First up: Sierra Nevada "Bigfoot Ale" (Barleywine Style), 12 OZ, 9.6% ABV. $2.75.
The Pour: nice rich head at first, settling into a 1/4" head, leaving long legs of foam down the side of the glass. That's alcohol, baby! (This is still a little warm, because I'm impatient.) Good beer doesn't need to be cold though, so I'm not worried.
The Color: Rich, reddish brown, with a touch of gold. Perfect.
The Nose: I'm not getting too much, and my sinuses are fine today. Just the basic aroma of rich, sweet malt. Not that that's a problem, but I can usually detect other aromas. Hmm.
The Taste: Right there with style expectations. Heavy, creamy mouthfeel, the requisite sweetness balanced by the right amount of hops to keep it balanced. Very cockle-warmening. I felt a nice glow just seconds after the first sip. A touch of bitterness in the finish.
The Verdict: B. True to the style, no glaring flaws. I've had better, but a very solid effort from one of the larger "micro" breweries. (Note: I edited this down from B+.)
(Just for fun, I'm going to keep a running count of how many "standard" beers worth of alcohol I'm drinking today. All of today's beers are very strong, and many are larger than the standard 12 oz. The reference is Budweiser, at 5% and 12 ounces.)
Bud Points: 1.92.
Next!!
Flying Dog "Horn Dog Barleywine" 12 OZ, 10.5% ABV. $3.25.The Pour: Two-layered head, regular-sized bubbles topped by a 1/4-inch layer of pure cream. Settling slowly.
The Color: So dark it's opaque. Holding it up to the strong light I get some red highlights.
The Nose: Same. Rich, sweet malt, not much else. My nose just may be off today. Oh well.
The Taste: Wow. Even creamier than the Bigfoot. HUGE mouthfeel, warm and sweet and brandy-like, with just enough hop-bite to provide excellent balance. It just lingers and lingers, and warms the heart going down.
The Verdict: A-. True to the style, yet with a character of its own that makes it stand out.
Bud Points: 2.1 (running total 4.02)
Next!!!
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, 25.4 OZ, 7% ABV. $9.95.The Pour: Maple Syrup, with a head.
The Color: Maple syrup, with an orange undertone (according to Erica).
The Nose: Big surprise! A packet of dried hot chocolate powder, or maybe some unsweetened baking cocoa.
The Taste: We're drinking this a little too cold, so I will let it sit for a while, but the first glass has a nice thick stout mouthfeel with chocolate undertones. We were expecting overtones, based on the labeling. Like one of my perennial favorites, Young's Double-Chocolate Stout.
We interrupt this beer-blogging session to inform you that Erica has started doing a phenomenally sexy cheerleading routine right here in my basement, in her painting clothes. I was playing a stadium-rock type tune, that lends itself perfectly to such behavior. There may have to be an intermission soon....
The Verdict: C. I may have to update this when we let it get back to room temperature, but for now, we're kind of disappointed. This is one of the top breweries in the world, and I expect nothing but the best from them. So this would have to count as a miss.
(Update: Now a B/B-. The chocolate came out more as the beer warmed. This was my fault. Also, as I commented at Toast's place: I think it's our own expectations. Ommegang, Rare Vos, Three Phils, and Hennepin are four perfect beers. Just perfect. ... [I'm] just not used to anything from Brewery Ommegang being "normal."
I still rate this below Young's, but it's a fine beer.
Bud Points: 2.96 (6.98)
Next!!!!!!!
Weyerbacher Blashpemy, 22 OZ, 11.8% ABV. (label quote: "When they first suggested we age our QUAD in Oak Barrels, I said THAT'S BLASPHEMY!") $6.99.The Pour: Not much head, and it faded quickly.
The Color: Clear amber.
The Nose: Hello hops! And oak. Yup, just as labeled. Caramel.
The Taste: Hello hops! Very sweet, I guess as one would expect from the ABV. It is balanced but a large hop bite, being a quad and all. I'm getting some caramel also, but that's influenced by the nose.
The Verdict: B-. Tastes great, but nothing I haven't experienced before, from better mega-beers like Dogfish Head. A victim of its competition.
Bud Points: 4.33 (11.31)
Next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Young's Old Nick Barleywine, 17 OZ, 7.2% ABV. $3.49.The Pour: Very thick head, slow to settle.
The Color: Brown-opaque.
The Nose: Malt. Ok, that's 3 out of 3 barley wines that didn't express themselves. Erica says caramel/malted milk-ball. I'm still getting nothing. OK, that's a caveat for all of today's reviews. My nose is useless today.
The Taste: Deep sweet malt, with a little burnt toast. Plenty of hops to achieve balance.
The Verdict: B. True to the style.
Bud Points: 2.04 (13.05)
