Hair of the Dog Fred from the Wood

Nice vanilla oak component to the aroma over light hops spice. Butterscotch and pine needles dominate the flavor.

Appearance: Suspiciously opaque, medium brown body with a very thin, white head. Smell: Rich, aromatic, malty nose! Woodsy oak, jam-packed with rum-soaked raisins, homemade caramel, vanilla beans, juicy peaches, and honey liqueur. Taste: Decadently sweet, tasting of honey, dark caramel, and pralines. Bready rye and barley flavor. Some rosebud florals. Hint of dull, earthy spices. A single drop of vanilla extract. Moderate bitterness present. Sip of champagne. Lusciously fruity, with tastes of raisins, peaches, and ripe green apples. Maybe a spritz of lime juice. Woodsy barrel character the pops up midway and grows into the sweetish, fruit-laden finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: Excellent! A first-rate barleywine. Crammed to the absolute brim with flavor and complexities, plus they don’t skimp on the alcohol.

Aroma is sweet caramel malt, intensely caramel, a touch worty, citrus hops, some dankness and the merest whisper of malt sourness, and oak. Lots of oak. 2008 bottle. Pours a murky thick-piss yellow with a significant amount of head that lingers and coast the glass. Fucking beautiful. Taste is lots of sweetness in the same vein as the aromatic profile, some citrus and bittering hops in both the initial taste and in the finish, and oak. Finishes very crisp and dry for the style due to the oak and the bittering hops, yet still creamy and dense, yet quietly aggressive in the mouthfeel due to the oiliness and assertiveness of the hops, not to mention the malt structuring. This is a fantastic beer.

I sure was stoked to get a hold of this one. Hints of sherry, cherry, and fresh tobacco in the nose. Reminds me of a time when the tobacco factories in my hometown were still in production and would open up the events at the end of every day. Plenty of oak up front in the flavor with some candied fruits, sweet vanilla, bitter grapefruit, and a hint of honey. Lively carbonation was surprising and welcome. Alcohol noticed and appreciated. Very enjoyable.

12 oz. bottle. Cloudy light brown color with a white head. Sweet malt flavors with sour lambic and an interesting candi sugar finish. Well balanced and interesting - worth a try.