Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine

Brewed by Flying Dog Brewery
Style: Barley Wine
Frederick, Maryland USA

Vintage 06D

8/03/2007: Flying Dog Horn Dog is dark brown. The flavor and aroma are malty and packed full of caramel goodness. Some alcohol is also noticeable in the flavor which is not surprising for a beer with this much alcohol. This beer has a nice level of sweetness overall. Pretty good overall. I have another bottle of this in my cellar so that I can revisit it in a less rushed setting...

12 fl. oz. bottle shared by ??? at the Cincinnati RateBeer Gathering. Thanks! Rating #476 for this beer. Rating: 7/3/7/3/14=3.4


Vintage 06B

3/09/2009: Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale leans more toward the malt end of the barleywine spectrum, but it still has a fairly significant level of hops (aged bitter citrus) even after 3 years. Age has been kind to this beer. It has developed a sweet, sticky caramel flavor with plenty of earthiness, dark brown sugar and dark, aged, and dry fruits (dates, raisin, prune). The warming alcohol starts to come out when warmer. I like what this beer has become. I also like the thick, dark brown color, golden carbonation, and thin biege head. This beer is finally good and worthy of sitting down and enjoying slowly.

12 Fl. Oz. bottle. Rating: 7/4/8/4/15=3.8

An average Barley Wine. Pleasant finish. Alcohol not reallt dominant. Reddish colour. No head.

0.355 l bottle. Amber color with small head. Sweet seductive liquer like aroma with almonds, honey melon, caramel, dark sugar, raisins, berries and warming alcohol. Sweet, toffeish, raisiny and caramelly flavor with almonds, toasted malt, nuts, cherry, honey and a hint of sharp alcohol. Chewy mouthfeel. Great aroma and pretty good flavor too. Could be softer and more drinkable.

The paleolithic pooch who takes montstrous strides on the label, courtesy of gonzo cartoonist Ralph Steadman, gives a clue to the potential damage wrought by this gargantuan brew! Color is a deep, dark burgundy, with no head to speak of, though one appears as I pour, it doesn’t last for a second. Aroma is exactly what I look for in a barleywine, and then some! Profoundly heady and powerful, full of grape/wine associations, as well as plums, raisins, licorice, cognac, and port. Mouthfeel is full, rich, and intensely warm and rewarding. Sweet and spicy hoppiness abounds on the palate, along with a full dimension of maltiness. Wonderful chew in the texture, and hugely alcoholic! Drinkability? One a day, and slowly, savoringly, so I pull back a bit on points. Towards the end, it gets a bit syrupy, tasting almost like cough medicine. Is this Jagermeister in my mug, I wonder? Among the top 5 American barleywines, but, frankly, we’re a bit spoiled, they are so many top-notch versions. And the best acheivement from this brewery, so far!

Not exactly clear, browny red body with thin head. Some dried fruits in the smell as well as the alcohol, and the taste is a lot like it smells. Didn’t exactly go for this beer, couldn’t really fault it though didn’t really turn me on as I was hoping.

Very dark red, slight head fades away. Good aroma, an interesting meld of molasses, cola, and spruce. Flavors are similar. Simultaneously refreshing from the cola and resin flavors, yet warming from the alcohol. Touch of burn from the alcohol. Not bad overall.

Vintage 2003 Bottle- Pours a cloudy mahogany with a 0.5 cm bubbly off-white head with nice lacing. Aroma is very potent--Sweet--like gumballs, yeah definitely gumballs. Maybe some malt in there too, but mild. STart is acidici and astringent. Middle is tangy and Finishes with more bitterness and ethanol. Chocolate notes in the end. Ethanol is definitely noticeable. -1 app for having a stupid label. I hate the flying dog labels!

03.08.05 Handsome, regal purple color with a hazy brown mud. Stark, wine-like aromas, grapey and some molasses. Burning alcohol detracts and pains the sinuses. Beautiful soft body is velvety and full. Despite the fabulous palate, the beer is hot and young in its malt/hop balance. This one could be worth socking away for a year or more.