Doggie Claws - Hair of the Dog Brewing Company / Brewery and Tasting Room

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

2012 release, a 12 oz. bottle poured into a munique stemmed glass. The liquid portion comes out sort of a natural apple cider brown and just as hazy. There is a ton of setament floating around in this one. Not usually something I like , but when held up to the light it has a nice glow that I like. There's a tangerine citrus colored cap that erupts after a pretty hard pour, various different sized bubbles. Good amount of lacing and the cap sticks around for quite awhile.

Smell is awesome. The first thing to jump out at you is the hoppy smell, it's very hoppy, but it's certainly not overwhelming, probably because there's a lot going on. Hop aromas of pine and some slight citrus peel/zest and some nice floral notes going on too. It's very sweet smelling, it's almost like a candy coated date/nut blend then glazed with sweet holiday liquor. Good malt backbone and some honey sweetness as well. A touch of alcohol in the nose that warms and tickles, but not as strong as you'd expect on an ABV this high. Really nothing not to like about the smell.

Taste is just as outstanding as the smell, maybe the slightest big robust. Again, there's a great amount of sweetness, but not quite a sugar bomb that you'd expect by my description. Seriously, you can almost pick out some liquid sugar and/or honey. Still there is a super generous portion of hops and according to the label amarillo and simcoe (2 of my favorites). Not much of a taste even though it's a strong ABV. Everything blended together is quite nice, really a quality tasting beer, I'm getting upset that this beer is going away.

Mouthfeel is actually really good. As I said before, I'm not usually a fan of beers that arn't well filtered, but this is good. Full bodied in every sense of the word without crossing into the syrupy category. Sweet and smooth with a nice clean finish. Speaking of which, I can't believe how clean this beer seems to feel. Mainly because of the setament, it looks like it would feel dirty (in the bad way), but doesn't! Oh, and like most quality beers, the carbonation is done right, and there's not really a bite from the alcohol, more of a warming feeling (nice on a crisp night like tonight. A really drinkable beer too. I could have drank this a lot quicker, but I intentionally paced myself so I could enjoy this.

Really such a great beer, probably one of the best barleyywines I've ever had the privilege of trying. Thanks Gregg for a sending ANOTHER great beer. Now I'm going to hit the "review button" so I can enjoy the last ounce or two remaining.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 02:32:47 | More by AndyAvalanche

Falcon91Wolvrn03

California

4.34/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Batch 2011 opened in March 2013

Appearance – Pours a dark ruby copper color with a medium head that leaves a nice lacing.

Smell – Honey, raisins, caramel, and a sweet booze.

Taste –Quite a bit of hops that I didn’t pick up in the smell and made it less sweet than expected. Also caramel, honey, and a touch of malt.

Mouthfeel – Very smooth and creamy; lightly carbonated.

Drinkability – A very drinkable barleywine. The bottle emptied fast for an 11.5% abv beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 06:23:21 | More by Falcon91Wolvrn03

Trystero

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Logged from notes circa 8/10/2012 at Neighborhood in San Diego. 2011 release

Appearance: Murky ruby hues and slightly caramel colored. Milk froth head.

Aroma: Toasted caramel, sugared candies, breakfast pastery with very pronounced bitter hop profile.

Taste: Sweet, rich caramel and candied sugar melds into thick citrus and bitter hop notes. Amazingly balanced and well rounded. It's aged remarkably.

Mouthfeel: Slightly viscous with strong residuals.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 02:34:43 | More by Trystero

timc100

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +10%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

2011 vintage

Pours a dank murky brown with a creamy beige head that sticks around. Aroma is intense of huge sweet caramel and grapefruit citrus, bitter pine and raisin - definitely can tell it is on the fresher side. Taste is incredibly sweet - butterscotch, toffee, grapefruit, dark fruits and honey. There are some slight floral notes as well. Lighter body than expected - medium and chewy.

Overall this is fantastic, the best American style barleywine I've had. There is a big fresh hop presence but does not over power.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 05:58:54 | More by timc100

Uncle_Jimmy

California

3.7/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance- Ruddy Reddish brown and opaque with 2 fingers of witeish brownish head some lacing and some floaters (yeast?)

Aroma- baked bread burnt carmel brown sugar

taste carmel toffee plum and prune. like a boozey dr. pepper. More drinkable than Fred I think would like to have tried this one barrel aged of cellared for a bit like the label suggests. Hops are peppery and well balanced.

Mouthfeel - syrup-y and full bodied bordering on cloying . the booze gives you a bit of a hum at the end

Overall- I think this is more drinkable than the Fred its a big beer and one that I could have only a few of. also it seems like it may be a holiday beer in which case I could see it pairing well with heavy holiday foods like turkey and prime rib(the game-ier the better) maybe even lamb. The mouthfeel is a bit sticky, but i have only really came across one cloying beer (sneaky pete).

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 23:21:19 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

tectactoe

Michigan

4.26/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours thick and menacingly; a musky, cloudy, burnt tan color. Almost like completely opaque apple cider. Little bits of sediment float around and give this brew an even more unfiltered look. No holds barred, right here. A slightly off-white head caps this one off, leaving minimal lacing and receding rather quickly. Aroma is very sweet, maybe even a bit too sweet, but still highly inviting and manageable. Deep syrupy aromas, graham crackers, sweet brown sugar, warm molasses and burnt toffee. Heavy on the nose, leading me to believe this is gonna be one thick, badass barleywine.

Taste hits first with those thick and sweet syrupy flavors; molasses, toffee, caramel - all in a combination of being toasted, burnt, and extremely sweet. Crispy and toasty malts follow closely behind. Alcohol is noticeable, almost giving off a very slight nail polish remover flavor/aroma. Sweet fruits eventually join the party; sugar-coated plums, sweet candied black cherries, pears, and apples. Hops? Slightly grassy and earthy, even a bit ashy... but fuck 'em. This is a super-sweet malt bomb, and a decently crafted one at that. The body is thick, but not quite as syrupy as the taste or aroma may have you believe. Low carbonation, but fitting for the style.

Damn good barleywine. Very sweet and full of sugary flavors; malts, fruits, and just straight up sugar. Flirting with the line of being "too sweet" - don't know if I could have more than one of these. But split between our tasting group, the sample I had was perfect. I'd definitely go back to this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 18:08:55 | More by tectactoe

jvillefan

California

4.21/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: A very hazy brown with a head that dissipates very quickly (too be expected from 11% ABV)

S: Roasted malts are at the front of this aroma with an almost bourbony aroma.

T: Deep malt flavor. Very complex. There are very strong caramel and wood flavors in the front of this beer. There some great bittering qualities present in this beer probably from Simcoe hops.

M: Heavy but not as heavy as I expected from an 11% ABV beer. Low carbonation.

O: A very good beer. Not an everyday beer but worth picking up.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 01:01:19 | More by jvillefan

DimensionX

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2012 vintage

A: Dark amber colored with a light bronze hue visible around the edges of the glass. Highly carbonated, had to pour slow, great lacing and head retention.

S: Smells like big floral hops, piney and fruity, almost estery bubblegum but could just be overall sweetness/sugar.

T: Very hoppy with fruity citrus and dark pine flavors dominating, almost a spice like quality, not sure what. Rich malty backbone supports this interesting flavor combo, dark and deep with a dry finish.

O: One of my favorite barleywines lives up to it's reputation once again. Like all American Barleywines this beer greatly improves with cellar time.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 22:53:34 | More by DimensionX

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.23/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 Vintage poured in to tulip.

A - Very murky dark brown; swampy. Next to no head formed on the pour; just a few scattered bubbles around the edges of the glass.

S - A big hop aroma up front with some citrus and pine notes that immediately give way to a big sweet malt profile with caramel, toffee and brown sugar. Some fruity aromas in the background as well.

T - Good balance overall with a sweet malt base and a big hop presence coming together nicely. Lots of dark caramel, brown sugar and toffee from the malt bill and some citrus and piney hop flavours come through as well. Lighter candied raisin flavour in the background.

M - Medium to full body. VERY light carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 15:24:13 | More by TheSevenDuffs

porntipsguzzardo

Oregon

3.48/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Completely flat.

Look, it tastes good, but it sucks to finally find and buy a beer that you've been craving for some time, and look forward to having it all day, only to get home and have it be flat. Regardless of the taste, it's just such a disappointment.

I've googled it, and this seems to be a common problem with this beer - I bought it twice a few years ago, and it was flat both times then, too. I gave up on it for a while as a result. I know it's not supposed to be - I finally tried it again once earlier this year, and it was great - richly carbonated with a thick, sticky lace. I thought they had solved whatever problem they were having.

Cleary they haven't.

I love Hair of the Dog - they're one of my favorite breweries in the world. They can do better than this.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 06:32:56 | More by porntipsguzzardo

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

2012 bottle.

Appearance. Pours a murky deep brown with a little amber. Very still, no head ...hmmm.

Smell. Sweet caramel and piney hops with a little citrus, sweet spice, and light fruits.

Taste. Caramel, piney hops, brown sugar and oranges with a little light spice again and some bitter citrus rind in the finish.

Mouthfeel. Full body with just a little warmth and completely flat.

Overall. This is a tasty beer, no doubt of that. The lack of carbonation is just inexcusable from professional brewers, especially from one with such a reputation for a quality product. Very disapointing, I think this would have been amazing if it was done right.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 04:00:03 | More by Rutager

JCam9981

North Carolina

3.4/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

12oz 2012 vintage, poured into a a Raleigh Beer Week snifter.

A: Pours a murky brown with no head. If I hadn't poured it, I'd have thought someone handed me a glass of farm made apple cider. It's hazy and there's no penetration even when held directly up to a light. When tilting the glass, the beer leaves streaks of carbonation on the side.

S: Smells of alcohol, toffee and apple skins, although the latter could be my mind playing tricks on me.

M: Thick. Yet another comparison to apple cider.

T: Alcohol up front and a slight burn on the finish. I'm getting a lot of malt, almost a bit salty.

O. In reading the other reviews on here, it appears that about 1 in every 10 has the same experience I did. Not sure if this is due to bottle storage - I drank mine just a few days after delivery - or if I just drank this bottle too soon, but it's definitely one of the stranger beers I've ever had. I've got about half a bottle left, and I can't decide if I'll finish it.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 01:03:29 | More by JCam9981

lighthabit

Oregon

4.4/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

one of my first barley wines . . .

2012 bottle poured into a sniffer style

A: hazy deep orange. big head, but was poured relatively warm, so to be expected. very nice lacing the whole way thru

S: can't quite place the smell , but enticing, if not a bit boozy since it's warmer than i'd usually pour. i can see why a few here mention leather, i can sense a faint bit.

T: smooth, surprisingly, since i usually don't care for some of the strong ones as they warm. the malts seem entirely more smooth and complex than what i'm used to, which i like. hops seemed mutedi'm looking forward to putting a few of these on the shelf and trying them next year, lots of potential.

O: in spite of a less-than-fair initial try, this did very well. i'm looking forward to experiencing it aged and served properly.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 08:17:24 | More by lighthabit

draheim

Washington

4.45/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle (2010 vintage) into a tulip. Pours a clear amber/mahogany w/ a huge thick fluffy white head, great retention & lacing. Looks like whipped cream.

Aroma is sweet and fruity. Candi sugar, toffee, rum-soaked dates, floral hops.

Taste, like nose, is fruity & complex. Residual sugars, dark candied fruits, warming booze. Hops balance the sweetness expertly. A Belgian-style American barleywine.

Mouthfeel is balanced and smooth. Good carbonation, lingering aftertaste.

Overall this is easily one of the best barleywines I've had. Drinkable, balanced, delicious. Not sure why I waited to long to open one. Will be buying a lot more of these from now on. Glad to already have a 3-year vertical going.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 07:01:33 | More by draheim

bitterbeerguy

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Vintage 2010

A: ruby red meets rusty orange. Small 1 cm head, and clear as can be- left a little sludge in the bottle

S: can smell from across the room. Leather and fig notes with some booze. Slight bourbon oak aroma

T: boozy and pleasant! Really really smooth. I am surprised about the leather flavors, with raisins and some mild mulling spices. Not a pinch of hops.

O: really really solid Barleywine. So smooth! Would love to try fresh!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 02:55:25 | More by bitterbeerguy

kawilliams81

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 vintage. Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Half Acre snifter.

A- pours a dark amber with a 1 finger tan head. Small bubbles of lacing rim the glass.

S- brown sugar, toast, citrus, pine, candi sugar.

T- big amber malts and brown sugar, oranges, pine and spicy hop bitterness.

M- full body and medium carbonation. Some dryness but there's enough sweetness to balance it.

O- good Barleywine, reminds me of Bigfoot but sweeter and better.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 03:11:26 | More by kawilliams81

Googs

New York

4.6/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2011 Vintage poured into a Hair of the Dog tulip.

A: Lovely. Auburn/amber color with an off white one finger head. It's very frothy and dissolving slowly into a good 1/4 inch head thats not going away. Alcohol legs sticking to the glass.

S: First, I'm getting sweet malts. Heavy raisin bread and caramel mixed with some earthy, floral hop aroma. Slight citrus notes, orange or grapefruit. I could sniff all day.

T: Taste follows suit to the smell. Rich caramel malts with a touch of honey soaked biscuit. This vintage isn't very old so the hop aroma and bitterness is still quiet present. A nice fruity bitterness. I'm even getting a slight dark chocolate in the after taste. Delicious. A complex brew, that shares some characteristic with other HoTD beers. I believe it's the Scottish yeast strain that Alan Sprints uses.

M: Medium body with moderate carbonation. There's a really nice creaminess to it, which makes it easy to drink and not something I have to sip necessarily. Flavors coat the mouth and linger nicely. Alcohol is present, which is not surprising me for the ABV of the beer. You can feel the warming down the throat and in the stomach. I like my big beers.

O: This is my second time having this beer and I must say, I love it. It's great holiday Barleywine and by far one of the best American style Barleywines. The first bottle I had was a 2010, so it had two years of age on it. It was a more balanced, with less bitterness and less heat from the alcohol, which goes to show that this beer ages gracefully as the label suggests. I'm planning on doing a vertical of this one. Get this if you can, really. But consider cellaring a few.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 00:55:22 | More by Googs

switzer

Oregon

3.03/5  rDev -28%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

2012 bottle purchased a day ago.

i think i need to try another bottle. in reading the other reviews (other than one that seemed to have the same issue i did) this looks like a tasty brew. i couldn’t get over the feel, thick, no carbonation whatsoever, no head at all. the taste was good but i didnt get the right experience and i didnt finish the glass.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 18:18:16 | More by switzer

Auracom

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2012 Vintage at the Hair of the Dog's brewpub in Portland. 2 oz. served in a taster tulip on November 29th, 2012.

A - Slightly lighter version of Adam, white thin head with great lacing and marginal retention.

S - Plentiful piney hop resin. Touch of caramel and candied sugar underneath.

T - It's actually better balanced than anticipated. Initial tropical fruit and pine sap meld with toffee, rye bread, and honey at mid palate. Lingering bitterness into finish.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation, semi-dry finish.

D - Yeah, it's a solid American barleywine here in its super fresh state. Absolutely need to try an aged version to see how it transforms.

Serving type: on-tap

12-05-2012 23:15:02 | More by Auracom

matttttYCE

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 Vintage. Can't remember who it was from. Big thank you, whoever it was.

Light tan colored head, a little more than a finger high. Light on lace, but retention is decent. Deep and murky amber brown colored liquid. Looks appealing for a barleywine. Even for a 2011 this is still quite a hoppy smelling barleywine, which is awesome. Bitter and fruity/grapefruit and citrus (orange) hops but they aren't overpowering. Behind that are caramelized malts, sweetness, toffee, dark fruits, lots of dark fruits, peanut brittle, and honey. Awesomely complex. Taste is great like the aroma. Hoppy and resinous but you can tell it's mellowed. Wonderful malts, sweetness, candi sugar, toffee, dark fruits, maple syrup, touch of brown sugar, man this is good. Maybe some honey also from the nose. Medium full body, medium carbonation and consistency, and a smooth lingering finish.

This is a great barleywine. I might be a bit biased as I really enjoy barleywines, but this one is definitely one of my preferred ones that isn't barrel aged. I can only imagine a bourbon barrel aged version of this. Case in point, I think this rivals SN Bigfoot one of the best hoppy barleywines.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 08:39:17 | More by matttttYCE

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.18/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle opened on 11.26.12

2012 Version

A - Pours a murky light brown with a huge explosive tan head that doesn't fade.

S - Hoppy citrus, then sweet malts, toffee and carmel.

T - Oranges, carmel, grass.

D - Lots of carbonation and a medium body.

O - Hoppy and a bit unbalanced, at first. Then it warms to almost room temperature and I am in heaven. Great beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 07:39:35 | More by HuskyinPDX

Brandywine

Washington

3.55/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance. Super murky brown. Very viscous but with absolutely no head. Nice lacing with big clear bubbles. Tons of big alcohol legs.

Smell: honey, over ripe fruits soaked in sugar, baked apples, subtle citrus from tbe hops. Total malt bomb.

Taste: hop bitterness right up front. Grapefruit and lime. Big honeyed malt backbone.

Mouthfeel: on the lighter side of full. There's pretty much no carbonation. Don't know if I got a defunct bottle in that regard.

Overall: this brew has potential but suffers from a lack of complexity and no carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 01:26:21 | More by Brandywine

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.3/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours rusty brown with a small tan head that fades almost immediately. No lacing.

The caramel/toffee malt has definitely taken over after a year. Burnt brown sugar and some booze complement.

A little bit of faint citrus hop remains, but is quickly enveloped by toffee and brown sugar even more so as the beer warms. Booze coats the tongue and it finishes with a nice alcohol burn and an earthy bitterness. Much different than the hoppy profile of a young Doggie Claws, but both are enjoyable.

Fairly full bodied with medium to low carbonation. Very warming as the booze sting is felt a bit, but tamed down a bit from a fresh bottle.

Getting harder to find this one as HOTD is scarce in IN anymore, but I love the various stages of this beer. Bright and hoppy in its youth, after about a year, this one is more of a boozy English style barleywine at this stage.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 21:31:07 | More by jmarsh123

mdaschaf

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to FalconA for sharing.

A: Pours a hazy ruddy brown color with a large tan head on top. Very slow dissipation with streaky lacing down the sides.

S: Wow, surprisingly hoppy, would not guess it a barleywine if I didn't know. As it warms there is some citrus fruit, caramelized sugar, brown sugar, and a little bit of alcohol.

T: Initially very hoppy, just like the aroma with some nice citrus fruits, but as it warms a bit of caramel and toffee come out, a bit if sugary/sweet malt, and a little vanilla.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation. Rather smooth, slightly warming, but a bit booze kick is missing, a good thing.

O: A very nice (and hoppy) barleywine. Can only imagine what happens to this beer over time. Can see it being a very interesting beer to vertical.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 07:10:25 | More by mdaschaf

Jeffo

Netherlands

4.4/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got a bottle of this on a wim from Boozecamel. Cheers for the hook-up man!

From a bottle into a snifter
Vintage: 2011

APPEARANCE: Pours a one finger, medium looking, off-white or cream colored head with good retention. Head fades to a splotchy wisp and ring. Opaque roosewood red in color with medium levels of carbonation. A ring remains until the end but leaves no lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Very hoppy nose on this one. Caramel and toffee for sure, with lost of piney hops and citrus grapefruit, lemon and orange peel on the nose. Very fruity and very hoppy for the style, though the malt backbone is still part of the show. Great stuff.

TASTE: Caramel, toffee and bready flavors up front, with lots of floral and citrus notes at the swallow. Grapefruit, lemon and orange peel again. Big and lingering aftertaste with plenty of citrus, toffee and brown sugary sweetness, as some nice floral bitterness. Very flavorful with a touch of alcohol as well. Great stuff again.

PALATE: Medium body and carbonation. Enough weight and very creamy smooth on the palate, goes down smooth with a bit of a scratch and finishes quite sticky on the palate. A bit of heat at the back. Good feel, nicely creamy, though I'd hoped for a touch more weight for top marks here.

OVERALL: Great beer. HotD impresses yet again. Some might say this is too hoppy for the style, but that's fine with me. Lots of hops in this one, but the barleywine malt base shines through nicely as well. A slightly heavier palate here and you'd have a real monster. Thanks again for the chance at this Boozecamel. This was excellent.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 14:07:37 | More by Jeffo