Hair of the Dog Fred from the Wood

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

Huge thanks to Goldtwins for sending me a bottle of this. My cap was just fine. The pour was turbid ruddy deep coppery/brown, with a 1-finger off-white head and amazingly long lasting lace sheets. The aroma was intyense and complex, consisting of some funky tangerine, mango, oaky bourbon, black pepper, fine tobacco, and some caramel malt in the background. The flavor....Whoa Nelly let me tell ya ’bout the flavor, Bob Griese! At the start it was densely tropical and citrus fruit, with bold mango, tangerine, fig, and plum elements. Then, the black pepper, oaky bourbon, tobacco, woody peaty malts, caramel malt, and hops kicked in, sort of in a cascading fashion but too quick to be noticed if you don’t swallow slowly. With every sip I took, I regretted that I was getting that much closer to the end of the bottle. This beer is quite simply as good as it gets. End of story. Kudos to Alan Sprints for another balls to the wall beer. The meek need not apply.

Batch 64 bottle from Epeeist. Many thanks to Chris for this gem! Pours with a nice small head with microbubbles that keeps replenishing itself with small streams of bubbles from the glass. Cloudy thick amber liquid. Aroma was initially a bit funky on pour, but after typing for a minute, the aroma becomes and excellent combination of forward oak, butter (not diacetyl) and malty subdued caramelization. First taste is heaven. Oh man that was good. So smooth, and mellow, and creamy. A perfect amount of oxidation, so subtle, you barely know it’s there. A perfect palate. A complex bitterness coats your entire tongue in bath of flavor. Perfect leaning toward the sweet side. I don’t know how they got the carbonation level so perfect. Wow. I want to sip it all day, and chug it at the same time. One heavenly beer. Woohoo!

Big wood festival. Apricot with a nice earthy fig/date foundation. a balanced Hoppy flavor. very balanced. brilliant. world class.

12 oz bottle, batch 64. Pours a cloudy dark orange color with a cream colored head. Aroma is surprisingly hoppy given the age, backed by sweet carmel malts, oak, some spice, and just the tiniest bit of alcohol. Taste is sweeter than expected, no sign of any hops, very smooth, alcohol detectable but not overwhelming. This is really good... I think it could actually benefit from another year or so in the cellar. Re-rate: 2009 Fred from the Wood.... I was actually getting ready to watch a movie, but I was prompted to get up and mark down my thoughts because this beer is absolutely amazing. Very oaky aroma, vanilla, caramel. Flavor is like buttercream frosting... so rich and creamy, very satisfying. Alcohol is incredibly well-hidden. Flawless.

nose of vanilla, oak, caramel, hops, and some sticky toffee apples. the mouthfeel is so thick, and satisfying. Wow, what a flavour!! SUPER smooth, some really nice vanilla, and oak flavours topped off with more of that toffee apple, with a nice hoppy finish, with a lingering caramal. wow, what an amazing beer!

2007 Vintage, 12oz bottle courtesy of msubulldog over on BA. Holy fucking shit. Really, that’s about all I can say about this. I want this beer to whisper gentle thoughts in my ear while it violently rapes me... wait, it already is.

Side-by-sided this with the original at Bill and Steiny’s party. Very different. A fresher, funkier aroma, the taste is hoppier and just plain better the whole way through. Excellent. A1.

Batch 64. This one just keeps getting better. I was a little worried about my case after being moved a couple of times, but it seems to be coming along splendidly.Aroma of leather and pipe tobacco. Flavor is sweet Mexican vanilla and oak, with a rich toffee background that is sublime. Amazing in every way.