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

cosmicevan

New York

3.3/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Notes from 8/24

Thanks to hannont for hooking this one up...shared with the local group in a HotD horizontal. poured into a HotD taster.
2009 vintage

a - pours a maroon orange with proportional creamy head that hung out. murkly. looks nice. the bottle was a bit of a gusher.

s - smells great. as soon as the bottle opened, i could smell the flandery goodness. upon closer inspection it was actually SUPER oaky. the oakiness is rather intense and is a bit odd. from a distance this one smelled great, but up close not as wonderful.

t - again, a bit odd. super funky. don't really love it. not awful, but not great. just funky and acidic. spontaneously fermented funk.

m - oaky on top of flandedrs. fizzy and carbonated.

o - overall interesting. glad to taste it but won't be seeking it out. the oak dominates bringing a big vanilla on the flanders. might be a better beer if not put in the barrel.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 01:34:34 | More by cosmicevan

Hugonaut13

Illinois

2/5  rDev -47.2%

05-19-2013 02:39:21 | More by Hugonaut13

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.04/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks trxxpaxxs for sharing

The beer pours a rusty brown color with a very loose off-white head that fades without lacing. The nose is pit fruity, floral, slightly vinous, with very little alcohol.4 The taste is definitely fruity and sweet upfront, consistent with the nose, followed by a faintly woody finish. There is not nearly enough oak or dryness. I'm assuming it would probably dry out/become more complex with a bit of age, which would make the mouthfeel quite supreme. This is a delicious Flanders, a bit too sweet, but with lots if subtle fruit flavor and great potential.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 05:56:21 | More by ThePorterSorter

ajzy

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

05-14-2013 15:57:07 | More by ajzy

merc7186

New York

3.86/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to Trxxpaxxs for sharing this bottle.

12oz bottle into snifter.

A: Reddish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Rose Hips, Tart Cherries, Mild Honey

T: Rose Hips, Tart Cherries, Mild Plums

M: Average Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Tart

Overall, a pretty basic flanders red with decent tart cherry but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 03:16:23 | More by merc7186

maximum12

Minnesota

2.65/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Big thanks to bfg75 for procuring a few HoTD bottles for me; this is the last survivor of that fine trade. I tip my cap to him, the bottle, as I pop it open. 12 oz. bottle from the 2012 batch split with my wife, who loved the last Flanders we had.

Faint hiss on the pop, & only nine microscopic bubbles greet the eye on the pour. Swirling raises no further breathe of air/liquid interaction. It is a very nice color of copper cut with mud. Nose is dominated by sherry & cherry, with a faint zing of vinegar.

Michael suffers from a lack of that thing most beer has: carbonation. What flavors exist fall flat as stale potato chips or dried Twizzlers. Sherry, muddled fruits, & a heavy hand of yeastiness. Drying oak wanders, shot through with cellar must. Sort of tart. Six ounces is more than enough; I'd have been fine with three.

Hair of the Doggie has been hit or miss for me, & this is a whiff. Flat, not very flavorful, & expensive. 0-3. Doesn't even touch mediocre, not a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 03:33:05 | More by maximum12

cgentzkow

California

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

05-02-2013 17:56:04 | More by cgentzkow

BAsbill

California

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

05-01-2013 21:48:47 | More by BAsbill

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Batch 1 from 2009 poured into a matching HOTD tulip. The brew appears a hazed orange color with yellow around the edges. A frothy khaki colored head sits atop with solid, perfect retention and patchy lace that paints the glassware.

The aroma starts off wild with cheese and vanilla oak. Some fruit mildly like cherry imparts some medicinal aspect to the overall smell. However, it remains very enjoyable smelling with perhaps a bit too much focus on the barrel aging.

The flavor opens up with a bit of a tang. A lot of barrel character is like raw wood and almost too much vanilla for the style. A mild astringency ia present, mildly herbal to medicinal flavoring towards the finish.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. So smooth and easy drinking. I felt it is missing some vinegar and more sour cherry notes indicative of the style but collectively its pretty nice. Maybe just a bit too much focus on barrel character but this was a nice brew that I wouldnt mind having more of.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 14:34:18 | More by stakem

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.5%

04-27-2013 23:48:37 | More by Kegatron

Kelp

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +5.5%

04-23-2013 04:47:27 | More by Kelp

juliusseizure

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%

04-15-2013 01:08:11 | More by juliusseizure

nmann08

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

04-14-2013 01:39:46 | More by nmann08

Nzinger

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

04-09-2013 01:44:45 | More by Nzinger

Magnus23

Oregon

4.74/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A big take on a Flanders Red. I was a little suspect of how this would work, but I am happily surprised. Another delicious beer from Hair of the Dog. Big fruit and a little funkiness and souring. Also can taste the alcohol, but not overwhelming for a beer of its strength. Goes very nicely with a cheese plate or even a good stew. Warming, comforting and at the same time very fresh tasting.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 03:06:39 | More by Magnus23

thegerm87

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

03-29-2013 01:51:01 | More by thegerm87

SDG1070

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%

03-24-2013 01:09:38 | More by SDG1070

WDJersey

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

03-17-2013 03:51:26 | More by WDJersey

tectactoe

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Murky copper color on the pour, not as much red as I would have guessed; only a mild translucency at the very edges. A small, grey-tinted head bubbles up and quickly settles to a ring around the glass.

Aroma contains a touch of sourness; tart cherry, sour apple, lactic, acidic and very vinegar-like with very, very mild vinous notes in the end - juicy grapes and mild alcoholic character. Oak notes are pretty heavy in this one, too. I'm sensing a bit of funk, but I'm not sure if there's actually brett in this, or if my mind is just playing tricks on me. But seriously, there's a very mild funk in here somewhere, I can smell it, dammit! The tartness leads into a finishing, fruity sweetness.

Michael isn't as sour on the palate as it was on the nose, but it still delivers a handful of fruity goodness; apples, cherries, grapes. Lots of vinous notes popping out now with a mellow booziness that remains smooth and laid back throughout the duration of the sip. Pretty creamy on the mouth, which I definitely wasn't expecting. The wine notes get stronger as this one goes on; the oak booms halfway in and leads strong into the aftertaste; lots of wet wood and a mild funk that makes its way back again. The finish is vinous with sweet grapes and cherries, a touch of alcohol, and lots of oak barrel. Medium carbonation, thin-medium body with a lightly creamy mouth feel.

It would've been a little better had it been slightly more tart, but it was still pretty damn good. Easily drinkable and refreshing, I'm not sure how old this one was, but I think it had some age on it. Nice wine-like characteristics and a big contribution from the oak barrel.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 22:57:19 | More by tectactoe

popery

California

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%

03-12-2013 06:58:02 | More by popery

MasterSki

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by ChrisPro. Served in a snifter. This was the 2009 batch I believe.

A - Off-white foam settles to wisps, a thick collar, and little else. Murky orange body.

S - Cherry vinegar, oak, a hint of dill, some lactic notes. There's a hint of funk that gives this a mild musky note to it, but this is largely an acidic, sour beer.

T - The taste has a bit more residual malt sweetness. Lots of wet oak, hint of leather and tobacco, sweet tarts, lactic sourness, and less overt vinegar. Finish is slightly vegetal.

M - Dry, medium body, with well-hidden alcohol. Medium carbonation - this eventually developed bubbles, as I remember it being flat out of the gate.

D - A bit more oak and acetic than I like more Flanders beers, but miles better than it was on release. Alan's beers are built to age and this was no exception. Enjoyable at this stage, but still only a good take on the style. I'd drink it again

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 05:26:09 | More by MasterSki

joel66

New York

3/5  rDev -20.8%

03-07-2013 02:01:50 | More by joel66

Boilerfood

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

02-24-2013 02:20:37 | More by Boilerfood

afrothunder

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%

02-18-2013 23:37:35 | More by afrothunder

Gobzilla

California

4.23/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a burnt brownish orange with reddish highlights and a thin bubbly head that barely left any lacing sticking to the glass. Plenty of sweet fruity aromas upfront on the nose consisting of cherries, dark fruit with a little vinous character, subtle vinegar, good acidicy and nice oaky wood presence. The dark fruit were more apparent on the palate with great cherry fruit accents, vinous barrel character, oaky wood notes with plenty of acidicy, lingering vanilla and a touch of brown sugar. The brew was medium in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a fruity, acidic, semi sweet, oaky, mild vinegary and tart finish. Good lookin out beezler on this bottle, drank good and was solid all around.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 10:48:37 | More by Gobzilla