Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws (2003-)

Brewed by Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Portland, Oregon USA

Couldn’t believe I hadn’t rated this one before. 07 vintage at Brouwer’s Hard Liver 09. Pours orange-copper with a thin head. Ripe fruit, sweet malts - almost syrupy sweet. Definitely not enough on the hop end to balance this one out. Covers the alcohol well, but this one would get old after more than half a glass. Good, for sure... but not great.

12 oz bottle, 2004 version sampled March 2009: rocky foam rises from the bottle, curling and twisting 1/2 an inch above the top of the bottle...maroon & mahogany hued, cloudy body with an off white cream that diminishes into a thin film. Still thick aromatics...the floral hops have died off significantly and the caramel has turned slightly burnt, with some alcohol bitterness. Resiny hop oils are left lingering and tickle the nose. Sweet strawberries, cherries and raisins make up an incredibly smooth and creamy palate. Tart and acidic with an amazing amount of citrus left over after 5 years. A bit of cloyed honey builds up as I work my way through the glass. The citrus has turned overly sweet and sappy and without the bitterness of the fresh hops…I am left feeling a little one-sided…dang it, why did I wait 5 years? 2 or 3 would have been perfect…8/4/6/4/15-3.7

12 oz bottle, 2004 version sampled July 2005: elegant violet-ruby body with an incredibly thick, sticky off-tan cream that leaves a thin, though dense layer of lace all around the snifter…thick, melted caramel aroma with notes of alcohol soaked raisins, hop cones and strawberries. Silky palate with loads of nice fruity notes: sweet, sticky honey drips over toffee, pineapple slices, rhubarb, and candy sugar. The finish leaves a good bit of alcohol on the tongue and stickiness on the lips, but this after dinner treat leaves nothing but satisfaction though out the body…8/4/8/4/17-4.1

2007 bottle thanks to ditmier, he sent it out to congratulate the upcoming birth of my son, Aidan. Well, he was born today and I drink this beer as a new father, but also as a man who appreciates the real friends I have on RB. So how can I give a ’objective’ rating after all of this, well I can’t. I’m unbelievably tired but this beer just hit the spot so well. Pours a ruddy copper color with lots of particulates and a big beige head. The aroma is amazing; sweet caramel, hops, lots of fruity and caramel malts. Powerful and enticing. The flavor is so smooth it’s sick; lots of initial sweetness, sugars, caramel, and toffee. The nearly dry malt is powerful, and a ton of juicy citrus hops in here. Light alcohol noticed. Warm and merry. Sweet and balanced. A top beer . Also, a great full mouthfeel.

Poured hazy orange-bronze with a short white head. Thick lacing. Earthy herbal hop aroma with heavy pine and some honey. Semi-viscous mouthfeel. Great taste. Lots of resiny goodness up front and throughout. Avoids the soapiness in some of these hoppy barleywines. Smooth, sweetened citrus and brown sugar flavor towards the back. This flows with tropical fruit overtones; pineapple, mango, kiwi, and some melon. Long finish, slightly sticky. Wish I had bought more.

Pours orange with a thin white head. Good lacing in my snifter. Nice aromas of caramel,toffee,pine hops,and heavy alcohol. Medium to Full bodied with some fizzy carbonation. Texture was slick with a average bitterness and a heavy sweetness. Overall an awesome barleywine.

12oz bottle courtesy of mfielden. Pours a hazy dark caramel with a thin white head. Aroma is sweet and floral with notes of honey, chocolate, citrus, caramel some slight spice. Flavor is sweet and floral with honey, caramel, malt, apple, bread, some hints of spice and yeast with notes of phenol as well. Generally medium to full body with a pleasing caramel malt finish. Nice BW.

2005 Bottle. Poured a ruby color with a creamy tan head that had some lasting and left light lace. Nice aroma of chocolate and honey with a light hopped undertone. The flavor found honey, caramel, chocolate and a hop background. Medium to full body, sweet, and a honey aftertaste. Very nice.

[Bottle] brought back from S.F. Pours a hazy caramel with a soapy beige head. Powerful malty aroma with some citric hops, caramel/toffee, and significant alcohol. Flavor is a bit different from the aroma, and is lighter than what I was expecting. Plenty of alcohol presence, caramel, fruity yeastiness, somewhat oily palate, and a touch of butter.