Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine

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

2002 bottle: Mohogany brown with a very short lived light beige head. Malty, diacetyl, and lightly cardboard/tomatoey oxidized. Lightly chocolate and piney hop with some rubbery aromas. Toasty malt and low Fruitiness with alcohol aromas as it warms. Malty and well balanced, but has a light hop bitterness from mid palate to finish. Caramel and chocolate with a slight roastiness. Very little fruitiness, even now after 2 years. Hop flavor becomes more apparent as it warms as does alcohol, and has a light dark grain sourness. Aftertaste is caramel and chocolate with a light hop. Fuller medium bodied with low carbonation and overall smooth mouthfeel. To me, IMHO, this beer is much better younger than aged. The hop character is more prevalent and has a much better malt flavors than it does now. The oxidative aromas and flavors are not sherrylike adding to complexity, but diacetyl, cardboardy, and tomatoey that takes away from it. However, I’ll rate from memory rather than this actual sample 2005 re rate: Heavily sherry & caramel character, very English & substantial in character. No off flavors of oxidation and a very nice version of a barleywine. Very smooth flavor & aroma. No rubbery aroma, no real off flavors, just toffee, caramel, dark fruit(raisins), and just a fantastic beer. Thankfully I found this one again!!!!

Pours a semi clear amber mahogany with a small beige head. Sweet malty aroma with hints of licorice and syrupy fruit punch. Taste is malty sweet with hints of cotton candy, hops and molasses. Very good. Holds up well after a few years in the cellar.

Wow, thisone could be my new barley for speeches. Not better than anchor old foghorn, but for the people it’s great. Sweetness is comfortable and the alcohol is nice bitter and soft. Heavy nose of berries and dried fruits. Warming and long lasting.

Bottle. OK, I’m a sucker for ratings list, maybe that’s why I like RB so much. Thiis barleywine was #2 on the recent NY Times (1/06) top list. Pours almost like a Grade B maple syrup with no head/carbonation. Hops are discernable on the nose as well as roasted fruit. Very full bodied, viscous. Plums and caramel coexist with a hop twinge. This was a luscious sipper that I will pick up a few others to hold. Great winter fireplace brew.

Pours a deep dark amber color with good amounts of lacing and a light offwhite head. Aroma is of brown sugar, caramel, chocolate, light fruit and some anise and alcohol. Taste is caramel, chocolate, anise, brown sugar, light fruit notes. This beer is full bodied, with mild carbonation and a creamy finish. Alcohol is well hidden. Great stuff.

Tremendous, majestic purple body with a head that forms a brownish, thick ring which settles nicely into an intimidating, murky pool... grape and malt dominate with chocolate and sweeter hints following (licorice, the label suggests)... yeasts are subtle and complex... WARM...curls around the tongue with minimal effervescence... a flourish at the throat... full-bodied with a lingering aftertaste.... strong, malty--grapish tastes, almost of merlot--instantly warms with a pungent punch and slyly leaks some chococlate flirtations at its finish... the Flying Dog select mixpack has been solid, and Horn Dof befits its style with accuracy, smoothing out by mid-glass and numbing pleasantly...

Bottle. Mahogny with a good tan head. Potent raisins and nuts aroma. Good raisins, chocolate and nutty flavours- and caramel for sure. Not very hoppy and the alcohol is well-hidden. Full-bodied and soft without being sirupy. A hit-but then what would you expect from his brewer?

Appearance: Pours an opaque, dark reddish-brown body with a scattered, off-white head. Smell: Sweet-smelling, malty aroma with notes of toffee, roasted grains, ripe plums, and with a full, everpresent, evergreen pine scent. Taste: Sweet maltiness tasting of toffee candy. Plum fruitiness. Slight roasty coffee and woody hints. Piney, resinous hop character and moderate bitterness which hits right about the time the warming alcohol does. Finishes that’s all at once bitter, sweet, warming, and that roasty touch that won’t go away. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: Well, I will say it’s one of the better beers in the Flying Dog line-up.