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

Dope

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a dark mahogany with a huge and foamy light brown head. Fades very slowly, leaving a perfect patchwork of lacing behind. Nice island of foam sticks around for a long time too.

S: Brown sugar, caramel and molasses. Some cocoa and leather.

T: Starts off with some caramel, brown sugar and a little...butterscotch? Lots of leather in the middle with some cocoa and smoke. Almost get some tobacco in the finish with some earthiness. A little more smoke in the aftertaste too. Spicy alcohol lingers.

M: Fairly heavy but not overly so. Nice and thick - appropriate for the style.

O: Not a bad old ale. Most are very fruity and this one is not. Quite smokey with lots of tobacco too. Great if you like that in a beer but I'm not a huge fan. I still enjoyed it and can appreciate the complexity and balance, but the choice of flavors didn't agree with me that much.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 04:12:40 | More by Dope

dngilb

Oklahoma

4.78/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: black, big tab head, highly retained lacing.

Taste: chocolate, toffee, butterscotch, leather, grapefruit, apple, hazelnut, smoke.

Mouthfeel: full bodied... Surprisingly effervescent for such a full body. Thankfully so... It's big.

It's a big delicious desert! Thank you Adam.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 04:22:14 | More by dngilb

danedelman

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to thebeerbug for giving me this one.

A-pitch black with a nice tan head that stuck around for lacing the entire glass.

S-very savory, roasty, toasty dark malt. hint of molasses and smoke is somehow in here.

T-chocolate malt hits you first followed by a hint of smoke and some bitterness. Very well balanced.

M-thick and good.

OVerall-thebeerbug comes through again and gives me this insane stout. I have to say I was off the stout kick until I became friends with him. Great brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 19:36:18 | More by danedelman

jegross2

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewing Adam from the Hair of the Dog Brewing Company.
Score: 93

Batch 84. According to Hair Of The Dog's vintage chart for Adam, Batch 84 was brewed on 10/11/11 and bottled on 01/12/12. vintage bottle served in a Goose Island silver goose Matilda glass and enjoyed on 01/19/12.

Appearance: Pours a deep chestnut brown color with two fingers of foamy khaki colored head that slowly receds to a thick and creamy layer. Amazing lacing with ridiculous cling. 5/5

Smell: Light vanilla, chocolate, leather and hops. A little bit of "vodka-like booziness" too. Light grains, malty caramel, a modest amount of "smokey banana" and a little dark fruit too. 4.25/5

Taste: A lot more smoke up front than the nose led on, but the amount of smokiness here is by no means approaching what you would expected from a smoke beer. There is oak, cocoa, spice, dark fruit and a little "musty" caramel malt. There is a subtle fruitiness present too with a mild alcohol warmth on the tongue. 4.25/5
Complex and balanced flavors

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, medium carbonation, creamy mouthfeel. Dry finish. A little sweet. 4/5

Overall: A delicious, readily available old ale that is a little rough around the edges fresh. This beer is a prime candidate for aging.

Recommendation: Seek this one out.

Pairings: Dark chocolate.

Cost: $5.99 for a 12 oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 10:39:49 | More by jegross2

Gobzilla

California

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2002 vintage

A: poured pale brown in color with pale yellow highlights and hardly any head that barely left any lacing sticking to the glass.

S: wnoa!! Lots going on here consisting with lots of caramel, brown sugar, lots of malty sweetness, smokey character, dark fruit such as plums, mild booze, hints of leather and a little apple as well.

T; it definitely tasted old which was bombarded with leathery tabacco flavors, burnt caramel, maple syrup, stale brown sugar, a little plum coming through, hints of smoke character but very little booze on the taste.

M: the brew was medium in body with a low amount of carbonation which had a leathery, old tabacco, dark fruity, smokey, sweet,,and sticky slick finish.

O: very fortunate to try this beer that old and was pretty delicious considering how old it was. Good lookin out whoever brought to woodshop tasting.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 19:22:07 | More by Gobzilla

IvoryFoxhole

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass. Batch 84.

A = Like Hair of the Dog Fred, pour carefully, as high carbonation means head explodes and lasts for a long time. Leaves pretty thick lacing. Beer is a dark brown with maybe a burgundyish tint to it.

S = definite smoke tones, some chocolate, some alcohol

T = smoke dominates, reminds me as much of a smoked porter than the old ale it is. Can barely pick up the figs, maybe something leathery. Not quite as together as it should be. You pick up the alcohol burn at the end

M = pretty thick, definitely carbonated and alcoholic

Good, not great. Definitely prefer Fred to Adam; am going to age a bottle and check back in a year and see if that helps.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 00:12:57 | More by IvoryFoxhole

pschul4

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottle #3 from Libbey, this is what I've been waiting for!

A- Pours a medium brown with a 1.5 finger head

S- Lots of smoke in the nose with some malts in the background and very faint hops

T- Wow! Tons of layers here. First the malts hit you followed by smoke then leather than a little bit of hops in the end. It's a big beast of a beer thats for sure

M- Super creamy which is PERFECT for what it is

O- Love LOve LOVE this beer! Simply world claas!

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 04:50:49 | More by pschul4

birchstick

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a deep brown with slight hues of red with a huge, billowing head. Nose is dark fruits and leather. Taste opens up with sweet sugary malts up front that slide to some dark fruits (fig and raisin) A bit of ashy burnt flavors are subtly in the background and then a dry woodsy bitterness rounds it off. Mouth is creamy and full. Overall, this is a solid old ale. Chocked full of flavor and really nice complexity. Wish I could have grabbed a couple more of these

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 01:32:01 | More by birchstick

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.73/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to FosterJM for this one!

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass at cellar temperature.

L – Ruby-brown color with an immense 5-finger tan head that does not go away. Not much lacing, though.

S – Lots of aromas in this one – rich nutty and toasted malts, toffee, molasses, chocolate, vanilla, leather, plums, and dark cherries. Very complex. I can’t wait to see what this tastes like.

T – Follows the aroma plus more. Starts off sweet with hearty nutty and toasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, molasses, and rich dark fruits like plums, cherries, and figs. Finishes with earthy, leathery, and smoky flavors, along with a subtle earthy and floral hop bitterness. Tastes phenomenal.

F – Medium-to-full-bodied with not much carbonation, a sticky and chewy mouthfeel, and a smoothly bitter and dry finish. Earthiness and bitterness lingers for a great amount of time and complements the throat-warming alcohol sensation.

O – All too often, beers smell complex and leave me asking for more in the taste. Not this time. This is one of the few beers that I’ve had in which the flavor offers even more complexity than the aroma. This was delicious and insanely drinkable for a beer or its style. Great, great offering from HOTD. I’m so glad I got to try this. Thanks James!

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 00:27:55 | More by BlackBelt5112203

DivaTron

4.63/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Dark chocolate brown with a red tint when observed in the light. A thin head with modest lacing.

Smells of coffee, smoke, and honey, with a hint of melon sweetness.

Tastes quite bitter with none of the syrupy rich sweetness that I often find in strong stouts. It's front forward and bold, tastes roasted.

Mouthfeel is somewhat flat, but rich and full-bodied.

Overall, excellent. The appearance and mouthfeel are nothing special, but the smell and taste more than compensate. This is an especially expressive dark brew and must be tried!

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 03:52:34 | More by DivaTron

yamar68

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Huge thanks to match1112 for gifting this one! Poured into a brandy snifter at cellar temperature:

Pours a murky crimson/black, with a velvety two fingers of brown cream head. Great lacing and retention.

Mmmm... overripe cherries, figs, fresh leather, brown sugar, some faint licorice notes, caramel, hardwoods, rather complex while maintaining a great sense of balance.

The hop character is what I'm most surprised by. I love Old Ales like this one - all those earthy, dark fruit qualities that you'll find on the nose are echoed in the taste but still balanced with a pleasant hop profile. Very nice.

Very thankful to have had the chance to try this one. Thanks Matt!!

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 00:22:17 | More by yamar68

joefuzz

New York

4.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 85

Pours a very deep brown with a very decent sized mocha head.

Smells wonderful, leather, peat and dark cherries

Taste is very fruity at first figs, plums, raisins, and bing cherries come to mind and finishes with a tobbaco leather flavor.

Mouthfeel is old ale all the way thick and low carbonation

Overall this beer is world class I have to pick up more and see how it ages

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 02:01:06 | More by joefuzz

Duff27

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Big headed whore, tan. Brown body. Great head retention and splotchy lacing.

Caramel, dark fruits, slight smoke.

Smokey, "leathery" for sure...enjoying that aspect. Caramels. "peaty". Cherry notes after some great cheese.

Very full mouthfeel with a great carbonation point.

Yum, like Brian said, "best non-BA old ale there is". Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 21:58:33 | More by Duff27

cvm4

Mississippi

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bath #82

A - Pours a dark cola or rootbeer. Light tan 1 finger head.

S - Sweet brown sugar, raisins, dark plums and vanilla oak. Almost a bourbon barrel aged smell. The nose is phenomenal.

T - Lots of wood & oak. Not as sweet as the nose. Loads of molasses and dark fruit. Very rich taste.

M - Full bodied, medium carbonation.

O - Best old ale I've had. No complaints at all with this one.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 19:24:09 | More by cvm4

Axic10

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

After having a conversation on here with Barrythebear, I was "assigned" drinking a bottle of Adam and Adam from the Wood and review both. I decided to drink them side by side. Hooray Science!

Poured into a Swamphead snifter. Batch 84.

Appearance: Deep dark brown, poured with very little head which settled down to a thin off white layer swirling on top. When held up to the light nothing comes close to passing through. Great lacing throughout the entire time I drank this.

Smell: Leather, tobacco/smoke, dark fruits and an alcohol sting. Very good nose, smells fantastic.

Taste: Raisin, plum, fig, chocolate, smoke (but not rauchbier levels), and leather

Mouthfeel: Full bodied and very very smooth.

Overall: A great readily available Old Ale that has always been enjoyable whenever I've decided to open it. However in the side by side, I think that Adam from the Wood is the superior beer, albeit by a slim margin.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 02:11:12 | More by Axic10

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, batch 82, bottled on 3/17/11, poured into a snifter.

A- Pours a dark brown color, nearly black, produces a finger of creamy tan head, nice retention, leaves some good lacing.

S- Sweet, decadent aroma of figs, raisins, and brown sugar. Also some notes of leather and booze in the background.

T- Big notes of leather, tobacco and figs up front. The booze and sweetness is more tempered than in the aroma but contains some nice flavors of fruit, molasses, and a bit of sweet alcohol. Has an earthy, tobacco flavor with some subtle hop sting towards the finish.

M- Full-bodied, smooth and creamy, alcohol is present but not overpowering.

O- A really nice sipping beer, flavors are complex, the fig and leather flavors are done very well.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 08:03:29 | More by WillCarrera

Trystero

Ohio

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Backlogged circa 12/25/2011

12 ounce bottle poured into a Hair of the Dog Tulip. Batch 77.

Appearance: Deep rich midnight purple; opaque.

Aroma: Spiced dark fruits, candied plums, slight hop citrus, vanilla oak with hints of pepper.

Taste: Wood and oak, followed by distinct hearty black pepper coupled with candied dark fruits; plums and raisins. Slight smoked oak residuls linger on the finish.

Mouthfeel: A full and well proportioned body and excellent balance.

Overall: I tend to be more of a "Fred person" but I can't deny the impressive display of brewing that is Adam.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 15:13:43 | More by Trystero

minnesotaryan

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Psychotia brought this over. Thanks! This is a super rich and delightful beer.

Poured into a New Belgium globe, pours a deep black with ample khaki head. Leaves moderate lacing.

Smells smoky has hints of dark fruit and chocolate.

Taste follows the nose, wonderfully smoky, lots of figs, leather, tobacco and various dark fruits. Rich and complex.

Mouthfeel, this is full bodied, leaves a lasting taste, definitely a sipper.

Overall this beer is wonderful, lots of complexity going on.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 04:21:17 | More by minnesotaryan

B967ierhunter177

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours black with rust showing under light. There's a thin haed and lasting lace. The aroma is chocolate with molasses and dark fruit. The flavor is dark roasted malt, baker's chocolate, anise and a hint of smoke. It's mouthfeel is thick like cough syrup. It has afleeting warmth as it goes down. Hair of the Dog Adam is a good beer, mild for it's strength. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 01:24:04 | More by B967ierhunter177

sureshot08

Arizona

4.08/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Nearly black with light brown head that dissipates to a thin layer, good lacing, small particulates in suspension.

Smell: Smoky, chocolate, malty.

Taste: Smoky with fig, raisin, caramel.

Mouthfeel: Rich and creamy with moderate carbonation.

Overall: A good sipping beer. Not available around here, but would try again if it crossed my path.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 01:07:53 | More by sureshot08

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours nearly black with maybe a red tint at the edges. Half finger tan head with good retention and lacing. Dark fruits and a hint of malt in the aroma, sweet. Flavor of sweet roasted malt followed by dark fruit, malt and an alcohol sting. Medium body with a nice mouth feel. Interesting and complex. Worth aging.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 03:32:07 | More by LiquidAmber

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Hair of the Dog
Adam
12oz, Batch 79
Pinocchio's snifter

A: Pours a murky brown color with ruby red hues showing up through the light.  Basically no head except for a slight tan ring around the edges and some light bits in the middle.  There looks to be some carbonation but can't see through it. Alcohol feet for sure.  Mild lacing.

S: Tons of dark fruits right away.  Prunes, plums, raisins, etc.  Also, getting some toffee hints when I go back in.  And I do get that leather, which is nuts.  Maybe some vanilla too.  Smells BA'ed but it's not.

T: Very complex and amazingly made beer!  Upfront you get some bitterness, either the hops used or some dark bitter chocolate.  Then it blends into that earthy, woody, leathery flavor that you smelled.  It actually coats the sides of the mouth and works it way in.  Also getting that dark fruit character but not as much as the nose.  The toffee is there as well.  The finish on this one is extremely long.  Flavors just keep on meshing together and changing.  The booze is hidden nicely, but there is some throat warming after a while of sipping.

M: It's a full bodied beer.  Very chewy but not as thick as some of the RIS out there.  You can drink it.

O: This is an A beer for sure for me.  Really edging on A+.  Really like this one.  Surprised I hadn't had it before.  Very Barleywine like.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 03:29:42 | More by inlimbo77

ehammond1

California

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (Batch 80/2010)

Thanks for opening this with me, BdubleEdubleRUN!

(Aged for 1.5 years)

Tasted side-by-side with batches 76 and 82.

Dark, muddied crimson, dark amber, and brown with a moderately sized brown head that stays for quite a while. This eventually leaves just a bit of residue down the glass, but not much.

Big aromas of leather and tobacco, alongside earth and dirt, and dark, sweet fruits, namely cherries, along with just a bit of roast and chocolate. Interesting, complex, and unique, like most Hair of the Dog offerings.

The flavor, just like the aroma, is rich and complex. Big notes of leather and earth lead the way, along with some dark fruit and mild chocolate. This hides it's alcohol extremely well.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Really quite nice, and easily the best of the three batches I sampled.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 21:30:35 | More by ehammond1

KDawg

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had from tap at HotD. Poured into a pint glass and pours a dark brown color with a small head.

Rich, but balanced, aromas of espresso beans, chocolate, caramel and some warm toffee aromas. Very pungent and very good complexity.

Full bodied and extremely smooth. There isn't even a hint of the alcohol on this. Great depth and polish with wonderful notes of toffee, warm caramel, dark chocolate and some bits of smoke notes as well.

This was killer stuff. One of the best brews on my trip to portland and I was damn glad I finally had a chance to try it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2012 19:39:54 | More by KDawg

sprucetip

Alaska

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch 85

Dark but not quite like a stout. Thick tan/brown head looks creamy, stays for a little while and leaves thick lacing.

Malty sweet and boozy elements are prominent. It is also roasty and woody, though no wood was used making it. The boozy heat is a bit strong, but I suspect would fade with time given the chance.

Malty sweet, a bit of roast, and a modest bitterness that balances exceptionally well early but then shows more on the palate after the finish. There is an earthy/woody component too, though this isn’t a barrel aged beer. I can taste the booze a bit, dark fruit, and maybe even the hops slightly. There are not a plethora of things I can point to, but it all melds together with great synergy and is delicious.

Low carbonation, very rich full body, modest warming, and some bitterness after the drying finish.

This is an extraordinarily delicious beer. I’m pretty sure this batch is pretty green yet and likely to improve with some time in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 05:16:36 | More by sprucetip