Hair of the Dog Brewing Company

Microbrewery in Portland, Oregon, United States 🇺🇸
Associated Venue: Hair of the Dog Brewing Company - Out of business

Established in 1993

Closed in 2022

Contact
61 SE Yamhill St, Portland, OR, 97214, United States
Description
Hair of the Dog Brewing Company was founded in November of 1993 with the purpose of providing beer lovers with new and unusual beer styles. Creativity and originality have been cornerstones of the company's philosophy since it was founded.

Each Beer has its own name and unique identity; like the people who have inspired them. The brewery is family owned and operated, a proud member of the Oregon Brewers Guild as well as the Pacific Northwest's rich brewing heritage. We produce over 600 barrels of Beer a year in our 4 barrel (120 gallon) Brewhouse and bottle approximately 5000 cases a year. The rest of our beer is served on draft in our tasting room and at a few select accounts in Oregon and elsewhere.

Hair of Dog is proud to be one of the first breweries in America specializing in the production of high alcohol, bottle conditioned beers as well as experimenting with the barrel aging process since 1994. Currently, the brewery has 180 oak barrels used to age Beer from 6 months to 8 years. We use new oak as well as previously filled spirit and wine barrels. All the Beer is made by two Brewers, Denver Bon and Alan Sprints.

We are also dedicated to buying local products for both the Brewery and restaurant in an effort to keep as much of our money in our community. We work directly with farmers whenever possible and are proud to say that 99% of all the ingredients we use are produced within a 350 mile radius of the brewery. Our Organic Pilsner malt is from Gambrinus Malting in British Columbia, the water runs pure from the Cascade mountain range, hops are grown in Oregon and Washington and both bottles and labels are made in Portland. Since we opened all the graphic design has been created by the Felt Hat of Portland. The original brewing equipment has been recycled from other industries and is still in use today. After Brewing all the ingredients are used for animal feed by a local farmer.

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7.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Orange colour, verging on the pink. Head gone in seconds. Nutty nose, madeirisation, honey. Taste confirms the madeirisation and honey tones. I fail to find the typical candy sugar flavour - dryness excepted - and I fear this sample must have aged prematurely. Dry, but well-bodied. Slick mouthfeel. Typical taste of 4-5 year old B. triple. Checked, sample is not beyond BBd - so prematurely aged. I like this, but I understand that's not everybody's preference.

Tried from Can on 01 Oct 2003 at 14:29


7.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

12 ounce bottle: 2002 batch. Amber colour with orange highlights and trillions of small bubbles rising from the bottom. Large dense off-white head takes a few minutes to die down to 'drinkable' level. Strong aroma of hops, pit fruit, alcohol, peachie and caramel. Medium-bodied; Full of carbonation. Strong hoppyness, flavours of alcohol, fruit (oranges and plums), malt and spices are very strong. The palate is left with an alcoholic burn, a fizzy mouthful and a slew of bittering agents from the malt and the hops (primarily). Overall, this barley wine has high carbonation (rarer for a Barley Wine), strong alcohol kick (not my favourite for the style), and a good amount of hops (a great addition :-). It's worth a try, especially if you like their other beers! I bought this twelve ounce bottle at Whole Foods in Vienna, Virginia.

Tried from Bottle on 28 Aug 2003 at 20:54


8.2
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8

Dark, Dark brown in colour with a long lasting off-white head. The smell is really strong and of tobacco and smoke characteristics. The taste is very strong and very smokey. After tasting this, I figured I'd come online and find out that this is a 'smoked' beer, but i've found out its really not. A good beer, and definately one that should be tried, because I don't think it really fits into the Traditional Ale category. I bought this as a single bottle at Whole Foods in Vienna, Virginia.

Tried from Bottle on 14 Jun 2003 at 16:43


8.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Re-rate from bottle.Not quite as dark - dark cloudy brown. Nice creamy mouthfeel. Light iodine and sea salt, less brandy than I tasted last time. Still great, have to adjust the rating a bit to my current level. Old rating: 8 3 9 4 18.Aroma of licorice and raisins. Color is ebon heaven with a nice creamy head. Taste includes raisins, chokolate, brandy and other things which cannot be disclosed due to national security. Full body and a long velvety milk-chokolate aftertaste. Batch #47.

Tried from Bottle on 14 Jun 2003 at 01:02


9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9

Whats with the head on this thing? I managed a 1oz pour (60-65 deg in snifter) plus a 6 inch head protruding from the snifter. I was gradually able to pour the whole bottle, but only by drinking some from the glass bit by bit. The head was ginormous, foamy/creamy, extra thick and stiff holding its shape above the lip of the glass, leaving heavy lace and lasting all the way until the end, and yes, there was still foam at the bottom of the glass a few hours later. Otherwise a hazy copper color. Intense hoppy aroma with grapefruit and lemon rind, some grass, but curiously the hops take on a different character in the mouth, with a strong peppery and herbal flavors. Hops are presented smoothly (no harsh bite) alongsidea mellow and surprisingly light malt body. Perhaps the heavy carbonation carries the malt making it seem lighter? In any case, its amazing for a 10% beer and is not lacking in mouthfeel for it. Pleasant bitterness. Nice balance and outstanding drinkability - I still can't believe its 10%. Now one of my favorite barleywines.

Tried from Bottle on 05 Jun 2003 at 11:46


7.5
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Bottled. Cloudy amber with rich creamy head. Floery aroma with a hint of almond. Sweet and malty with some banana in the finish.

Tried from Bottle on 05 Jun 2003 at 01:46


5.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6

45-50 deg in a wide mouth red wine glass. Bright gold with small fading bubbly head. Soured milk aroma, with barnyard notes. Note quite appropriate for a tripel. Tangy and slightly sour. There's something here I can't put my finger on, and I don't like it. Overly strong alcohol finish. I believe the component I'm not liking here is a phenolic band-aid presence. Some soft and sweet malts are present, but are not worth fighting through the weird esters for. One of the least likable tripels I've found.

Tried from Can on 03 Jun 2003 at 15:53


7.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Stupendous foam production to massive, irregular and yellowish head, and a (doggies?) puddle of yellow-amber beer at the feet of the glass. A haze in the glass. Hops and fresh grapes whilst pouring. Head eventually collapses freeing citrussy, herbal and (yes, sorry) pee-hops. Or a fresh bale of (US) hops, I suppose. Very hopbitter. This is pure tincture of hops. It is so over the top that I cannot find it bad. It is one dimensional, but in a grand way. A Cadillac Eldorado 1959 under the beers. Even the enormous malt underbuild is completely overwhelmed. Only thing left besides, is the alcoholburn. Hoppy is a word I'm overabusing with all these Westcoastbeers; What do I do with this bulldog of an ale?

Tried from Can on 27 Apr 2003 at 12:08

gave a cheers!

7.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 7

Bright orange- old gold, slight haze. Thick, yellowish head, stable. Nose gives candi sugar. Some hops. Strange odour - not really cat's pee, rather human ditto. Very hopbitter. Underlying sweetness. Hop dryness stays for a moment, then the sweetness emerges again. Good balance. Creamy mouthfeel. dry, but nowhere as dry as Duvel. "Golden special ale" conjures up Duvel clones to me. This could never bbe mistaken for one. The colour (much darker) aside, the hopbitterness singularizes it as... typical American. Yet I think Eckhardt can be proud. Shame about the nose.

Tried from Can on 27 Apr 2003 at 04:27


7.2
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

A most subtle little beer indeed (how un-American, hehe). Hazy golden, light lacing. Spicy and fruity in the nose - those qualities come through subtly in the flavor, underneath a decent malt body - some pepperiness. Finish delivers a gentle and enjoyable hop presence. A nice little beer.

Tried from Can on 05 Apr 2003 at 21:18