Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Jason

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz brown stubby with a vintage date of 2004 on the cap. A small amount of sediment stay still during the pouring. Served at cellar temperature.

Appearance: Thick pancake like head with a webby trail of lace all over the glass. Clear brownish garnet color is brilliant against the light.

Smell: Enthralling aroma of fresh hops hits the nose with a stiff punch of grapefruit and mild pine. Light fruity esters and a caramel like malt are in the back.

Taste: Pungent right from the beginning, not astringent just really bitter from the hops. Then lays in the malt base which is a stable foundation of caramel and toasted sweetness. Some fruity esters jump into the mix as well as a clean yeast in the back ground. Towards the end things dry out with a faint fusel alcohol tagging along for the ride.

Notes: Perhaps a bit green though still damn tasty, drink it now for a good whack to the taste buds or let it sit a year or so to mellow it out. Either way Bigfoot a sure thing.

Bottled 2003 batch.

Appearance: The head is perfection, the lace is thick and sticky with a web like trail down the glass. Deep and dark amber color with a tawny reddish hues.

Smell: Perfumy hop resin aroma with a sweetish oily floral back ground, pungent in light grapefruit and vague piney scents. Esters throw a whiff of alcohol in. Some caramel in the nose within the blanket of malt sweetness that can’t seem to cover the hops.

Taste: The body is big, strong and unwavering. Well textured moderate carbonation. Flat out the hops show who is boss, bitterness is hard but with little astringency. Oily hops make for a slick and smooth mouth feel. As the hops roll over the taste buds the flavor becomes more rustic with a bit of earthy leafy hop flavor. Lots more to go around with the hops with citric and piney flavors. Maltiness may not be the dominant one though it still gives a good sweet push on the palate. Caramel and a toasted malt sweetness swirl around the hops and seem semi melded with each other. Alcohol is certainly not to be ignored either with a slow yet steady warmth, mild esters and a fruity character of ripe figs and prunes.

Notes: A bit more balanced than previous years with that same trademark hardcore hop character. This is the Big Mamma of hoppy barleywines and you have to love the stuff. This is a well aged beer if you have the willpower.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2004 21:18:09 | More by Jason

Todd

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2001: Hell yeah! A bit raw, but expected for such a young big beer. Lay this baby down for some years and you'll have a totally different beer ... but back to this one.

Dark copper, with a nice patchy foam head. Killer aroma of aggressive hops with a citric sting. A very creamy and smooth beer. Flavour is initially overrun by hops (grapefruity, piney, salty, leafy and raw as all hell), then the big malt sweetness (a tad treacle-like) and alcohol flavours kick in to smooth things out. Fruity? yes. Oh, and by the way, the alcohol is very present, warming and dangerous.

Treat this beer with the utmost respect ... sip and savour.

Anyone look at the inside of the cap? Gotta love that image of 2 campers sitting down with BigFoot and having some brews over a campfire. Hell yeah!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2002 19:33:09 | More by Todd

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 12oz short brown twist cap bottle, with a mountain landscape and some looney hick pulling a donkey. 1998 Vintage.

Appearance: Dark-red amber, with an off-white sticky head.

Smell: Loads of hop aroma (loads), and a strong alcohol vapor that is almost perfume like.

Taste: Rich, ripe and fruity. The extreme hop bitterness and high malt sweetness blend together nicely, providing a well balanced barleywine. A pronounced hop flavour strikes with every sip, and lingers to the point where you can taste the raw hop leaf.

Notes: A deceivingly powerful brew, that is sure to sneak up on you during a session. At 9.6%(abv) and roughly $11 a six-pack this is by far, one of SN's best brews. Find it, buy it and savour it with respectful sips.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-1998 00:00:01 | More by BeerAdvocate

Dcunicelli

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%

05-19-2013 22:21:52 | More by Dcunicelli

birdsellam

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%

05-19-2013 18:07:42 | More by birdsellam

Fubar1453

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -4.1%

05-19-2013 14:17:41 | More by Fubar1453

nick_asian

Nevada

4.25/5  rDev +1.9%

05-19-2013 07:17:51 | More by nick_asian

jkroese

Iowa

4/5  rDev -4.1%

05-19-2013 02:48:49 | More by jkroese

AGoodStout

Kansas

4.75/5  rDev +13.9%

05-19-2013 02:19:56 | More by AGoodStout

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4/5  rDev -4.1%

05-19-2013 02:02:39 | More by Photekut

bluestar0828

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%

05-18-2013 21:09:11 | More by bluestar0828

schopenhauerale

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev -4.1%

05-18-2013 20:18:47 | More by schopenhauerale

beernads

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -16.1%

05-18-2013 06:54:33 | More by beernads

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -4.1%

05-18-2013 06:17:29 | More by BrownAleMale

megamass

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -4.1%

05-18-2013 05:55:49 | More by megamass

davemathews68

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%

05-18-2013 00:29:09 | More by davemathews68

inanity

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -16.1%

05-18-2013 00:12:44 | More by inanity

jkrug5

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%

05-17-2013 22:27:12 | More by jkrug5

hackmann

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: copper body with a one finger beige colored head; not much on the lacing

Aroma: nice spicy hops tingles the nose with a rich malt backbone

Flavors: spicy hops up front, pine on the mid and finish along with alcohol, white grapefruit peel on the aftertaste, brown spice bread in the background,

Mouthfeel: rich style, thick, oily, alcohol warmth and alcohol peppery feel, moderate fizzy carbonation, bitterness up front followed by the sweet brown spice bread, white grapefruit lingers on the palate, full body, more bitter than sweet

To the Point: I like this ale; it is a sipper;

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 19:46:33 | More by hackmann

verge

California

3.95/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

2013 12 oz bottle from Total Wine & More in Brea, CA. Cool label and funny drawing inside the bottle cap of Bigfoot enjoying a beer with two humans!

Poured into a snifter/goblet forming half a finger of head. Gorgeous deep ruby/copper color, with just a hint of haze.

I can already smell this beer while it sits on the desk in front of me. A deep whiff reveals complexity, some smoke, dark malts, hops, and some alcohol as well.

My first sip is while the beer is still cool (I expect the flavor to develop as it warms), but it is already a perfect harmony of the malts, hops and yeast, with each taking its separate place but also supporting the others. No alcohol flavor yet, but there is some warming after gulping it down. Also a lingering dry hop aftertaste.

(My palette is not the best at finding specific flavors in the mix, but I've drunk enough good beer to recognize interplay between parts.)

As it slightly warms, I find the bitterness taking over more, and some alcohol shining through, and less of the malt is holding up. The balance is lessening, and it seems it's actually becoming more harsh.

A little bit of malt sweetness returns now after a few more minutes have passed. This seems to be the optimal temperature now, with some sweetness in the beginning, some alcohol in the middle, and minutes of hops at the end. Definitely complex! The balance is complete right here. Take note: serve slightly cool, not refrigerator cold!

Mouthfeel is right in the middle. Not creamy, not too prickly, maybe just a little on the watery side.

I'm still new at barleywines. This is a BIG, bold, hoppy version of one, which I'm sure would mellow out with age. Not really my thing, but I can certainly enjoy this as I drink it. Lots to take note of during consumption. Certainly wouldn't turn one of these down if offered to me again.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 19:28:18 | More by verge

barefoot71

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.1%

05-17-2013 15:41:50 | More by barefoot71

Xzfgiimtsath

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%

05-17-2013 12:43:33 | More by Xzfgiimtsath

iHeartMNBeer

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%

05-17-2013 04:40:16 | More by iHeartMNBeer

vancean2

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%

05-16-2013 22:35:08 | More by vancean2

mverity

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +13.9%

05-16-2013 21:41:56 | More by mverity