Avery Hog Heaven

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Boulder, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter

UPDATED: AUG 20, 2009 Interesting barley wine.....definitly a malt presence typical of a barleywine, but lacking on the hops. The hop notes were there, but not nearly potent enough. Overall a bit lacking. **************************************** Nose is actually more hoppy than last time (maybe a fresher bottle this time, or better aging) as is the flavor. Rich caramel finish with moderate to high bitterness. Bitterness is a combination of harsh and more laid back bitter notes. Previous rating of 3.5 is changed to 4.1

Pours (room temperature) amber with a thin head, looks overly-carbonated. Aroma is extremely hoppy for a barley wine, pine boughs and toast. Flavor is very hoppy, hot hops begin, malts do not balance, big fruity/piney middle, acidic note, strong alcohol note, then a long extremely bitter ending. This is not a typical or traditional take on the style, and in my opinion, is worse for it. This completely sidesteps the sweet/brownsugar/maple/oaky goodness of more traditional variations. This would definitely be much better aged for 3 years or more. To many hops, not enough subtlety. Another star of the "too much isn’t enough" philosophy which is overly present in beer making these days. What became of complexity, balance, and attention to the small nuances? Good, but missing the point IMO.

Pours a hazy copper hue with a nice creamy, off-white head. Aroma of caramel and hops, lots of caramel. Flavor is of delicious caramel malts at first with a very hoppy finish for a barley wine! The 100 IBUs really show through. Great combo barley wine/IPA really.

Hoppy pine aroma with a hint of caramel. Smells more like an IPA than a barley wine. Pours murky red with an off-white head. This is an IPA barley wine. Really hoppy. Smooth texture with a nice bitterness. Caramel is the background taste to hops. Some wood on the finish. Good flavors, but I dont think it’s balanced quite right. Might be too young a bottle.

Pours light caramel colored, with a small creamy off-white head. Strong aroma of raisin, plum, a bit of citrus, alcohol, and piny hops. Flavor follows the aroma quite well with lightly sweet hints of raisins and citrus fruits upfront, followed by powerful piny/resinous hops, as well as a good dose of warming alcohol. Finishes bitter-sweet, with a resinous and somewhat creamy mouth-feel. Could use just a bit more body to back up the powerful flavors, but overall a nicely balanced beer.

This delicious quadrupel evokes raisin, brown sugar, faint plum, and awesomeness. Feel it on the back of my tongue. Yum

From a bomber in GA. Pours copper/orange in color, looks hazy and thick.... and it delivers massive satisfying mouthfeel. Fills your mouth with sweetness and moves you on to citrusy hoppiness and throws in a bit of resin. Good stuff.

bottle, pours dark amber and a little cloudy. Hops are pretty subdued on the nose where the malt and the alcohol comes through. Pretty one-dimensional palate with alcohol perhaps a little too apparent, mouthfeel is a little thin. Nice well rounded finish and at last some hos kick in!