Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws (2003-)

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

Mine came flat :( Poured a headless dark amber. Flavors were very malty with a slightly hoppy lingering aftertaste. Very rich, but my opinion is somewhat jaded because it was absolutely flat. Will re-rate when I get a better bottle.

Dark amber with large beige head. Sweet aroma with ripe fruits and loads of hops. Sweet and fruity flavor with caramel, chocolate and a fistful of hops. Ends bitter.

Vintage 2007. Pours beautifully to a deep garnet brown and crimson hue, muddy and glowing. A bitter blast of Washington hops wraps the initial aroma in grapefruit zest, peach, and pine sap. In succession a warm blanket of vanilla, caramelized sugar, and crème brulee gently enfolds the harsher elements in flawless simulation of age. Tastes of golden raisins, melted toffee and cream, maple syrup; hints of bitter, well steeped black tea and plums provide some earthy nuance to the dominant dimension of malt. Some bourbon in its vanilla and coconut distinctions. While swallowing, an acidic explosion of orange juice and pineapple coats the mouth and throat with bright, tropical sweetness; palate is smooth and velvety, but retains a lively kick of hoppy aggression, finishing with a close to cloying exchange of grainy spirits and citrus juice. Very well balanced; alcohol is almost completely hidden. Definitely ripe for aging. Thanks Jason! 8/4/8/4/15 3.9

Vintage 2005. Pours firey reddened brown with heavy particles settling toward the bottom. Aroma of still glowing pacific northwest hops in peach cobbler and zesty mandarin orange. Bitterness settled and soft. Burly, barbecued sweetness of toffee and tangy meat; some vinegar, some plum. Flavor is chunky and vibrant, laying on the palate a perfectly balanced, monstrous weight of gingerbread cookies, orange zest, raisin, and vanilla. Carpet and mildew qualities linger around the outer limits somewhat uncomfortably. Pineapple and maple syrup singing cheerfully and still youthfully to some extent. Floral hints amidst a very dark, brusque and earthy mid palate rubbed lightly with alcohol. Palate is soft, textured, with sparkling carbonation that wilts in a warm syrup while swallowing; beautifully aged. Alcohol, some bubblegum, ripe tannic bitterness and dark honey in a long, warming finish. An effortlessly accurate rendition; time polishing an already great barleywine into something even more delicate and fascinating. 9/4/8/4/16 4.1

2004 bottle, 3 yrs old. This isa barley wine. There is really no question, deep red/copper, quite sweet and malty, minimal hoppiness to it, though that’s probably the age talking. Not too shabby.

Vintage 2005, 2 years old
Muddy amber color; the head disappears quickly. Sweet caramel aroma, light cereals, sweet nuts, very nice hops. Sweet flavor, thick body, malt and caramel flavor, a bit spicy, light fruitness of bitter oranges. The palate is almost oily, amidst the malt a strong bitterness appear, almost too much (probably due to excess of yeast).

12oz bottle, courtesy of travisd13. Pours a brown color with golden highlights. Somewhat thin white head that fades but hangs around through most of the glass. Oh man... smells of spicy hops with a touch of sweetness in there. Tastes awesome! Hops, hops and more hops. Spicy, somewhat grassy hops flavors. A bit of caramelly sweetness on the finish. Somewhat thick and syrupy. Good carbonation. This is a big tasting brew. Another one of those BW’s that’s more like an Imperial IPA to me, but what do I know.

2006 bottle. Pours a ruddy brown into my glass with a mostly dead appearance. Rousing and time shows that there’s a little bit of life below. There’s a half cm thick yeast cake left on the bottom of the bottle. Very sweet aroma, overripe apricots and peaches, sugarcane. Taste is fanstastic and perfect for a sweeter barleywine. Fructose-like sweetness to start, becomes mildly citric in the middle, and a nice hop appearance comes out of nowhere in the finish. The zip in the finish is contrasted well by the overall sweetness that stays in check. Alcohol is practically non-detectable.

Nice intoxicating smell. Cool brandy appearance. I find it to be very complex, malty flavor to it. What a nice barley wine.