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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Had this on two occasions. First time this beer was brilliant, soft vanilla laced oak, subdued fusels, smooth Fred shining through. The second time this was a big boozy bomb. Not sure on why, maybe different kegs or barrels, but the fusels ruined the second experience. I’ll stick to the better of the two samples until I hopefully get a third shot at it.

1 June 2012, bottle. Orange tinted brown and a bit cloudy. Amazing nose! Faintly tart, orange peel, bourbon, oak, and lots of alcohol. Med body, syrupy, and almost flat. Taste is thick orange rind, some chili powder, cinnamon, bourbon, maple syrup, lots of alcohol. Amazing! ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

2011. Absolutely flat, no carbonation. Pours murky caramel amber. The nose is sour bourbon. Not saying this is infected but there is definitely a sour note I wasn’t expecting. vanilla, oak, bourbon flavors play together well but I just can’t get behind this. Onto the regular Fred...

Bottle split with mcberko from the brewery. Pours cloudy brown/red, no head, no carbonation. Aroma of bourbon, vanilla, some toffee, molasses, burnt sugar, oak/wood. Flavour is the same. Smooth and soft, very nice, could do with a bit more depth to be in the "incredible" category.

Bottle shared by Marcus. Pours hazy dark amber with no head. Aroma is bourbon and alcohol. Full bodied. Flavor is brown sugar and bourbon. There’s also almond, toffee and rye, but the bourbon is primary. Great finish on the sweet side. Very tasty.

Bottle from Haggerty. Pours murky brown with no head and a strong bourbon aroma. There is an intense toffee, rye and fruity malt flavor with some brown sugar and lots of bourbon. Wow, this is a fantastic beer. Complex and tasty.

Bottle. Pours muddy caramel brown. No head. Nose/taste of dough, bourbon barrel, vanilla, oak, toffee malts, rich dark caramel and red fruits soaked in bourbon. Smooth bourbon warming alcohol finish. Medium body.

Big thanks to Kan for sharing this, another HOTD I have been wanting to try. Poured a dark brown with no head. Aroma was big caramel malt, a hint of sourness, and some wood. Taste is much the same, a tiny bit of carbonation, just enough to give it a bit of life. Really big flavor, not quite as well integrated as the Adam in my opinion, but some vanilla, wood, bourbon, sweet malt and distant bitterness to back up the big sweet flavors. Definitely not my favorite of the different Fred offerings, but tasty nonetheless.

Bottle at DLD12. Not sure who’s this was, but thanks, I always like HOtD. Brown orange with almost no head. Rich caramel dough aged oxidized aroma. Caramel doughy sweetness. Malty and a touch of sour. Too oxidized. But OK. 8/3/7/3/15

2011 Bottle. Thanks to Hallinghansen. Pours cloudy dark orange with bubbles on top. Aroma is complex and delicious. Wood, bourbon, vanilla, fruit and hops. Flavor is smooth and vinous. Dark fruit, oak, vanilla and a pleasant alcohol warmth. Slick and vaguely sticky. Waauw - delicious! Thanks Jacob!

Bottled. The aroma has some raisin, nice fruitiness, bourbon, woody tones. Slightly hazy, amber-copper coloured beer with an off-white head. The taste is sweet, has a nice bitterness (good bitter/sweet balance), has bourbon, red fruits, hint of grapes, some fruity hops. Nice and full. Good one.