Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws (2003-)

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

12 oz bottle courtesy of ditmier. Thanks Eric. 2007 vintage. Pours a murky amber-brown with a small off-white head that has good retention and some lacing. The aroma is strong and unique with flowers, honey, plums, raisins and something that reminds me of county landfill. The flavor follows the nose, to me this is all kind of weird, but in a good way. This reminds me of some of DFH’s offerings. The mouthfeel is full, smooth and malty, with soft carbonation. The finish is long and sweet with mild hops and honey. This was not what I was expecting, but its not bad. I could get used to this. Cheers.

Bottle from 2008... Pours an orange brown with a off white head.. Aroma is honey and floral hops.. Honey sweetness a low lingering hop bitterness. Kinda DFH 120 minute-esque.. Low carbonation and very easy to drink.

Apples, raisins, plums, molasses, fruity bitter hops in the end. Caramel and toffee as well. Slightly sour and a bit like hard candy.

2006 bottle, thanks Jared. Pours a deep amber orange, dark copper if you prefer, with thin off-white head, minimal lacing. Aroma of a nice citrus and herbal hops, very nice malt backbone, caramel, and spices. Flavor matches well, but has a sweetness that starts to take over in my opinion. Maybe with a little more age, this will be just about right, or maybe I prefer younger, I will have to try both!

Bottle from ’04 obtained in a past trade. Pours out a dark amber color with some reddish hues. Still a decent amount of carbonation hanging around which produces a lasting thin tan head. Aroma is of dried fruits, chocolate, sweet malts, alcohol and shocking there is still a few notes of a hop bitterness. Taste is very complex, sweet sticky mouthfeel, sweet candy-like notes with some dark cherries, molasses, slight hops and a little biting alcohol on the finish. Very solid.

Bottle thanks to ryan poured dark and copper, decent of white head with aromas that jumped right out of the glass of hops and malts the taste was of both this one was a little more hoppier than fred but not over hoppy very well balenced chewy and thick sweet and smooth but I did like fred better imo

12 oz 2004 bottle thanks to pineypower. Wow did this one hold up nicely. Poured a deep dark ruby reddish brown with a small bubbly beige head, actually lots of head for a 5 year old BW. Aroma of chocolate, toffee, caramel, vanilla extract, sherry, citrus hops and alcohol. The flavor is mostly dominated by caramel and toffee but a little bit of oxidation is noticed and some cardboard notes are creeping in. Thick syrupy body with still noticable carbonation despite the age of this one. I’m still impressed how the hops have held up in this one and how great it was drinking.

i could see a half inch of sediment on the botttom of the bottle, and there was no head before a vigorous swirl produced a trace. intense hop aroma followed by some sweet malt and honey...quite intruiging. smooth medium to full body, fully masking the 11% abv. smooth. taste is way more in balance than i expected. best HOTD i’ve had to date. lots of floral and bitter hops, but expertly balanced with malt and the honey is the perfect touch. no sissy weak ass honey ale will ever do the trick again.