Hair of the Dog Fred from the Wood

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

Vintage 2008 Pours hazy, dark copper, with a massive four-inch head. The beige, dense foam floated like whipped egg whites for a lengthy time before the first sips broke up the mass. A plethora of clingy rings and ripped sheets of lacework continued on. A real beaut. Aromatics lead off with booze-soaked oak, cotton candy, tangerine zest, and malt bubblegum. Sugared grapefruit, fresh vanilla, and caramel-drizzeled spruce resin follow through. Medium bodied, but a bit chewy and plenty tacky. The carbonation level is high enough to create quite a lively feel, and makes the mouthfeel seem bigger than it really is. Tropical fruit, sweet malt, and a zesty spiciness start the pallet. Candied fruit segments, oaky alcohol, and blossom honey come forward, as well as juicy hop resins and a firm bitterness. Finishes with bourbony oak, lingering honey and citrus fruit, and a peppery warmth on the throat. Wowza, what a great beer. The residuals get a bit tiring, but this ones tasting super fresh. As with the regular Fred, I believe the fresher the better. Aging may dry it up a bit, but you’ll be missing out on the oak and fresh hops.

Bottle; courtesy of golubj. Poured a darkish orange-amber, with a big off white (with a tint of orange) head. Aroma of orange, caramel, fruit, sugar and flowers. Flavor was drinkable, but complex; not very sweet, which usually makes a barley wine for me; however I enjoyed this one alot. Oak aging was done with some moderation; was not dominating. Alcohol was well hidden. Good maltiness, with caramel, vanilla, fruit and oak; moderate, but pronounced hop finish. A nice orange flavor throughout. Very good for the style.

Oh so young!!! Newly released 2008 12oz bottle. Exhibits the same "hunter orange" glow of its non-oaked cousin. The head is extremely dense, creamy, and pale yellow in color. Aroma is brown sugar, honey, toffee and caramel with just a whiff of the barrel. Flavor is aggressive and pungent...and the alcohol bite/flavor is present. Sweet malts are dominant...just wish the alcohol was hidden better. Age will do a body good.

12oz bottle, batch 64. Pours a cloudy, deep rusted amber with a very thin off white head. Nose of caramel, toffee, candied dark fruits, and some toasted malt. Tons of candied and dark fruits on the palate. This one gives Angel’s Share a run for its money.

Sampled at Hellbilly’s Hellraiser II. Pours a slightly hazy amber with a small head that leaves nice lacing. Great aroma of malt, caramel, fruit, wood, and a touch of alcohol. Slightly sour flavor with all of the above and more! Nice hoppiness on the finish. A truly great barley wine!

Bottle, courtesy ditmier. Pours a dark candy apple color, with a thin white head and a lot of lacing. Aroma has fig, caramel, clove, cinnamon, chocolate, lots of oak and apple elements. Oh boy oh boy. Flavor is divine, as expected. Oak is huge here. Spicy as hell, too. Cinnamon, fig, allspice...and then there’s plenty of chocolate, caramel, and so much smoke and is just incredibly intense. Very crisp, jaw-droppingly drinkable. Immensely chock full of flavor and complexity. Fred’s big bro doesn’t disappoint.

Batch 64. Orange pour with fluffy white head and excellent lace! Oak and bourbon on the nose. Slick mouth-feel. Sweet malts with notable hints of wood, vanilla, fruit, citrus, and bourbon.

Hard to control myself after tasting this wonderful beer. I had taken it to a party for my neice’s graduation party and the theme for the beers I had selected was barrel aged. This was a fantastic example of a barrel aged barleywine. The aroma is inviting, sweet malts, slightly boozy, with a nice dose of wood, fruits, hops, and brown sugar. The color looks like something you’d find pouring out of an old rusty radiator. The flavor in this beer just melds so nicely together. Sweet malts, citrusy hops, vanilla, oak, alcohol, brown sugar, tobacco and slightly floral. Highly recommended and well worth it’s good name.