate — can age 3–10 years, developing dried fruit, toffee and sherry notes.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Kasō

About Barleywine

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Barleywine?

Barleywine is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Barleywine

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same smoky, caramel, dark fruit character as Kasō will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Barleywines in hopIQ

Explore all Barleywine beers in hopIQ →Browse Canada beers →

WHERE TO BUY

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