Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
2002 sampled in a flute at cellar temp. This foamed heavily upon opening. Not a gush but a slow continous eruption and poured a huge head that wouldn’t die down. Peaks like merengue. The bottle continues to push foam out for 10 minutes after opening. The body is hazy and golden in color. Very fruity aroma with oranges and caramel. The flavor is sweet and fruity but not cloying in any way, alcohol and hops at the back. Very well balanced and warming. Good body and mouthfeel but this isn’t a heavy syrupy type Barleywine. Enjoyable sipping.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Adam from Hair of the Dog Brewing Company 21 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Damn. This is a strong mofoi’n beer. Batch 59 bottle drunk 12/04. Crazy this is so much spice and dark dark schwarzbier like malting/flavoring. It must be the predecessor to todays schwarzbier. Very good amount of body, spicy herbalness with hops. Very deep sprucey and licorice type of flavor. Would drink again, but I think it needs more sugar. Beer gets too dry and astringent without the necessary strong, chewy malty body. Had similar experiences with the 2002 doggie claws. Chocolate and spice on the very end, with some roast and a very ash-like tobacco flavor. Rich to say the least, but the body seems slightly loose after it sits out and warms fully. Very dark dirt black/brown with light orange tinges. Smattering of bubbles line the edge of the glass. Very viscous. Smells of spruce, chocolate and tons of alcohol. Ack, I want to like this more, but it’s just too much alcohol, combined with spice. Needs more balance.
Draught @ Redbones, 12/04. Much what I remembered, and that is disappointing, because I really wanted to like this beer. Too much on the hops, alcohol and astringency. It’s got a good roast flavor, good chocolate and yeast notes, but it’s not well-homogenized, has traces of wateriness throughout and the alcohol badly assaults the palate.
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Magnum bottle at the Gathering. Pours an extremely dark brown/black with violet/burgundy tinges on the edges and little head retention. Cloudy and bottle conditioned. Aroma of stiff barley grain, alcohol, oak, a touch of smokiness and some roast, as well as some woody/cork notes. Light vinous notes as well. Flavor is lightly sweet at the start, with more of the dry wine-like qualities, or perhaps more like sour, concord grape juice. It remains mostly dry and moderately sour through the body which is medium-full and ends with a touch of chocolate, lots of yeast and alcohol. Strong oak notes linger on. Lightly oxidized palate, though it has held up very well. Somewhat of an acidic palate which I didnt care for. I really enjoyed most the lack of carbonation in this one.
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5
An unclear amber beer with an orange head. The aroma is sweet with notes of caramel, yeast, and spices. The flavor is dry mlaty with notes of fruits and prunes, while the body is strong.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9.5
[Batch #1, drunk with Fred Eckhardt at GBBF 2004] A brown slightly hazy beer with a fine orange head. The aroma is of pudding and wood, clearly a well matured beer. The flavor is of alcohol, caramel, wood, and pudding with a dry woody end. A great beer - especially when aged.
Batch 63, sampled February 2006. An unclear amber beer with a thin orange head. The aroma is very complex, and very hoppy, but also with a light touch of alcohol. The flavor is very hoppy especially notes of grapefruit comes thru, leading to a dry bitter end. The body is very thick. I like the aged version best. [8/3/8/4/17]
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
2002 bottle sampled in Nov. 2004. Pours a wonderfully yeasty deep orange and copper. Some lighter yellow tones float throughout. Not quite as dark as I’d like though. Good off-white head and moderate lacing. Aroma is superb; light hops mixed with yeast, english toffee and a big caramel malt kick. Strong and rich, this prepares you for a big flavor. Unfortunately , I cant get excited about the flavor. It starts out with a good dose of caramel and toffee malt notes, moderately sweet. You get some bitter, but fresh hops in the mix towards the end and then it is just alcohol lingering on the very end and aftertaste. Body is surprisingly light. Only medium flavor at best. It’s strange trying an English style barleywine made with American Alpha hops. I know they hops would die down in another year or so, and they are not that inrusive now, but the body just does not live up to the aroma. Thin and already showing signs of age. Great flavors, just needs more malt.
Clarkvv (16523) reviewed Ruth from Hair of the Dog Brewing Company 21 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 3 | Flavor - 2 | Texture - 2 | Overall - 2
2004 bottle. Mmmmmm I really enjoyed the 15% of the bottle I got to drink for 3 dollars. OH WAIT? No, I didnt. I paid money for this, it blew up and I mean blew up. This was even more infected than the De Dolle Boskeun I tried and I never thought that could happen. Sickly sweet, lightly sour, little to no taste, thin oxidized body. Please god, stop the infection of beers. Foamy yellowish white head. Light pink to tangerine color. Moderately hazy.
2005 draught at Redbones. This is hard to believe, but the beer I was served on draught, was probably worse than the infected bottle. What is up with this beer????? Aroma, smells ultra funky, which is kind of cool, sweat, cow manure, moldy hay, stale hops, strong yeast. Hazy copper-pale gold pour, no head. Flavor of sickly strong alcohol, stale grain ethanol, spoiled lettuce, moldy fruit, I dont really know how to describe it. It’s just bad. Excessively watery body, with tons of alcohol sticking through. I took two sips and was done, but finished it anyways, so I didnt look lame at the bar. Gave me a stomach ache, thought I was going to throw up. I don’t like this beer. I give up.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5.5
[b]bottle, batch 65[/b] Hazy orange/amber colour. OK head. Sweet toffee and caramel aroma with a brief touch of oranges. Thick and very sweet (too sweet) toffee flavour. Bitter hop and alcohol finish.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Dark brown colour. Nice head. Sweet, malty aroma. Sweet, somewhat harsh, malty, oaky, dry flavour; complex. Long dry aftertaste.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6
Bottled.Reddish amber. Gingery nose. Warming and salty, very malty. Grapefruity hopsfight with licorice and alcohol. Rich and soft but bold. All the flavours doesn’t really mix.