Sierra Nevada Bigfoot

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Chico, California USA

2007 vintage, bottled. A clear deep amber beer with a huge, persistent and lacing white head. The aroma is nice and powerful, even if a bit monodimensional and focused only on the hops. Some underlying caramel malt, but there are mainly notes of geapefruit, pine, resin, alcohol, maybe some berries. The flavour begins with a medium sweetness and then come the hops, very aggressive and maybe too much abrasive. Medium to full body, average/lively carbonation, very long finish with enormous bitterness lingering on your tongue. The alcohol is felt. Still a bit young after a year and a half and not very balanced. Nice appearence and lacing, nice aroma, but I would like to taste an older bottle. However still more than decent.

12oz bottle from KIngdom Liquors (Tampa, FL). Pours a dark mocha color with a white-tan head. One finger head that settles slowly and provides ample lacing on the glass. Aroma is ripe, sweet citrus (especially grapefruit and orange), some hints of dark ripe fruits and coffee. Some notes of sweet malt, caramel and honey. Flavor is very hoppy with strong grapefruit notes, some sweet malt and candy sugar. The bitterness of the hops overwhelms the palate on this one. Medium body with a bitter, lingering finish. If you like hops, this is your kind of beer.

2001 Vintage, 12 oz Bottle Pours an opaque dark amber color with a small creamy off white head. Nose is pungent, caramel, fig, dark fruits and candy sugar. Initial taste is extremely rich caramel and dark fruits pours across the palate. Moving into the displays of warmth, spiciness of the alcohol, almost like bourbon being displayed here. Finishing with some fig, caramel sticky and sweetness. Impressive hop balancing characters that were completely unexpected. Carbonation is still good and actually held up well. Palate duration is above average. Great to try this vintage.

Sierra Nevada on steroids! This beer packs a mean punch and the hoppyness is off the charts! If you like hops this is the beer for you. This beer is super hopy with a bittersweet ending that will knock your socks off! Limited availability so if you see some then stock up because the good stuff never lasts!

Thanks to Piscator for sharing the sample with me. Normally I am not a big fan of the Barleywines, but this was very tasty. I quite enjoyed it to the last drop.

This is the first barley wine style beer I’ve had. Smelled hoppy, tasted bitter is a little overpowering alcohol flavor.

Bigfoot is an awesome Barleywine style ale. The color is indicitive of the flavor and texture, it’s a deep amber color with a red tint to it and its a deep and fruity beer with a great balance of fresh tasting citrusy and grassy hops. This a great Barleywine to try for your first as it is not overly bitter and really well balanced. However I don’t reccomend moving into the genre of Barleywines unless you have developed a taste for hop bitterness definitley work your way through some pale ales first.

Deep, dark fruit imbedded in rich and roasted barley-malt. Balance is good between the sweet-roast malt and hops. No wonder this beer has some awards under its belt!