Anchor Old Foghorn Ale

Brewed by Anchor Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
San Francisco, California USA

One of my favorite American beers. Complex aromas heavy into dried fruit, with a sweet finish. Long lasting aftertaste. A bit too strong for an everyday beer, but an excellent beer when you need a warming flavorful drink. My favorite Anchor product and one of the best beers in the US IMHO. I’ve had this early in the ’80s and have always found it to be a wonderful adaption of the barleywine style with American hops, making it quite unique 25 years ago. Even though there are many more barleywines in this style these days, this beer, grandpa of them all, stands at the top of the list.

It pours a crystal clear deep copper to amber with light brown head. The aroma is full of dark fruitiness such as dates, prunes, mild raisins, mild pepper, a weak current of malt sweetness and mild alcohol. The taste start initially with malt sweetness that quickly moves toward sweet dark fruitiness. The prunes, dates and cherries start off the fruit medley. Toward the finish the cherry flavor grows along with mild pepper, raisins as well as a faint caramel sweetness. The cherry flavor lingers long into the finish. The only knock I have is the alcohol is a bit too noticeable for the moderate ABV.

on tap at kelly’s. poured a deep reddish copper with a small off white head. big smell of caramel, cherries, maybe even a bit of banana. complex, deep, and fruity. more malty flavors came out in the taste, with grape making an appearance to join the black cherry and some more dark fruits. noticeable alcohol in the taste. sweet malt in the finish, with a bit of bitter balance. a sticky and coating mouthfeel, full-bodied, and light carbonation. a happy little barleywine, if only i could’ve let it sit and warm for a bit.

On draft at Zeno’s. Pours a semi clear rusty orange brown with a red tint and a creamy medium sized beige head. Aroma of dates, caramel, and light brown sugar. Taste is slightly sweet with hints of dates, caramel, light brown sugar and banana.

pour is dark copper, tint of red, very thin whitish head. smell is sweet, malt, caramel, dark fruit, touch of spice. taste is prunes, caramel, brown sugar, bit of alcohol, end is sticky and slightly bitter.

Recommended by employee at the Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg. I’ve had other Anchor beers before and thought they were kind of average, but this one puts the others to shame. Incredibly smooth with the right touch of sweetness. Alcohol is well-hidden. Aroma is fig, raisins, maybe a bit of oak? Mouthfeel is excellent on this one. Should be a staple of anyone’s cellar.

A very nice drink. A bit low on ABV as barleywines go, but man is it ever smooth. A very thick sweetness, perfectly offset with a dark hoppiness. Overripe apples and the very beginnings of an oaked stout taste -- actually remarkable, especially in the face of no lacing. I must be in for a treat in the future if this doesn’t even crack the top ten!

Very nice beer. I don’t care for very many barley wines, but this one is fine for my tastes.