Sierra Nevada Bigfoot

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

On tap at Ashley's, Ann Arbor. Great all-encompassing malt, quite alcoholic but not in an Old Stock Ale kind of way, good hoppiness (but not up to Hog Heaven status) - yummy, but I didn't like it as much as I expected

2000 Vintage. This is my 200 to celebrate six years of hell, I mean marriage. This was my last bottle of the six I bought before our wedding day. Pours dark amber, with a wisp of a head. Deep rich malty aroma with some floral hops. Maple syrup, crystal malts, caramel, brown sugar are all the complex malt profile. This is offset by an aggressive, spicy hoppiness. Great mouthfeel, rich and smooth. Sugary finish that transitions to a bitter and spicy hop bite before it goes down the throat. This one held up well for an old favorite.

CELLAR CHECK 2007 Vintage. consumed at room temp- I shit you not. Great aroma, with melded notes of rum soaked dark fruits and caramel. Right now this well balanced. Plenty of bitterness left to counter caramel, toffee, cinnamon, candy red hots. Warm finish with the good kind of booziness. 3 years on this is good. REAL good. A-8 A-4 F-9 P-4 O-19

Bottle. Almandine garnet body with a fluffy white head. Nose is sweet and has some raisin. Flavor is a bitter, yeasty, doughy, and sweet like honey. The taste reminds me of fresh baked raisin bread. Finish is sharp and sweet, and just a little bitter. Very good. Not a session beer, but absolutley a beer to have again and enjoy. To sum up the flavor: hops, hops, hops, and more hops.

Copper with an off-white head. Aroma citrus, a bit of malt,nutty. Flavor is sweet, and slightly bitter. A very enjoyable drink.

Well, as usual with Bigfoot I’m going to have a really tough time cellaring because I can’t resist drinking the stuff! I’ve heard some people say they think this year is inferior but I disagree. SN still manage to pull off a great balance of their intense hoppiness (which I love) with the demands of a rich, complex barleywine. This year’s seems a tad less chewy, which is good because it allows the sweetness and maltiness to come through a tad more. Sweet stuff!

Dark amber, nice head. Hop-fruity (apricot) aroma and flavour with a touch of chocolate. Full-bodied. Long bitter aftertaste. Excellent beer. I want more.

Intensive aroma hop aroma. Malty, very fruity and alcoholic. Off-white, foamy head, reddish amber color. Flavor is malty, medium sweet, light sharp alcoholic, light fruity and intensive hoppy. Intensive notes of aroma hops, herbal and fruity hops, bitter, dry end. Long dry, bitter finish.

On tap. Hops, dark fruit aroma with a hint of grapefruit. Dark dusty brown with a thinnish head. Hop assult is quickly balanced by alcohol and toasted, almost burnt malt. Silky mouthfeel.