Avery Hog Heaven

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Boulder, Colorado USA

Bomber, drank a couple of weeks ago. Going off of memory here... I’m usually not a big fan of barley wines and old ales. But, there are always exceptions and this was one of them. Very overpowering beer though. Everything was very strong: hops, malt, and alcohol presence. Still, an enjoyable beer.

22 oz bomber. Pours a dark amber with a red hue and a big creamy head with long retention. Aroma of hoppy citrus and rich sweet malts that sting the nose. Flavor is fairly complex, notes of raisins, malts, and a bit woodsy. Medium mouthfeel, but a bit light for a barely wine. Dry finish with a lingering bitterness. Fairly noticeable alcohol warmth. Overall it was good, but I think it needs to sit around for a year or two.

2007 bomber. Poured a dark amber with a red tint. Decent size off white head that never quite went away. Seriously hoppy, but surprisingly smooth and very drinkable. Not as thick as most barleywines, and tastes more like an IPA. Some alcohol. Great beer though, I will be picking up more of this.

re rate. I let a bomber age over the winter. Less hoppy, more dark fruits in the aroma and nose as long as caramel and toffee. Alcohol is still present.

Bomber. 2007. Pours a mostly clear reddish-copper color with a broken white head. Aroma is a nice mix of malt and moderate grapefruity floral hops. A little spice and alcohol as it warms. The taste has a defined hop start, but isn’t overly strong - the hop character balances well with the slightly sweet malt. The finish is smooth and hoppy. Nice creamy palate. One of Avery’s better bigger brews.

On tap at City Beer Store in SF. Orangey dark brown, quite hazy. Aroma is almost all grapefruit up front, lots of DIPA--a little lemon and grass in the back as well as nutty malt. Nutty taste comes through in the taste with a piney, wooden, almost faux-fruity finish. I wouldn’t think of this as a barleywine.

2007 Ed. Bottled. Reddish amber body, slightly cloudy, small head mutates into a ring and leaves no lace. The aroma is an amazing wallop of citrus-hops with grapefruit, pine, peach, and some fruity-alcohol notes that are hiding out behind some caramel for a deep and rich profile. Body is medium-full with lots of nice carbonation and a very light, rather dry, finish. Pretty unique. I taste pine, grapefruit rind, peachesque, dark fruits (grapes, raisins, prunes), a roasty, fruity-hop finish, sugar. The alcohol is rather well hidden in flavor, but this is a bit warming. Not really what I expect from a barley-wine, but it’s in the neighborhood. Some of the rich, dark malts are there as it warms up, and I’m sure, as it ages. I’ll buy a couple of bottles and try it again next year and the year after. :o Lotsa hops. Well done, but not outstanding in any way.

Bomber boured into RR Damnation tulip. Nice looking beer- hazy dark marmalade colour with surprising amount of head. Nose is super sweet- frankly scared me a little. I was hoping this wasn’t sickley sweet. Taste- it is sweet, but not too bad. Sweet doughy malt, with piney woody hop overtones. There’s a little earthy tobacoo as well. Finishes dry. Creamy mouthfeel, really creamy. Slides right down. The big IBU’s really play well in this beer. Its worthy competition to its instate rival GD Old Ruffian. Close, but no cigar. Nice barleywine all and all.

bomber. it pours with a deep ruby/amber hue, shimmering and elegant lacing. liquid hop aroma. ruination + malts in the aroma. pine, spruce, bitter aroma, yet ever-so-pleasant. also, caramelized peaches. flavor is still hopped out if its mind. dig the ibu’s. the hops are sweetened by the malts. also, thick, toffee syrup malts compounded by thick, ripe, darker fruits.