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

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

standardcherry

Massachusetts

3.79/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

2002 vintage! I was surprised to find that this was a screw-top.

A: Dark red/brown color. Thin white head with little lacing. Looks alright I guess.
S: Surprisingly this still smells a bit floral from the hops! Never tried it fresh to compare but I imagine it's a hop bomb. A bit of caramel followed by a slight metallic aroma.
T: Huge flavor. Sweet roasted malts, caramel, toffee, a slight hoppy bitterness. There's a bit of a stale flavor, not sure how to describe it. A big alcohol bite as well.
M: Thick bodied, creamy and sticky. Nice carbonation to my surprise.
O: This beer has held up very well for being 11 years old. I will have to try it fresh to compare but I enjoyed this one quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 04:56:00 | More by standardcherry

themind

New Jersey

3.81/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Paterson was right, Bigfoot lives! what a good example of a quality barleywine. ABV hidden well with a good aroma and satisfying taste. The brew was pretty smooth, if your looking to try a barleywine beer look no further. This is a great introduction to the BW style for newcomers to the craft beer World.

Bottom Line: Get some!

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 03:59:42 | More by themind

Vogie

Michigan

4.34/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

P: Served in a Duvel tulip glass. Pour is a nice amber color with about a half finger of pancake like head that leaves some lacing around the edges. Added some smoked cheddar cheese on the side.

S: Strong aromas reminiscent of a DIPA. Roasted malts and grapefruit are definitely present here.

T: Very hoppy and roasty. Definitely getting a strong grapefruit presence with some other tropical fruit sweetness in there as well.

M: Light body with a strong bitterness on the backend. Almost gets smoother as it warms.

O: Not a huge fan of this style or hoppy beers in general. I felt the taste was a bit rough and maybe would mellow with some age. However, I am trying to remain objective in this assessment. I did serve this with some slices of cheddar cheese, which was an excellent touch with the hop bitterness. Well made, not my favorite, but I appreciate the complexity.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 20:48:22 | More by Vogie

dc87

Washington

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Very attractive dark red to brown colour. Thin head, a little lacing.

S - Nice sweet caramel/maple smell, particularly after warming up. Getting a little floral hops.

T - Huge, nicely balanced taste. Wonderful sweet caramel taste up front, followed some spice and pine. Boozey. The aftertaste is very bitter and hoppy, with some orange rinds, and a little sweetness.

M - Thick, very light carbonation.

O - Very drinkable. Huge malts and hops. Would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 01:01:41 | More by dc87

MikeOlheiser

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

2013 bottle served in a pint glass.

Appearance- one of the best looking beers ive seen in a glass. ruby red with a bit of a brown. almost has a glow to it. has a nice creamy head that sticks around.

Smell- im not big on the smell, some alcohol, and obvious hops and malts in there. I dont get much else.

taste- very sweet with roasted malt. toffee and caramel. and a huge hit of bitter hops. it will linger and even hop heads may not like it. its not my kind of style, but even with the most objective review, this will bite. you get some alcohol in it as well, but not too much.

mouthfeel- syrupy, sticky sweet. a nice amount of carbonation. little creamy. im not big on the feel of this beer.

overall- this is my first taste of this style, and ultimately its a BIG beer. tons of sweet roasted malts, and tons of bitter hops. i wouldnt purchase this again just because its not my style, but for those who are looking for this, you may find alot to like in this beer. 330 calories worth! haha. enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 04:56:45 | More by MikeOlheiser

nbaeteer

Pennsylvania

4.01/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: 2013 version poured into a wide bottom wine glass. Nice ruby red color that really only lets light through in the center when held up to my tv. Sizeable fluffy cloud like head forms right away but dissapates fairly quickly although a thin layer covers most of the top of the beer all the way through.

Smell: Close my eyes and this could be mistaken for a big double IPA except for the more noticeable alchohol smell hiding behind the hop aromas.

Taste: Would be much, much better with some caramelly, toffee flavor to offset the huge hops. Taste in the back of the tongue balances everything out a little bit. Aftertaste says double IPA and when drank without any food or chaser the bitterness lingers too long for me. I get the feeling I'll still taste this tomorrow morning at breakfast. On the other hand, when paired with a nice blue cheese like I have here in fromt of me it's damn near a perfect pairing.

Mouthfeel: Viscous. Thick. Nice level of carbonation considering the style.

Overall: Man, with this amount of hops I would imagine this would be a great candidate for aging. Would be just awesome to do a ladder for a bunch of them and see how they age from one year to the next.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 05:22:03 | More by nbaeteer

nootch23

Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

This review is for a 2004 vintage bottle. Poured in a tulip glass.

A - poured a dark maroon, molasses color. Can't see nothing through it. Very little to no head on this.

S - all booze. Smells like a barrel aged beer would smell. Picked up on dark fruit notes, cherries, raisins, caramels underneath the booze smell.

T - absolutely delicious. Tastes nothing like it smells. Very smooth, fruity, no booziness to the taste. A little tartness to it which was expected but the fruit tastes definitely are in at the forefront of this little number. Really picked up some raisins, apricot, a little oakiness to it. Bunch of caramel.

M - didn't leave too much of a dry finish. Very smooth going down. Mouth was left with tastes of cherries and dark caramel. Really tasty aftertaste.

O - I was very impressed with how this bottle aged. When smelling the aroma, the booziness made me a little nervous since big boozy beers aren't my thing, but once I took a sip I was impressed with the different flavors that came to the front, more so than a bottle of a fresh Bigfoot. The smoothness really made it enjoyable to drink and it definitely mellowed out over time. Very well crafted barleywine perfect for aging.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 14:04:49 | More by nootch23

Apellonious

North Carolina

4.21/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle from 4-pack, 2013 version.

A - Cloudy dark ruby red. Thin head. Decent lace retention.

S - Grapefruit, dark fruit sweetness, toasted grains, faint booze

T - First sip is a decent punch in the face for your tastesbuds. A little harsh, but this is new, so I guess that is to be expected.. You get some dark fruit and bitter up front, toasted grains in the middle, and some sweet tartness and alcohol on the finish. The tartness makes the mouth water. Which makes you want more right away. Which makes this dangerous.

M - If I knew what perfect was, I would say this is close. Carbonation is on the milder side, almost creamy, but enough to keep it from being overly slick or sticky.

O - Still getting accustomed to the barleywine style, but this is one of the better offerings I have tried. WIll be setting aside a few of these for some years (at least that's the plan, we'll see how that goes) to see how they pan out.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 00:06:24 | More by Apellonious

Dave1999

Virginia

3.84/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a bright reddish brown with a small white head.

The smell is sweet and malty with some citrus hops.

The taste is very bitter with a sweet malty backbone. The hops are definitely at the forefront though. There is also a burnt flavour coming through.

The mouthfeel medium bodied with medium carbonation.

A pretty good beer, I wanted to like it more but the bitterness is a little to dominating.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 02:16:13 | More by Dave1999

flayedandskinned

California

3.91/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2013 vintage
Poured into a standard tulip glass

Appearance: Pours a lightly hazed amber/orange with a towering, frothy 3 finger off white head that has amazing retention. Loads of web like lacing left behind.

Aroma: Big resinous pine-y hops and sweet, juicy grapefruit. Wow, very hop forward for a barleywine. There are notes of sugar-y bready vanilla infused malts tucked underneath the hops. A little bit of alcohol shows more and more as the ale warms in it's glass.

Taste: A big wave of juicy grapefruit and pine resin similar to the nose strikes your palate immediately before a sugary and bread-y malt backbone calms everything and brings the flavor profile back into traditional sweet barleywine territory. The beer finishes off dry and bitter with even more notes of woodsy pine needles and sweet caramel malt left dancing on your palate. There is a light alcohol presence that becomes more apparent as the beer slowly acclimates to room temperature.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, somewhat viscous in texture with moderate carbonation.

Overall: This is the first time I've had this beer in a few years, and I can definitely see why it is often heralded as an American Craft Beer classic. It is definitely hard to believe that this beer has been brewed for over 30 years. It's bitterness can definitely stand up to a lot of imperial IPAs that are brewed today. It is somewhat stripped down in it's complexity, as this bottle very young, but I can definitely tell that this beer will just become deeper and deeper with a couple of years of age on it.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 03:15:21 | More by flayedandskinned

SportsandJorts

Michigan

3.54/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

2013 Vintage

Appearance: a deep brownish red. pretty hazy a little bit of floating sediment. three fingers of a tannish head. leaves a bit of a lacing.

Smell: strong vanilla and toffee sweetness smell, very pleasant start. followed up by some piney and spicy hop kick

Taste: strong piney and spice hop, not nearly enough of the vanilla and toffee or malts. some toastiness from the malts. This one needs a bit more time on the shelf

Mouthfeel: pretty bitter and sticky. i wanted to be a bit creamier

Overall: This one just didn't do it for me. i liked the idea of the toasted malts in the barleywine but the hop choice was off for me. I will hang on to some and see how it ages

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 00:33:43 | More by SportsandJorts

Bosoxfan20

Oklahoma

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2013 Version
A- Pours a clean ruby red. 1.5 finger cream colored head. Fantastic lacing and retention.

S- Nice combo of earthy hops, bready doughy malts, and spices. Some sweetness, but not overpowering

T- Big, robust flavors here. Awesome balance. Herbal hops up front give way to a nice, sweet malty backbone. Fantastic subtle spices and peppery notes also show up. Delicate and smooth. Warm finish that is slightly bitter.

M- mid to full body. Slightly dry. Alcohol is well hidden. Perfect carbonation. Crisp, clean finish. Mild drink ability.

O- A little harsh from it being so green, but an otherwise outstanding brew. Can't wait to try an aged version.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 21:47:07 | More by Bosoxfan20

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.85/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2013 vintage...

A: Pours a deep mahogany. Tons of dark reds. The head on this beer is one full finger of light beige froth. The foam takes forever to fade, but I get a really nice amount of lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose on this beer is sweet malt, alcohol, and a touch of bitter hops. Honestly... I can't get much more out of it. The booze is quite overwhelming.

T: Ohh boy. Right up front I get a nice mix of sweet and bitter. The malt and hops show up right away. But this beer changes quickly. I get a lot of alcohol, bitter citrus rind, and only a touch of malt to keep it sweet. It finishes the same.

M: Full bodied beer. It's balanced to start, with sticky sweetness and drying bitters. The booze and hops make this really bitter in the middle. The finish is hot, sticky, and back to sweet. But the hop bitters linger on the palate after the beer is long gone.

O: I don't know if I will ever quite understand the American Barleywine style. Why add hops to something that is supposed to be sweet and syrupy? Ohh well. This beer is alright, but it's super hot right now and would benefit greatly from a few years of cellaring.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 20:55:11 | More by trxxpaxxs

yankeepride

New Jersey

3.03/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.75

2013 bottle. It poured a really nice-looking garnet which opened up in the Chimay goblet I chose. Didn't have a lot of carbonation at first, rather lots of little bubbles that kept coming for a while. Smelled hoppy, but in a deep, imperial kind of way. Floral, not fruity. Interesting taste; taking a gulp, it has a bit of a not-well-hidden sweetness to it, but the hops are there to let you know who's boss. I enjoyed the initial taste, but thought that the hops lingered far too long afterward, and left a sticky, unpleasant coating behind. Overall, I was expecting some more malt presence, and was disappointed by how quickly the big hops came in and dominated the slightly sweet flavoring. It made me long for the quick burst of raisin/date sweetness that remained just out of reach.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 21:44:14 | More by yankeepride

RichieS2

Michigan

4.54/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

12 oz bottle poured into a brandy snifter.

A - Held up to the light the beer was a dark ruby red with light carbonation.

S - Very rich at the first whiff, promising something very malty but with a hop presence as well.

T - Starts super sweet, works its way to a high point then turns hoppy. Every flavor in it is to the max.

M - Very warm and thick.

O - Excellent!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 15:55:39 | More by RichieS2

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.44/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap served in a pint glass

A - Golden amber clear with 1 finger off white head with minimal lacing and moderate head retention.

S - Spicy aroma with great hop bouquet mostly flora

T - Interesting spice with a good sweetness and bitterness contrast and great full hop balance.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation

O - Pretty good, I'm not a huge fan of this style but I can really appreciate the quality of this beer.

Had this again in 2013. Amazing balance of big malt and robust hops.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2013 13:46:41 | More by williamjbauer

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

2013

A: Vibrant ruby red color with a huge, soapy, frothy, creamy, off-white and slightly yellow head. Tons of sticky lace and great retention. A little bit of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Really good looking ABW.

S: The hop aromas quickly fill your nose and then cane sugar, fruits, and floral scents come through. Pretty good but not as I had hoped.

T: Very balanced but a lingering sweetness throughout. Finish isn't cloying, though. Not as hoppy as I expected or desired but I did let this age for a few months. Really wish I bought more than one bottle so I could have had it fresh and compared.

M: Smooth, sweet, and creamy. Great body. Proper carbonation.

O: A fine ABW that is extremely drinkable and delicious. Was looking for a bit more from this, though.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 22:39:56 | More by Gatch

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.04/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into snifter.

A - Dark amber with a nice ruby hue when held to the light. Small off white head.

S - Earthy, piney hops and sweet roasted malt. Slight hints of booze and caramel. It's like a mix between a big stout and double IPA.

T - Similar to the nose, toasted bready malt and piney hops. Sweet up front, but bitter hops build up steadily. Alcohol is definitely present, but does not overwhelm. A touch of spice, vanilla and caramel in the finish.

M - Full bodied, smooth and creamy. Mild carbonation, slightly dry finish.

O - It's a great beer. I was pleasantly surprised with the assertive hop profile. Great balance, but considering the high alcohol presence, it's meant to be a sipper. I haven't tried an aged sample, but I can tell this would be even more delicious with some age.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 23:33:35 | More by mooseo

SSSBR1509

Florida

4.86/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Smell: Very hoppy floral notes, Quite a bit of sweet toffee notes and a slight breadyness, not too boozy smelling the alcohol smell is there but the hoppyness and the sweet toffee notes are definitely on the forefront

Mouthfeel: Its pretty thick it kinda coats your mouth and has a chewy feel too it

Taste: very strong hopness through out the whole beer but is balanced by caramel toffee sweetness , it doesn’t taste as boozy as it smells,

Overall: I love this beer Sierra Nevada has never let me down most definitely my favorite beer by them so far

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 23:41:27 | More by SSSBR1509

BrausBeforeHaus

Virginia

3.36/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Definitely American. West-coast hop profile with a high abv.
To quote Jim Carrey in "Liar Liar": I've had better.
In my humble opinion, this is more of a double IPA than a barleywine. At least on taste alone. Blame the simcoe hops. Blame my East-Coast bias. For some reason, this just doesn't add up. A good beer which will get you nice and toasty, I just have a hard time associating this as a barleywine and more as an imperial west-coast IPA. This is based off taste and smell, not how it is brewed. I devour most things Sierra Nevada, and while I am not disapproving, I extend a word of caution. Treat this as more of its own raw ale instead of a barleywine, and your palate will be appeased.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 04:24:29 | More by BrausBeforeHaus

Braz

Washington

3.96/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased at 99 Bottles.
2013
Appearance: Clear copper color. NIce bigtime cream colored head. Very slow to recede.
Smell: Sweet malty aromatics. A bit of toffee and yeast.
Taste: Sweet, malty and packs a punch. Caramel or toffee like. Booze is pretty well concealed but definately there. A little sticky but that's expected from this.
Mouthfeel: Very nice heavyness for sipping. Higher carbonation than I expected.
Overall: Very good. I was a late bloomer to Sierra Nevada but I've been seeking them out more and more.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 00:25:38 | More by Braz

gillagorilla

Maryland

4.65/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12 oz. 2013 bottle into a pint glass

A: Excellent thick head that remains for quite a while. A very nice dark amber that is slightly cloudy.

S: This smells like a slightly alcoholic IPA/DIPA. It is very much in the vein as a toned down 120. Quite citrusy and piney. Really does smell like a great IPA.

T: Well, it even tastes like a very piney IPA. God this is good. So, glad I decided to drink this tonight. It made up for the WWS and 120. The aftertaste is very resinous too.

M: It is quite smooth with coarse bubbles throughout. Very nice.

O: This seems like what 120 should be. What is up with the beers that I tried tonight? The WWS is the only one that seems to have been labeled right. Bigfoot and 120 should switch beer types. I really wonder what this would be like with some age on it when the hops die down. You can tell that there is another beer in there somewhere. I love this IPA, but it seems to turn into a BW with age.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 05:17:29 | More by gillagorilla

alex_hart

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

just bought my first 4 pack of the 2013 batch and poured my first into a chimay glass.

Appearance is deep amber with little evidence of an off white head. minimal carbonation that rises slowly.

Smells big and robust. Bitter hops, spices, and a hint of a slight sweetness to finish it off.

bitter hopps is the first thing to hit my tongue followed by strong spicing before a hint of malt and then finished off with more bitterness. Alcohol is not overpowering, but is also not very well hidden.

Medium to heavy body with a lingering stickiness in the mouth.

Overall this is not one of my favorites. This is my second time trying it (first of this year), and it is similar to what i remembered from before. This may just not be my style. I realize this is a highly acclaimed and well loved beer her on BA, but to each his/her own.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 01:53:12 | More by alex_hart