Flying Dog Wild Dog Barrel-Aged Gonzo

Brewed by Flying Dog Brewery
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Frederick, Maryland USA

Bottle, kindly shared by yngwie. A firm and dense, yellow-brown offwhite head, upon an opaque black body. Strong and complex aroma. Roasted, yet rounded dark malts, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, tar and wood. Also a nice liquour-ish smell. Taste is strongly roasted, with a rich malty sweetness, and a fresh fruity acidity to it. A solid earthy hop bitterness to balance. Licorice and tar notes, and a warming sensation of bourbon. Very filling, smooth and palate-coating. Roasted and malty, bitter-sweet, lasting finish. Excellent!

Bottle - 750mL corked and aged. Cork was tight but came out without a pop. Pours a near lifeless motor oil black with a short ring of bubbles on the surface. Aroma is big vanilla, bourbon, oak, roasted malts and molasses. Taste is strong vanilla, bourbon, wet oak, molasses, roasted malt, caramel, dark chocolate, light coffee and brown sugar. Body is light-medium with plenty of warmth but minuscule carbonation. Almost like a spirit than a beer, at times. Normally that wouldn’t work but this seems to pull it off due to the big whiskey presence. The finish continues with a big vanilla, bourbon and oak presence. More sweet malt and roasted notes come through as does big brown sugar and molasses. Rather tasty. A bit more in the palate department would push this into the classic beers realm.

Bottle at Esbjerg beerfestival. Black colour with a tan head. Aroma is bourbon, oak, vanilla, coffee, alcohol. flavour is bourbon, oak, vanilla, coffee, alcohol, licorice, roasted, malt. Full body. This is a wonderful beer.

22oz bottle, from Utobeer. I am often sceptical of the vogue for barrel aging but I certainly thought it added something to the "plain" version in this instance. Very dark. The relatively subtle vanilla accents derived from the barrel complement the rich fruit and coffee elements and offset the assertive hop kick. For me at least, it managed to avoid the excessive influence of the barrel flavours that can sometimes dominate too much. Very full and rich mouthfeel. Excellent balance, excellent beer.

Bottle, at Esbjerg Beerfestival. A black beer with a minimal-sized tan head. Alcohol, burnt malts, some licorice and tar, coffee and hints of bourbon on the nose. Surprisingly smooth, nothing really dominating. The same goes for the flavor, which is maybe a bit sticky-sweet. Roasted malts, oak, some tar, coffee, burnt malts and a little bourbon. Full-bodied and warming and very smooth. Warming and roasted bitter finish. A beer that you don’t drink pints and pints of, but enjoy slowly in your favorite chair. 091022

Pours a dark brown/black color with a tan head. Aroma of bourbons, roasted malts, oak, and chocolate. Flavor of roasted malts, wood, bourbon/whiskey, chocolate. Smooth mouth feel. Exceptional!

Draught at Capone’s: Aroma of oak, roasted malt, whiskey, bourbon, slight vanilla, malt, and chocolate. Poured very dark brown/rugby in color with a medium-sized, creamy, brown, dense, head that diminished but lasted throughout. Clear. Lightly sparkling. Excellent lacing. Flavor is light to medium sweet. Tastes of chocolate, whiskey, bourbon, malt, oak, and light vanilla. Medium body. Thin, chalky, slightly dry texture. Soft to average carbonation. Whiskey, light chocolate, malt, and slight oak finish is slightly chalky and slightly dry. 9.5%ABV is completely hidden throughout.

Thanks to oddefellow for the share. Pours dark brown with a minimal off-white head. Nose is malt, whiskey/ bourbon, some dark fruit, alcohol, and a bit of vanilla. Flavor is roast, malt, brown sugar, dark fruit, vanilla, and bourbon. Lingering malt and sweetness into finish. Light bodied and pretty nice overall.