Hair of the Dog Fred

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

Batch 69, served 05/26/08. Deep dark golden with a huge off-white head. On the nose tangerine hops, rich brown sugar, apricots, citrus hops, and a big maltiness. Sweet, bready, sugary dried fruits, strong hop presence, a little alcohol evident, a touch of spicy hops. Nicely carbonated, great bitter ending. I think the mouthfeel and bitterness did a lot to prevent this from becoming cloying, despite the huge sweet component. Excellent.

12oz Thanks to riversideAK for this one. Batch 72, poured with the largest non-Belgian head I’ve ever seen. Color was a weak cloudy dirty orange. Aroma was hoppy with some floral notes most prominent. Flavor was definitely hoppy and sweet, but the alcohol was very detectable. A bitter finish to the thick and somewhat creamy (and very carbonated) mouthfeel. Nice beer to try.

This is a barley wine? More of a belgian style. Dark apricot, fluffy light beige head. Nice seltzery carbonated kick up front. Flavor- notes of dark fruits, malt, spice. Warming alcohol. Thick mouth-feel, molasses, bitter lingering on the palate long after taste. Extremely enjoyable.

12 oz bottle from 06 Poured a murky light brown with a thin white head. Strong yeast and malt nose. Interesting mouthful, as it is well carbonated and very flavorful. It is somewhat spicey and hoppy, with belgian notes, and finishes with a big bitter and then somehow sweet finish. A nice combination of flavors and styles that I truly enjoyed.

Fred is and has been for some time the best of its kind I’ve had, though what its kind is I’m less certain. It appears to be classified as a barley wine here but it must surely be some sort of Barley Belgian, or perhaps a Dubbel Wine (or maybe a Barley Dubbel, or Belgian Wine?) Enough of that. Aroma is rich with sweet fruit (apples, dark berries, grapes, plums). The pour is dark orange-copper and cloudy with little foam, and the flavor develops roasted grains, raisins, and figs, balanced by a suitable hop bitterness that lingers but doesn’t overpower. Good stuff.

Batch 69. An amalgamation of different beer styles. Pours an orange amber color with a huge pristine white head, similar to a Belgian Strong Ale. Aroma of alcohol, yeast, hops, and malt. A lively hop bouquet; citrusy (grapefruit, orange, apricot) like an IIPA and peppery/spicy similar to a triple. The yeast of a triple/Belgian Strong Ale. And the candied fruitcake, syrupy, feremented-fruit, malt and alcohol of a barleywine. Extremely sweet. The finish is bitter and astringent with a roaring crescendo of rubbing alcohol and resiny citrus (lemon). Mid to full bodied and highly carbonated. Very strong. Every bit the 10% ABV listed on the label. Complex, interesting, boisterous, and adventurous. But I’m in no rush to drink another. Just didn’t gel. Parts worth more than the whole.

Poured a light brown and is very cloudy. Head is pretty large, with plenty of lacing. Aroma of fruit, spice, citrus, and a little booze. Taste is of caramel & fruit. Finish is lightly bitter. Mouth is a little sticky. Not really sure this is a barleywine. It’s delicious either way.

Batch 70. I really enjoyed this one, not a typical barley wine. Pours with a creamy, off-white head covering a hazy, darkish, orange-brown body. Aroma of figs, spiciness, sugar, mandarin citrus, alcohol and perfume. Taste is of sweet fruits, savory, then caramel everywhere. Great strong alcohol presence in the taste throughout, which I like a lot. Creamy mouthfeel, perfrect level of carbonation, with some warming on the finish. Great beer by Hair of the Dog.