Anchor Old Foghorn Ale

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

A trusty fruitcake alternative and as complex, if not as heavy with the punches, as most barleywines.

12 oz bottle. Pours a red color with a nice white head, lots of lacing and medium carbonation. Aroma is black cherry and malt. Taste is sweet dried fruit, cherries, and malt with a little alcohol. No hops at all that I could taste. Really good.

bottle: A really nice brew. Arouma of plums and brown sugar. Tastes malty and sweet with plenty of fruity esters. Has a large alcohol finish. not too hoppy.

Pours a clear but dark amber with a small tan head that recedes quickly to a thin membrane on top. Lots of honey in the aroma, but also molasses, plum, and banana actually. Nice aroma that is mild but very attractive. Flavors include sweet maple, dark fruits like plum and cherry, dates also. The alcohol is present but subtle. Hoppy finish. Pleasant, surprisingly elegant flavor. Mouthfeel is a little lethargic, dead. Still a very nice beer overall, and very friendly for a barleywine. This would make a great first-time BW for those new to the style, yet it’s complex enough for a seasoned BW lover to enjoy. Overall, very good to excellent.

Bottle. Aroma is very malty, syrupy sweet, some dark fruits, plums. Taste is much more interesting coffee beans, chocolate bitterness with some plum sweetness. Good mouthfeel, smooth, low carbonation and a sick bitter finish.

From tap@Beer Temple, Amsterdam. Low, dense, beige cream head. Brownish-red body color, brilliant clarity. Rich, delicate sweet caramel aroma. Quite vinous. Some plummy fruitiness, and a bold fruity, floral and light renious hoppiness. Big malt body, with a refined sweetness, and lots of caramel and molasses. A generous amount of earthy, fruity and slight peppery hops is there to balance. Some tinned dark fruits as well. Thick, chewy muthfeel. Sweet malty, distinctly hoppy finish. A great piece of work.

12oz bottle from Orland Park Binny’s single rack. Pours dark brownish amber with off-white head. Aroma is caramel, toffee, brown sugar, sweet malts, dark fruits and booze. Flavor is sweet malt, brown sugar, toffee, dark fruits, some hops and a touch of booze. A little coying sweetness buy mouthfeel and carbonation are solid. Overall a pretty good BW.