Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws (2003-)

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

12 oz. bottle. Cloudy dark golden color, very small head and low carbonation. Aroma is like an IPA, lots of floral hops and some honey. Very sweet flavor initially which gives way to the hops. Starts with caramel, toffee and some sweet fruit, then finishes bitter and extremely dry. A bit too sweet at first, but the finish makes up for it. Palate is thick and sticky.

Bottle@Home, vintage 2004. I already had a great Christmas - just take a look at the other ratings- but this finishing beer really made it perfect. Loads of malts in the aroma, dough, raisin and too much to mention. Brown color, yellow/brown head, good lace. Grapes, raisin, madeira, very sweet, loads of malts, pretty bitter. So complex, they didnt forget anything. To me its like a perfect marriage between Westvleteren and Thomas Hardys.

2008 Bottle. Pours a beautiful hazy auburn with a light ring of head. When agitated it produces a fine sea of off-white head. Great lacing, on a really pretty beer. Aroma is strongly simcoe, with pine and citrus intermixed with honey and orange blossom. Taste is very nice and sweet but not cloying in any way. Notes of honey and orange blossom, great alcohol presence. Near perfect balance of sweet and hop bitterness, which makes it dangerously easy to drink. Syrupy mouthfeel, with notes of honey, warming, but not hot at all. Light carbonation. I absolutely love this beer, and plan on aging a couple, although it doesnt seem to need any extra age.

Bottle. Vintage 2005. Pours a wonderful clear amber / hazelnut brown. A small, creamy-ish yellow-beige head. Stunning aroma, oxidized a bit. Lots of fruity hops, butterscotch, honey, some apples, plums. Light vinious. Low and elegant carbonation, fabolous oily mouthfeel. Flavour is truly well-balanced. Lots of plums, some Christmas cookies, apples. And a shit-load of caramel. The oxidation is nearly nowhere in the flavours. It is quite sweet and a bit sticky, but the alcohol serves it really well. It never becomes overpowering. This is just like a well-cellared Old Stock with added honey and some Christmas notes. Fuck, this is a good Christmas beer!

Bottle courtesy of Styles. 2006 Batch. Pours a caramel apple color with a trim tan head. Turns amber as it settles. Loaded with butterscoth, caramel, honey, and overripe red apples. Yeasty, and so sicky sweet its retarded. A memorable beast of a beer.

Well, I had made this review after having enjoyed the 2008 "Fred from the Wood." This, now, is incredibly smooth and altogether especially as it is fresh--this is the 2008 bottle. It is overall sweet and spicy. But what works is how all the ingredients are blended together subtlety--hops, honey, and malts are very good. I think I note butterscotch, chocolate, honey, brown sugar, some tea quality, and some citrus. There is more to this. It is festive. And there is no overbearing alcohol note. This is a very good brew.

Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws Huge thanks to bitbucket. Smells very good, complex, sweet malts, spices, hops Pours hazy red amber with a bit of head – very nice Taste – even though this is a 2007 bottle it tastes quite a bit hotter than I would prefer, sweet, spices, some hops, maybe a spice that’s a bit strange? Mouthfeel – good and thick Overall this is a confusing beer. It smells glorious but the taste is less good.

updating this, as I pulled a bottle from the cellar. 6 months old. Wow what a change. Well balanced thick malty front with a nice hoppy finish. aroma of citrus and honey. This is really fantastic.