Sierra Nevada Bigfoot

	Percentile
	98
	overall

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Chico, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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Ratings	Average	Score	Seasonal	ABV	Style Pctl	Serve in
2032	3.89/5.0	3.88/5.0	Winter	9.6%	92.1	Snifter

Commercial Description:
Gold Medal Winner, Great American Beer Festival (Ales: Brown, Bitter and Pale 1987, Barleywine 1988,1992,1995). Sierra Nevada Bigfoot is an award winning example of the English Barley Wine style. It boasts a dense, fruity bouquet; an extremely rich, intense, bittersweet palate; and a deep, reddish-brown color. This ale is superbly balanced between an almost overpowering maltiness and a wonderfully bittersweet hoppiness.

Beginning Gravity:23 Plato
Finishing Hops:Cascade & Centennial
Dry Hops:Centennial, Cascade & Chinook
Bittering Hops: Chinook
Ending Gravity:6.0 Plato
Yeast:Top Fermenting Ale Yeast
Malts:Two-row Barley Malt, English Caramel Malt, Dextrin Malt

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poisoneddwarf (163), Rathdrum, Idaho, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	5/5	6/10	5/5	16/20

Oct 2, 2009

Beer # 100. 12 oz bottle. 2009 vintage. Ah, Bigfoot! For beer #100 I had to review the beer that got me hooked on craft beer about 10 years ago. This vintage isn’t as great as past years. That first year (1998 or 1999) was a standout. So was 2008, their anniversary edition. This year’s isn’t as exceptional as those examples, but it’s pretty damn good. Aroma is of bananas, spiced apples, caramel--strong malty presence. Pours a huge head with good lacing. Dark copper hue. Light carbonation. Initially sweet, turns bitter. The bitterness and strong alcohol presence linger. This is still my favorite barleywine.

curly (575), Nashville, Tennessee, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	4/5	9/10	4/5	15/20

Oct 1, 2009

Pours amber with a slight haze and a frothy tan head. Aroma of citrus hop, malt, honey and berries. Taste is sweet dark fruit, berries, and caramel. Alcohol is noticeable but not overwhelming. Very well balanced beer, has a roast and hop bitter finish.

ScottyP (314), Brentwood, Tennessee, USA

3.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.9	8/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Sep 28, 2009

Pours a clear amber with off white head. Aroma of caramel fruit, hops, and malt. SImilar taste, great hop bite at the finish. Great barley wine with a hop character that sets it apart.

dnoaksson (165), , Sweden

3.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.7	7/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	15/20

Sep 26, 2009

Kraftig beska dominerar smakbilden, tränger nästan ut allt annat. Smaken är annars stor och intensiv, på gränsen till bedövande. Sierra Nevada gör en aldrig besviken.

Fevernova (43), Ohio, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Sep 21, 2009

2009 12 oz Bottle -- Dark amber with thin soapy head. Smells of sweet malts, dried fruits, and hops. Heavy mouth feel with massive hops. Initial sweetness accompanied by hints of fig, pine. On the finish the sweetness drops out quickly leaving a long hoppy aftertaste.

BrewingFan (56), Texas, USA

4.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.2	9/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	17/20

Sep 19, 2009

When I first poured this beer I was blown away by the intense hop aroma. Very surprising for a Barley Wine. It appears to be a bit hazy, another aspect I didn’t expect. Gets better with age so put one away.

Fratto (691), Arlington, Texas, USA

2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
2	4/10	2/5	6/10	1/5	7/20

Sep 14, 2009

I really couldn’t get into this one. The aftertaste was a killer and lingers too long.

rabba9 (66), Chaska, Minnesota, USA

4.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.1	7/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	18/20

Sep 13, 2009

2008 bottle pours a nice reddish brown with a thick tan head. Aroma is fruity with hints of caramel malt and raisins. Taste is an immediate powerful sweetness with a nice long lasting bitterness. Hints of caramel, toffee, dates, and citrus fruit. Balanced to the extreme as both the initial sweetness and the bitter finish are intense. I’m generally not a fan of barleywines but this one is very enjoyable.

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