Enjoying a big beer my last evening before I head to NYC. There's a rich caramel aroma as I pour this pooch out on the deck at day's end. Barleywines, my friends, are my kinda dogs. Will this brew be a yellow lab or a hairless chihuahua?
Hair of the Dog's other ales are named after people in either the brewing world or the owner's personal life - Ruth, Adam, Fred - you know, the type of four letter words one doesn't need to spell out in front of kids, like Love or Twat. So why not a name like something like Nick or Tedd for their Barleywine? Because at 11.5% alcohol and 70 IBU's, Fido here has claws.
There is a sweet, rich caramel flavor profile and a bold, unique hop flavor. The hops used are Simcoe, which typically departs a very bold and earthy flavor, and the Amarillo, which departs a very citrus flavor. They also used wild flower honey, which only helps the flavor imparted by the Amarillo hops. Right now the brew is tasty, but in another 6 months the hops will smooth out to make a more balanced barleywine. Still, I love in your face Barleywines and I'm looking forward to my next time with Doggie Claws. THE ROCK rating.
No comments:
Post a Comment