Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine

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

This bottle is direct from the brewery circa 2001 from when I used to live in Denver. I’ve been saving a couple of bottles for a special occastion. I was somewhat nervous to see how its been holding up and the Horn Dog acquitted itself well. Poured out the a very dark ruby. Its cleared out quite nicely. Less head than other bottles of this I have had, but still a carbonation oomph when poured out. Smeel is sweet, mostly malty. Taste- this beer has really smoothed out. I recall this being a very hot beer five years ago and age has treated it well. Very smooth now. Dark fruits such a plum and raisins. I was very surprised to see how carbonated it still was. Oddly, I would say its a little too carbonated?? Nice dry finish. This beer has turned into an excellent barley wine. I have one 2001 bottle left. I am tempted to leave it a few more years, but I fear this may be its peak or on the downside. A great example of the benefits of cellaring. I will miss you when you are gone Horn Dog.

Thanks to my Secret Santa (aknud) for the bottle. Barely opaque burnt orange/copper color with a smallish head. Good lacing. Aroma of brown sugar, raisins, figs, toffee. Heat is there, but under control. A very nice barley wine.

Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine 8-3-7-4-17 Sample Tasting - Dark plum hue with almost no head. Strong aroma - fruity, alcohol, sweet malt. Complex flavors of fermented fruit, raisins, biscuit dough, malted grain, hoppy finish.

Bottle at Jerry’s. Dark brown with decent, fleeting tan head / Sweet, syrupy, malty nose of dried fruit and leather / Full body, malty & syrupy, with mellow carbonation and a touch of hops on the good finish / Flavors of raisins, caramel, nuts, leather, coffee, apricots, and oak / Very nice.

Dark brown almost black with an average head. Aromas of molasse, brown sugar, and sweet malts. Slightly hoppy, strong in alcohol, strong sweet malty flavor with some oak, carmel, and molasses.

Pours a dark amber/brown color with a miniscule, rocky ivory head. Aroma of caramel, raisins, plums and alcohol. Big alcohol kick to this. Being that it is an 07 bottle, I shouldn’t be surprised that this needed a bit of aging. Taste also had some hints of rock candy, toffee/caramel and again the alcohol. Their was no hops apparent anywhere throughout. Overall, pretty good.

Excellent beer. The initial flavor is wonderfully sweet. hoewever, it leaves you with a linguring alcohol aftertaste that ruined it for me. A very sweet aroma. Small Head. trong, but mild barley aroma with caramel. Pours dark almost black with little carbonation and a 1.5 inch tan head. Laces the glass well. Flavor is really good. Strong but mild. Taste is sweet, with malt, a little sugar, and a tinge of alcohol, but it’s barely noticable. Remarkabley flavorful, slightly sweet, and smooth. Forgiving, slightly warming, finish.

when it comes to the strongly malt based beers, i always prefer crunchy toffee malt character to sticky sweet sludge. so often i encounter the latter, but not tonite. this beer is wildly dark for its style, and contains none of the overt sweetness that often leads me away from a brew. just like double dog, flying dog has again created a beer that is so wildly drinkable considering its ABV it should be illegal -- its certainly dangerous.