Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws (2001-2002)

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

Appearance: clear, light amber color, with voluminous head, puffy, lacey, creamy in color. Aroma: sweet, sugary, and full of yeast, putting me in mind of a Belgian tripel, perhaps, spicy and fruity (grapefruit, peach, orange). Flavor is full and hot, it’s a charging rhino in the mouth, crashing down the gates, hoppy, tingly, tasty, with abundant malt and an air of ancient mysteries. There’s an enormous alcoholic presence, that only widens, eventually conquering the plate. Quite an unusual barleywine, this one, a unique flavor profile, and possessing incredible substance and staying power. Doggie Claws is a dream in a bottle!

2002 bottle - bought it near Denver, CO, in 7/2004. WOW - check out the aroma here! A hop and malt explosion. Juicy rinds all around, woody pine hops; flavors abound on the edges, but body could actually be thicker please. A lambic edge of sweet vinegar (?)(yup). Excellent!

2002 vintage.Aromas of cookie dough(malts) and fruit(hops)yeast.Overall a sweet fruity yeasty hoppy experience.Pours out a very murky amber/orange w/ plenty of yeast at the bottom(very large lasting head and lace).Really held up nicely and was made for the long haul(of aging).This may come across a bit thin for the style and does have a fruity belgian thing going on but, the alcohol is well hidden within this beast, it is almost dangerous and session like.These hops taste so good and still have a nice bitterness that is fresher than some brewerys fresh beer’s hop taste.A must try for the lover of really good strong ales.I hope they don’t ever change the hop varietys in this one.I like this better than Bigfoot for sure.

12 oz 2002 bottle, snifter. Caramel, cookie, grain and a hint of cocoa malt (H); flower, herb and orange hops (M); plum, peach, toffee aromas. Gigantic frothy/creamy white head is slowly diminishing and leaves perfect lacing. Body is gold to amber to orange. Heavily sweet, moderately acidic flavor becomes a moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter finish. Medium-full body, velvety texture, lively carbonation. The bottom line is: i’m astounded by the fact that there’s 11.5% alcohol in here. There no aroma, taste or burn of it what so ever. The hops are very nice, but the malt could stand to be a little more assertive.

Thanks to BrianO for both of these!
2001 1.5 ltr (11/27/2005)... Poured a hazy mahogany color with a small, off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of dried fruits, citrus, light caramel malts, and some oxidation. Taste was largely sour, dark fruits, light malts, and alcohol as well. Rather disappointing.
2002 12 oz. 8/1/2004)... Poured a cloudy reddish brown color with a large off white head, and some light lacing on the glass. Massively malty and a great citrus hop nose. Initially sweet, some light malts, some grapefruit, and finishes beautifully hopped. Very fruity, with no alcohol at all.

12oz bottle 2002...Massive head, pured into a Brit. Imp. pint tulip...12oz filled that glass to the brim and I had to watch my pour~! bubbling reddish copper colour...the nose is incredible, freaky fruity herbal bouquet...peaches’n’cream plus Brett?? hints of horse by a basil patch. Light bodied and bitter. Quite bitter & carbonated. Malts aren’t coming through much, but I’m not sure that hurts this beer...its all hops and yeast, dry, light, bitter, fruity, wild...I enjoy it...it makes no apologies for itself and it tastes like absolutely nothing else I’ve ever had. I bought some Amarillo & Simcoe hops b/c of this beer. I’m putting my IPA I brewed w/ those along side this beer...similiariteis are over-shadowed by the differences, notable, mine is carbonated like an English ale rather than a Belgian. It makes the DC destinctive, but I prefer the beer as the cardbonation fizzles out most. This may be my favorite of Alan’s beers I’ve tasted. From the Carbon Dioxide Riding Academy.

2002 Edition: A true amber, medium tone and a slight haze. A very large head, especially for a barley wine and one about a year and a half old. This thing rivals the best of the Belgians with that head. With the fuzzy lacing, this is a very attractive beer. Spicy, herbally aroma with juniper-evergreen hops, lemon zest, oregano. The flavor is mildly sweet toasty malt. The alcohol is camoflaged very well. The body and flavor are just thinner than what I expect from a barleywine. I’m used to that thick, old fruit flavor from barleywines instead of this relatively crisp, just hoppy enough for balance flavor that has really held up amazingly well since 2002. Call me sacreligious, but I think I like this understated, refined giant better than the heavy-browed monster that make up much of the style.

Awesome creamy head that keeps replenishing itself. Beautiful fruity aroma with fruity and caramel flavors. Nice medium red color. Smooth palate, overall definitey one of my favorite beers. I will drink this often.