Anchor Old Foghorn Ale

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

Recently purchased bottle. Pour is clear ruby red with a smallish beige head. Aroma has notable hops, lots of sugar, marshmallow, light malt, and faint cognac. Flavor is hoppy up front. Then a cloying sweetness kicks in that I am not a fan of. There is also a bit of oxidation present as well. I just bought this bottle and there was no indication that it was a vintage bottle. The finish is a sweet mess with light alcohol and light black pepper. I have had this beer before and I remember liking it. Maybe this was an off bottle

Dark amber coloured, not that dark as some other barley wines (like hertog jan grand prestige), small off-white head.NIce floating bubbles in the glass. Aroma si fresh, fruity (berries, a bit cherries or cassis-ike). Taste is bitter, hoppy, smooth, a bit fruity, long hoppy inish, with some herbs. Nice!

Pours light ruby amber with a thin beige head. Aroma is mild caramel and berries. Taste is light sweetness with a buttery feel. Thin smooth texture, some alcohol but not as sharp as other barleywines.

12 oz. bottle. A cold icy day calls for a barleywine selection. Pours a slightly murky deep red brown, with grey-beige head. Smells of caramel, malt, vanillia, slight notes of clove / banana fruit, raw sweetness. Taste is similar but earthier. Finishes with alcohol on breath. My nose is pretty congested right now so maybe i missed a couple of things here but overall pretty good.

12oz bottle. This may have been the first barleywine I ever tried back in the day. Since then I have had many others to compare it to and upon retaste I find that it does not compare as favorably as I would have thought. This is an OK barleywine but lacks character when compared to sevearl others I have tasted recently. Pours a medium amber with a quickly dissapearing head and lots of lacing. The alcohol comes through in the taste more than I like and overall it seemed on the thin side especially for this style.

2008 bottle drank in winter 2009. Pours a ruby brown with a nice tan head. Falls and leaves a halo right away. Nose is heavy on booze, dark fruits, light on caramel. Taste is beaten up a little with moderate to heavy carbonation. Nice booze heat with toffee, hints of biscuit, and lots of stone and purple fruits.

Bottle cellared since March 2009 - Pours ruby red with a khaki head that’s gone quickly. Smell is caramel with a bit of cherry. It’s pretty boozy with a bit of hoppiness. Taste is tons of malt, sweet with caramel notes. Finishes a bit dry and bitter, but it feels like that’s more roasty bitterness than hop bitterness. Full bodied with huge legs--this sucker coats the glass. Glad to have finally tried this legend and may have to pick up some more.

First comment is TWELVE OUNCE BOTTLES!!! When did they finally start putting this in the same bottles as all their others? Pours a tight white foam head. Body is a dark ruby color. Aroma has more hop character than I used to remember it having. Flavors of caramel and brown sugar sweetness. Definately leans towards the malt side of the barley-wine spectrum. Lots more closer to Old Nick than to Bigfoot!! Warming on palate after a minute, or two with no risidual bitterness.