Avery Hog Heaven

Pour was a dark amber with a thick off-white head. The aroma is really hoppy for a barley wine (a pleasant surprise for me) and grassy. A tad bit of caramelized malts come through. The tastee is axcellant, but unbalanced for a barleywine. It is as bitter as an IPA. Overall, I really enjoyed it.

the sin here that i am committing is that i’m holding hog heaven to a standard set by other great barleywines i have known, loved, and cherished slowly with a good book in my rocking chair. with that in mind, hog heaven just did not cut it. i had high hopes when the aroma suggested all manner of fruit and spice, not to mention the overly red glowing orb of this barleywine in my brandy sniffer. it smelled and looked like all the fantastic reviews i’ve received so far from trusted friends. and then the first sip - fizzy and popping from too much carbonation. and the second sip - tons of carbonation and a huge alcohol flavor drowned out all the too subtle fruits and expected smoothness. odd thing about the prevalence of alcohol: isn’t this a lower alcohol barleywine? perhaps hog heaven tastes best - smoother and bursting with all the complexity i know is hidden beneath the carbonation and alcohol - after a year or more cellared in my hall closet.

Redish amber, sweet and smooth, alcohol, caramel, citrus, nice floral hoppy finish.

I have been wanting to try this for a while, finally got my hands on some and now im in Hog Heaven :) Pours a cloudy amber colour with a large fluffy almond coloured head. Aroma is strong of carmel, grapenuts, and piney hops. Mouthfeel was creamy, pleasent and very smooth. Taste is soo incredibly smooth, the astringent hop character, the grapefruit just rolls off your tongue. Like Stout said, very remiscent of Bigfoot and boozy as well. Diggin this brew. It makes me wonder..do hogs like hops? And if they do, do all hogs go to hop heaven?

Bomber. Pours amber with a big light tan head. Aroma sweet malt, caramel, toffee, hops and alcohol. Flavor is sweet but does have slight alcohol burn. Also tasted, caramel, toffee, hops and a touch of citrus. A fine barley wine. Mouthfeel was a little thin for my liking but still a well crafted brew.

Bottled sample (procured by mnurda, I think). Amber in colour with moderate carbonation. Huge malty sweet bread dough aroma, with a bit of citrusy hop aroma. Suprisingly medium bodied and hoppy in the mouth, with notes of lemon, grapefuit, and green tea which provide some great balance to the strong bready-malt elements. Only a hint of caramel sweetness there, which is nice for me. Considering this is at least a year and a half old, the hops are still holding their own. I would like to try a fresh bottle sometime for a point of comparison. Very good indeed.

Draft sample at brewery, Boulder, CO, 8/13/08. Pours orange/amber with eggshell head, good lacing. Big piny hop nose, slight caramel and mild grapefruit. Taste is caramel backbone with lots of pine and grapefruit flavor, moderate bitter. Tasty brew. I didn’t know it was a barley wine when I had it and thought it was an IIPA or American Strong Ale. The same as Bigfoot for me - it doesn’t quite hit the barley wine cord with me, but it’s damn tasty. Cheers!.

On tap at the flying saucer in KC. Pours a very hazy and pretty mahogany/redish brown color with a small, creamy, off-white head. Tons of citrus and flowery hops smell. Caramel malts in there giving it a sweeter smell. Smells real "thick" with lots of hoppiness. Tastes extremely hoppy. Sweet malts and citrus notes. Ends with a lingering hop taste thats lighter in the aftertaste than during the swallow. Thick, medium bodied barley wine. Overall, there is juuuuust something off about the balance. The sweet malt taste and intense hop flavor is very close to mixing well. I really enjoyed this, especially on tap. It reminds me of their IPA, just incredibly beefed up on roids.