Hair of the Dog Fred from the Wood

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

12 oz bottle

Thanks to whomever sent this in a trade quite a while ago. I’ve been wanting to crack it open for months now. Part of me is glad to have done so. The other half regrets doing so as this one might just improve even more with age. Just be sure to fix the cap if yours is askew like mine was. This was from the special Ratebeer release (batch 64).

Aroma / Appearance - Sherry, vanilla and oak make it obvious that a barrel was involved in the process of aging this beer. Also strong are resin notes. Despite its age this one still has quite a lot going for it. The thin ash white head lingered for a long time before admitting defeat halfway through the bottle. Underneath was a cherry (wood) colored body with not much carbonation.

Flavor / Palate - The mouthfeel was thick and rich from the start. It filled the mouth and throat with great maltiness offset by a creamy vanilla profile. Caramel came next before the alcohol began to assert itself. I look forward to trying the regular version to see how it changed due to barrel aging. The sherry finish made me regret knocking off the dregs of the bottle. Hopefully there will be a future release of this so I can try it once again.

Bottle from Styles, batch 64. Nice cloudy brown with small head. Smell is very earthy. The taste is of dried fruits with malt and eartheness to it. Hope are represented as well. Has a nice bitter bite to is also. This is a very complex beer. WORD

Batch 64 (ratebeer edition). Pours a brown-ish orange murky color with thin white head. It has a big aroma with a nice thick oakiness with streams of creamy caramel seeping through the wood. I also get mild muted citrus and pine hops, a hint of yeast and more wood. First sip, darn this tastes good. It starts thick, malty and creamy caramel followed by a pile of dried out oak logs. Then the muted citrus hops show up and grow to an almost bitter note. Near the finish some dark fruity esters show up with the hops, creamy caramel and malts to add an extra flare to an already tasty mixture. YUM!!

Woddy brown colour with big white head. Smokey wood flavours. Sweet port rasin palate. Thanks John

I think this was shared by Jimmack at Dickinsonbeer’s mini-gathering. Aroma of lightly sherried malts, caramel, raisins, oak, vanilla. Taste is moderately oaky with a shitload of smooth caramel, vanilla, burnt sugars, dark fruits. Body is full and coats the mouth. Finishes with a light hop bittering presence and light notes of wood and alcohol. One of the best barleywines I’ve had.

My last rating of 2007. RateBeer edition. I knew this beer would need time and I’m not sure I gave it enough of it. Another great looking HoTD beer. Plenty of wood/vanilla in the nose. Flavor is still plenty boozy, thinking I may not live long enough to enjoy this beer at it’s peak. Smooth as silk mouthfeel with the same flavors in the mouth as in the aroma. Some pineapple also.

Rate Beer Edition, batch # 64.
Courtesy of the one and only Ibrew2or3. Pours out a very nice looking color, but unfortunately for me it’s hard to explain. Definitely some dominant orange, but also a nice reddish hue as well. Some sediment detectable in the bottom of the glass. Not much, if any head, but a swirl brings up a nice layer of foam atop the beer. Nose is immense, citrus and tropical fruits, dark sweet malts, earthen oak barrels, caramel and toffee. Some fusel heat on the nose as well. More of that in the flavor profile, along with nice hints of musty oak, caramel, dark tropical fruits and malts. The sweetness is ever-present but kept in check wonderfully by the earthiness from the oak barrel aging. I really love the musty note that this beer has all over the place, I can only assume this is from the aging that took place. Viscous palate, slightly sticky but far from cloying. Very coating in the back of the throat and warming from the alcohol. Caramel, fruit and oak continue for quite some time in the finish. Outstanding.

Wow this smells wonderful.Pours a cloudy, orangish amber color with a small white head that laced up nicely.The nose is sweet,toffe and vanilla with a little bit of wood.Sweet and boozy with that nice tingle on your tounge and gums.It almost dances on your gums.It definately has some warming as it finishes.