Anchor Old Foghorn Ale

Brewed by Anchor Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
San Francisco, California USA

I see why this is called a barley wine. Very smooth and warming. Although not unpleasant, the extra kick sticks around. I would stay in the one to two range.

12 oz bottle 07. Pours a clear medium to deep amber with a nice lasting fluffy beige head and sticky lace. Aroma is tons of toffee, and crystal malts with a nice citrusy hop kick, and a typical barleywine aroma I get from Bigfoot, and Old Ho- sometimes- almost a musty earthines with some aged gouda. Flavor is insanely sharp with dark crystal malts almost a burning corn syrup and caramel- with molasses as well. More burnt marshmellow and candi sugar, tons of very sharp dried dark fruits with a nice c-hop bitterness- fairly clean with a slight astringent finish. After all these years, still a solid barleywine.

Thanks to Shane for this one. Bottle code 6NG, which I translate as November 7, 2006 (or is it 1996?!?). Pour is a murky brown with a creamy beige head that quickly fades to nothing more than a mist on top. Aromas of sugary candies, caramel and toffee, and perhaps peanut brittle. Flavor is sweet and fruity. Alcohol is only lightly noticeable in the finish.

sweet malt, fruit and citrus hop aroma .... rich initial taste of figs, caramel and sweet raisins .... big alcohol burn in the finish ... sweet dried fruit aftertaste ... very nice

I am a huge fan of barely wines and have tried a whole slew of different kinds. This one in particular has caught my eye. It is the most complex in its flavors. Straight from a 12 oz bottle the flavors begin with deep sweet yeast and hint towards ruby citrus. A nice breath of alcohol and roasted malts is left aftertaste. Close to perfect barelywine.

Bottle. Pours nice slightly opaque amber with thin head. Sweat slightly hoppy aroma, nice body and slightly sweet palate. Doesn’t carry the alcohol as well as some barley wines, but a fine beer none the less.

Old Foghorn could probably be called Old Faithful - a good barley wine defining the category without coming across as overpowering. Dark, but not opaque, pour looking more towards a brown ale than a porter. Molasses similar sweet taste with a stronger smell than taste of hops. A bit of a slow burn following swallowing - but to be expected with this type of ale.

Bottle: pours a slightly cloudy, dark orangish-red, with a quickly disappearing head, slight aroma of cherries, taste is dark fruits, malty, with a dry and slightly bitter finish. I think I am starting to come around to this style as in the past I might not have given a beer like this as good of a rating.