So 2 weeks ago I brewed an American Barleywine. OG 1.118. It's fermenting away just fine. But it brings me to ponder the naming of this brew. This thing is an intensely dark red. I intended it to be a barleywine, and it is a barleywine. But on the otherhand, I am tempted to call it an Imperial Red. I mean, Barleywine is a sexy term, but Imperial Red just sounds sexier. Of course it will be a great beer no matter what it is called. And I'm not concerned about hardcore BJCP definitions. But at the same time, I don't want to casually throw around "Imperial" this or that, because a beer like this is so special. Thoughts?

having just finished a 22 of the southern tier big red imperial red, i say go with that. or combine and call it an imperial red barleywine. or simplify and just call it red wine.

I personally think the word Imperial is thrown around way to much now adays. Just because something is high alcohol or super dark or way hopped doesn't mean that it is fit for royalty. Figure out some clever way of saying its one MF-in' huge red beer. If your not concerned about BJCP guidlines then don't confine yourself to an a la mode hype phrase.

I'd say call it the red eye but that name was already taken by a discontinued Founders beer. Great name for a barleywine of that hue.

The Big Red One...

If you don't care about BJCP definitions, you can call it whatever strikes your fancy...

I'm not an expert but my investigations have revealed that distinctions may often become blurred. But that is the beauty of it. Brewing to one's own tastes.

I've never been exactly sure what 'Imperial' means in regards to beer. I have a loose understanding of why RIS is called a RIS. I can only assume as MrCoffee mentioned it has come to mean extreme in some factor for the style. I once called an ESB 'Imperial' when I overshot my gravity by 20 points accidentally., I wasn't comfortable with the moniker since it was average in quality; probably it would have been more correct to call it a 'Strong ale'... Whatever that is...

why not call it The Red Empire?

Condition it till October and go with "The Hunt for Red October"