Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws (2001-2002)

(12oz bottle, 2002 vintage, courtesy of BMan1113VR) Pours a murky amber with a small off-white head. Aroma of toffee, caramel, bread, pepper, raisins, and cherries. Flavor of caramel malt, some noticeable oxidation, raisins, florals, and herbs.

Bottle at Brouwers. 12 oz. 15$ per 12 oz. Dark caramel brown with a nice thin and tan head. Very pungent caramel sweetness. I was surprised as hell that this beer didn’t have a ridiculous alcohol aroma/flavor. Very nice sweet and malty beer that just hits every tastebud. Very malty, and after 7 years of aging the hops are virtually gone! I am so glad to have tried this, and I just can’t believe the depth of the malt flavor. A very rich and tasty beer.

2002 bottle. Such a good Barley Wine. Light reddish color with a decent head. Aromas of dark fruit and molassas. Flavors were similar with some heat and alcohol in the finish. Yummy

[Vintage 2002] An impulse/indulge purchase from Brouwer’s Cafe in Seattle... Poured from bottle a deep amber with a thick, long lasting, off-white head. Deep barley and alcohol aroma with a roasted and berry quality. Very smooth and still retained a good carbonation but very soft on the palate. Dark fruits like grapes or dates, vanilla and a whiskey like booze character. Roasted caramel malts. Not hop flavors left in this one. Also notes of smoked oak and milk. Very rich, complex and a joy to drink.

Bottle. Pours a hazy orangish color. Aroma is caramel, syrup, bourbon, oak. Flavor is bourbon, caramel. Syrupy mouthfeel.

2002 bottle via a trade with ratman197. Pours with a large off-white head over a hazy golden body. Aroma of berries, honey, toffee and alcohol. Taste is a bit thin with berries, caramel, sherry and alcohol. Thin body light bubbles.

Bottle of 2002 opened in April 2009. Clear and red in the snifter. Thin head that sticks to the top of the beer like an oil slick and refuses to let go of the glass. Aroma reminds me of grape juice. Not as big as the nose on the 2005 ut still very nice. I can already tell this is going to be more mellow than the 2005. Smooth, medium sweet, and a lingering palate of alcohol and brown sugar but neither is at all overpowering.

12 oz. bottle - part of a 2001-2008 vertical w/ Skoi, Terry, bvc, riversideak and after4ever; like tom said, an excellent investment at the november ’08 dock sale; the eight years lined up in 48 snifters was quite the sight; thank you Alan for gracefully aging these for us!!

the 2001 came in with very mild carbonation and light gold; the 2001 & 2002 were quite lighter than the other years, obviously marking some of the recipe changes; nose of apples and sherry; drank smooth and soft with no heat at all; sugar not as strong as the current recipe; lots of fruit with some spice from the booze on the finish

2002 has the same light gold hue with more carbonation; a little more fruit, but less of the obvious apple; not as spicy from the booze; preferred the ’01 for sure