Hair of the Dog Dave

Formerly brewed at Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Portland, Oregon USA

Bottle. Aroma bursting with complexity: chocolate, pecans, prune, raisin, sherry, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, oak, bourbon, sap, leaves. Amazingly, that list was compiled from two different goes at the beer and the only common note I got, or wrote down at least, was the chocolate, and it is surely an immensely chocolaty beer. Flavor even more chocolaty, a very bitter chocolate, to go along with sweet oak, sweet bourbon, and occasional glances at the rest of the aroma notes. Quite viscous. Very warming, but that hardly needs stating. And continuing with the theme of the obvious, it’s, ya know, good.

Rating #800!!! Bottle thanks to my lil sweetheart fredandboboflo. Pours black with absolutely no head. Aroma is quite pungent. Lots of booze with a slight hint of chocolate. This is very reminiscent of Triple Bock (except that this smells good at a distance). Flavor is initially very strong with bourbon and oaky notes with a finish of vanilla, oak, and lots of chocolate truffles. Very warming with an alcohol burn in the swallow. This is the best example of a rare breed (ie a high-alcohol beer) but at the same time, it is not really my thing. Still, I’m glad to have gotten a chance to try this one. 7/3/8/3/16 (3.7/5)

I really can’t believe that I got a chance to try this. Many, many thanks to fredandboboflo. Deep amber brown beer with no head at all. Aroma is very rich and sweet. There is a lot going on in here... cocoa, tobacco, wood and bourbon. Cherry, molasses and a lot of sweet dried fruit. Pomegranate and date molasses wrapped around sweet honey hazelnuts and almonds. Finishes quite sweet and cocoaish with lingering date and a savoury licorice/soy character. Fairly boozy retronasally, but this isn’t really noticible in the mouth. Sort of like a rich mix of tawny port, bourbon, and barleywine. It’s hard to believe that this works nearly as well as it does. Again, many thanks for sharing such a gem of a beer.

We were at a get-together celebrating the return of the prodigal son (beastiefan2k) at John Harvards, and fredandboboflo asked if we thought if it was ok if he brought out a beer for tasting. Thanks to the crappy service, we all agreed it was no problem. Adam took out a box of Southern Tier Cuvée Series 1 and laughingly said not to worry, that wasn’t what he brought. He then slides out the bottle, and I kiddingly said, "Oh look, its a bottle of Dave." What followed was one of those holy sh#t moments, when I realized it WAS a bottle of Dave. I never thought I would get to try this beer, and I want to thank Adam and Margaret up front for their generosity in sharing this gem with us. Pours a very deep ruby red and deep brown with no head. This beer does, however, leave lovely legs on the glass when swirled. The aroma is superb with lots of dates, brown sugar, oak, tawny port, and alcohol. The flavor is an ever-so-slight step back with a bit more influence from the alcohol, but still loaded with dates, oak, and brown sugar. The finish reminded me very much of a fine cognac, very well rounded, warming and soothing, with the vapors still filling the nose throughout the experience. A rare and real treat I will not soon forget!

First of all, huge thanks for fredandboboflo and lilbeerdoctor for sharing this - I never thought I’d ever get to try this - shared with a table of ratebeerians at John Harvards - pours a thick, viscous ruby liquid - aroma of spiced rum, chocolate, brown sugar, port wine, bourbon-soaked cherries - zero carbonation - thick, slick mouthfeel - warming flavor, but not at all boozy - a lot of cherry, brown sugar, spices - oaky, vinous, a lot of port flavors - probably the most balanced beer of such strength I’ve ever had - this is the best beer I’ve ever had at John Harvards!

Out of nowhere a surprise from fredandboboflo and LilBeerDoc, thanks a lot got. Pours, as expected, lifeless with no head and, well... you can see the exact color of the beer in the picture here. Aroma is lightly boozy and very chocolate-y. But its not as alcoholic on the nose as I expected, smells very delicious, vinous, sweet, non-sweet oak, and lots of malty heft. Taste is a little thinner and alcohol comes through a bit more. Comes off as licorice with lots of vanilla oak. Finishes strong and sweet. Obviously, thick and viscous going down, coats the throat. A lot more drinkable that I expected and I am really glad I got to try this treat, thanks again guys. After drinking this I think it probably no more than 15% in real life.

Wasn’t sure I’d ever get to try this one, bottle shared with Joet. Pours like maple syrup in color with no head. Huge nose of dried fruits, dark sugars and alcohol. The flavor was big leather and earth influences along with the fruit and sugars, and, of course, alcohol. Not the 29% that it was, but more like around 15%. Great sipper!

Ratebeer election party. Beautiful amber/brown color, no carbonation/head. Strong flavors of bourbon, raisin, and leather balanced perfectly with hop bitterness and aroma. Visible legs on the glass. A sipper for sure. Truly a once in a lifetime treat. Thanks Joet.