Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws (2001-2002)

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

2001 Magnum Bottle:Orange gold color, light islandic layer of head with spotty lacing. The nose is hoppy with bright sweet funky hops and rich tang (acidic) malts. The flavor is acidulous and hoppy/bitter, sweet, light alcohol. The finish is bold, acidic. Very interesting. Almost doesn’t taste that aged at all. The hops are still in full force and none of the sherry taste is present. This could go 10 years I recon.

Couleur orangée, apparence trouble et brouillée. Grosse mousse écumeuse - crémeuse se résumant éventuellement à laisser une fine couverture sur le dessus du liquide. Arômes, rempli de tannins et d’esters, rappelant les litchis, la marmelade et les poires jaunes sous des notes poivrées et alcooliques. Douce, soyeuse et adéquatement sucrée en bouche, une belle balance entre les saveurs sucrées et amères. L’alcool est présent, semble bien à sa place et nous réchauffe sur son passage. Carbonatation doucement piquante aux fines bulles.

Pour is light copper with a nice dense tan head...side by side with 04 it is much lighter and more red...smell is very malty and fruity...grapes, cherry, caramel, some citrus...definate dry palate with a mild bitter finish...very fizzy still for a 3 year old bottle...not bad at all...

This amber ale poured with a massive off-white head that dissipated slowly. The flavor is very creamy with a coffee and alcohol finish. The extreme hopping causes a dry, but not unpleasant palate.

Opened over the sink, as I was told this one had a good chance of exploding. I can attest that it did not, and to the contrary, I was treated to a waft of dark grapes and cherries as the small bit of smoke poured forth from the newly opened bottleneck. I sat this one out for about an hour and the temperature is just right at about 60 degrees. Pours a hazy orange brown with many lighter shades of yellow. Head is buttercream, thick, long-lasting and luscious. Aroma is strong fruits, the grapes and cherries mentioned earlier along with pine, and a lemony citrus, hop tang. Feels very carbonated in the mouth, tongue gets a washing from the many bubbles.Everything about this beer has a fresh quality inconsistent with this beers age and the fact that it was just moved from cellar to fridge 2 weeks ago. Taste is powerful, hitting hard with more hops than fruit. Unusual, quirky for a barleywine, but its a neat approach that makes sure its neither sickeningly sweet nor cloying. Alcohol is majorly prevalent, hops release burnt caramel, roasted coffee beans and citrus to the taste buds. The combination of these 2 make for a dry, bitter palate that ends in grapefruit juice-like finish. Good beer, tastey enough, with a tricky nose that makes you think/expect sweet and delivers a quirky, unexpected hop blast to the tongue

2001 Vintage. Cloudy orange-amber w/ rocky beige head. Good lace. Malty, yeasty aroma of butterscotch, toffee, caramel, apricot, Mandarin oranges & herbal notes. Mild phenols evident. Creamy, full-bodied feel. Malty, yeasty flavour w/ some fruity notes & a mild, sour acidity. Lightly hoppy w/ a warm, rounded finish.

Creamy bright white head, cloudy-bright amber. Complex aroma, good choice of hops, yeast, orange peel, malt and finally alcohol. This is sweet on front, fruity peach-orange like beer. Slightly sour notes a la mandarin orange. Alcohol pleasantly fills the void between.

02 vintage. Pours a murky orange amber, huge foamy white head. Apricot, caramel, and nutty aromatics. Sweet malts with complex yeast esters. Hints of apricot, prune, alcohol, and orange peel. Slightly warm finish, with a dark fruit character. Mouthfeel is full and rich.