Hair of the Dog Bourbon Fred from the Wood

Brewed by Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Portland, Oregon USA

Serve in Snifter

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Multiple samples at the OBF open house at HOTD. Hazy amber; lighter in color than the regular fred from the wood. Tons of oak, vanilla and nutty bourbon mix with the caramel sweetness and light dark fruit from the base beer. Incredibly drinkable, with the bourbon being forward, but not overwhelming. ABV is very hidden. Alan rocks. Look for this in bottles next year.

What an incredible beer. Thanks to my sister for standing in line last fall then shipping a few out to me (bottle from the 2011 release). Pours with almost no carbonation. Nose is wonderfully fruity with hints of oak and wood. Taste is sublime - sweet, medium mouthfeel, just missing a little CO2. I’ll be hiding a few bottles in the basement.

Did a truckload of these at the HOTD open house during OBF 2009. Super boozy.

Tap at the HotD open house... Poured a hazy orange with a white head. Strong bourbon aroma with noticeable alcohol and a nutty, vanilla, pastry character. Smooth and subtly carbonated palate. Big oak flavors with a boozy bourbon quality. The bourbon was very strong but also delicate. Light fruits like apple and low on the hop bitterness. A vanilla, bourbon finish.

12oz bottle from goryshkewych. Cheers, George! Pours a clear copper with a tiny white head. Nose is vanilla, sweet malt, bourbon, wood, and toffee. All manner of good barley wine things. Flavor does not disappoint- vanilla, bourbon, caramel, toffee, and very little booze for a 12% beer. Enjoyable as hell, and a great nightcap.

On tap at Brouwer’s Big Wood 09. My favorite from the night, sipped alongside Alan himself. Reddish-orange pour, with a small head. Huge, sticky-sweet aroma - like an old Doggie Claws with a nice bit of bourbon sweetness thrown in. *Huge* mouthfeel - this stuff is seriously thick. So many layers in it, it’s hard to describe. Bourbon, fruit and other malts, with a good amount of hops sitting under it. Huge, and utterly delicious.

Pours amber red with a minimal head. Aroma american hops, plumes. In the best possible way. Not Bad.

"Had this at a tasting tonight. 2011 edition poured into a Riedel Snifter compliments of Sam Adams. A - No head at all. The color looked just like a bourbon. Nut brown color with little fingers on the edges of the glass. Is this bourbon or beer? S - Candy, sugar, oak, bourbon and bread. The smell is really phenomenal! Pulls you right in. T - Bourbon, Mango, Brown Sugar and a TON of apples! I’m thinking Granny Smith. M - No carbonation and pretty thick O - I LOVED this beer. I’m going to give it a rating that alters the overall score and I feel bad about that but this beer really impressed me. The bottle was simply too small. If you LOVE bourbon, buy this and open fresh. Don’t bother aging it."

UPDATED: APR 27, 2012 Bottle shared by jckp64 at STL bbbb. Pour is really beautiful. It looks like butterscotch- deep slightly cloudy orange/ copper with only a few bubbles. Aroma is loaded with butterscotch, faint brown sugar, a touch of bourbon, light vanilla, and faint caramel malt. Flavor is much sweeter than expected up front with a potent raw sugar note up front. Then the magic happens...finish is so long and buttery butterscotch smooth. Man, it lasts forever and it it so enticing. The initially cloying sweetness is more than made up for by the incredible finish. Great stuff.

Thanks amtran87! Amazing beer! Its sweet and boozy and woody and wonderful. One of my favorite barrel aged beers ever.