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

dasenebler

Maine

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Batch 74.

Pours a near-black hue with garnet highlights. Beige head laces beautifully and retains well.

Aroma is fantastic: big maltiness, with notes of chocolate, fig and tobacco.

Flavor is quite simply amazing. This is a huge malt bomb that occupies rarefied territory somewhere between barleywine, doppelbock, quad and strong ale. There is a big roasty, chocolatey flavor from the dark specialty malts, along with ripe yet dark fruity flavors thanks to the extensive malt bill, or so I'd imagine (would love to get my hands on this recipe!). There is a touch of earthy hops on the finish, adding to the extraordinarily well-balanced character of this beer. The alcohol is only noticeable in warmth during the drink, not in flavor. Mouthfeel is very chewy and thick.

Truly outstanding. My head floated away in malt-lover ecstasy as I drank this. A near perfect beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 01:07:44 | More by dasenebler

Gunslinger711

Indiana

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle into a goblet. Batch 77.

A wet, wood smell hits me first, which quickly gives way to a thick, fig/raisin scent.

Adam pours dark but bubbly, carbonation bubbles evident throughout the glass. Little head dissipates quickly.

For all of the carbonation bubbles, the mouthfeel is deceptively smooth.

The taste...this is the stuff. A dark roasted chocolate cake/chocolate truffle taste that gives way to a smooth smokiness.

This beer deserves it's spot. It's a dark smooth beer that starts with a chocolate cake taste and ends with smoky finish. I could drink a bomber of this easy.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2011 03:46:54 | More by Gunslinger711

dizknee24

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A dark black almost stoutlike. a nice thick 2 finger head

S leather figs and roast chocolate. smells great

T out of this world loving this. you have never tasted a leathery beer and said this is amazing but thats exactly what i did here.

M nice and thick. fills the palate and your good to go.

O first beer from HotD and i loved it. I need more right now. So give me some!!!

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 23:19:51 | More by dizknee24

Betmore

Ohio

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

*batch 77, 12 oz bottle poured into a snifter*

Subtle hints of brown around the edges are the only thing that keeps me from saying this brew pours black. A one finger, cream-colored head filled the glass quite nicely and then subsided into a thin film which produced some very nice lacing.

The initial aroma is all candied plum and raisin. As it warms, however, oak, leather, grape, subtle hints of sweet pipe tobacco, and even more sweet and fruity aromas that I just can't quite put my finger on begin to come through. Amazing.

Upon my first sip, I notice that although it drinks a lot more sweet than bitter, it's incredibly balanced. There is absolutely nothing out of place. Rich candied fruit, oak, and vanilla are the predominant flavors. Subsequent sips produce leathery, tobacco-like flavors. Alcohol, while detectable, is balanced perfectly in the background. If you haven't had this, believe me when I say, "It works". I'd love to pair this with a great steak.

Mouthfeel is on point. It's full-bodied without feeling like cough medicine or motor oil. Carbonation is perfect. It's neither fizzy nor flat.

This is a fantastic beer. I can't help but think that this would be the perfect brew to get your wine-only friend to finally break on through to the world of craft beer. This beer oozes compelexity and begs to be paired with a great meal. I'll be picking this one up again.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 01:11:34 | More by Betmore

Thehuntmaster

South Africa

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

355ml bottle 10,0% Abv.
Served lightly chilled in a tulip wine glass.
Batch 79

Appearance: Adam pours an exceptionally dark, opaque brown. Deep red edges are noted when back lit. A vigorous pour yields a tiny, creamy white head that basically lasts the whole way down. I usually want a large head and good lace from a beer, but this beer looks so good I'm not bothered. The tiny white bubbles cling to the glass and then cascade upwards if the glass is tilted.
It looks like the mouth feel is going to be awesome, sticky body (legs on the glass if swirled) and low carbonation would be my guess.

Smell: Massive aroma, I can smell this from a few meters away. Sweet, sticky preserved figs is the first thing that jumps out at me. Chocolate, plums, old leather, raisins, caramel, brown sugar and dark rum follow closely. Orange liqueur, earthiness, hops and smoke are also noted in smaller quantities.

Taste: Good Lord... and I thought the smell was complex. This is unlike anything I have ever tasted. Initially sweet and fruity, fading into a wonderful lingering hop bitterness. Brown sugar, caramel, figs, plums, chocolate, Christmas pudding, loads of rum, raspberry to name just a few of the flavours. A few more sips yield smoke and a touch of wood. Alcohol is well noted in the mouth, but it plays such a big part in the flavour that its absence would be to the detriment of the beer. The finish is amazing, touches of citrus hops and a superb lingering bitterness (nothing like an IPA, but I can still feel it an hour later).

Mouthfeel: Perfect!!! Full body, viscous and syrupy. Very mild and exceptionally smooth carbonation. This is what I wish every imperial stout / barley wine was like!

Overall: One of the best beers I have had. I will buy this at every opportunity!

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 21:16:03 | More by Thehuntmaster

bstave

Washington

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle (batch 84) poured into New Belgium snifter

A- Poured fairly slowly resulting in huge 3 finger frosting-like off-white head persistent head. Really sticky lacing. Very dark, but held to the light you can see some red.

S- Dark fruits, toffee, leather, chocolate. Not getting much alcohol. Wonderful.

T- Incredible. So complex with all of the different notes I am getting. Dark fruits, leather, toffee, and lingering dark chocolate and warm booziness.

M- So creamy. Surprising medium carbonation lends itself to a creamy mouthfeel. A delight to drink.

O- I have had this beer many times in the bottle and on tap at the brewery. This is one of my favorite beers of all time and snag one whenever I see it. I have never been patient enough to age this one. One of few beers that truly is a journey once you crack the cap.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 05:12:10 | More by bstave

mattmaples

Oregon

4.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is an awsome dark rich, smokey ale. not for the beer wuss. Big, stong and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2001 23:07:35 | More by mattmaples

brentk56

North Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Pours a murky dark brown color with a billowing tan head that leaves plenty of lacing. I was very careful with my first pour according to the bottle's instructions and got very little head; as I lifted the bottle into the air for a second pour, the head virtually exploded

Smell: Dried dark fruit, tobacco, peat, licorice and a bit of fruity hops; smells almost like red wine

Taste: Swirling this through my mouth I picked up a variety of rather sweet and pungent dark fruit and chocolate flavors on the front end along with a touch of raspberry; after the swallow, some bitter chocolate, licorice, tobacco and coffee flavors kick in and linger well into the finish where they are joined by the smoky peat flavors

Mouthfeel: Medium/heavy bodied with prickly carbonation; very smooth on the tongue

Drinkability: This is a spectacular Old Ale that is well worth the effort it took to seek out here in NC

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2005 21:49:49 | More by brentk56

beachbum1975

Ohio

4.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Ok, this reviews gonna be a little different compared to my other reviews, so take a seat and relax. So, here's pwoods bringing his 6 year old PC over to fix it for him... We just re-installed a new hard drive and Windows XP - but that's not why you are reading this review.

The new BA trader named bifristguard was kind enough to send a total of 4 x Hair of the Dog beers to me as extras in a recent trade (Holy crap! Cameron - you are amazing!)...

Well, pwoods and I (being the beer geeks that we are) start with the lightest offerings from Hair of the Dog and then work our way up... The first three were very nice and solid, unique example for their stlye - fair enough - but in the end, I may forget about them in the years to come. Moving along, we tear through the first three HotD's with no problem. We write up our brief reviews and move on (unexpectedtly) to Adam - Batch # 55.

The pours goes nice, as a deep ruby/brown mix with an average tan head and lacing... Nice, but no show stopper in the looks department. I then move onto the nose. This is where things begin to change gears... I get a complex mix of alcohol, sweet malts, tobacco, roasted almonds and perhaps some light brandy. Wow! It's time for me to put pwoods PC down and focus on this beer!

Batch # 55 of Adam reminds me of a walk through a dark cave on the way to lost beer treasure. The taste is full and complex with a mix of smokiness, peat moss, earth, alcohol and tobacco. I am a smoker, so naturally tobacco appeals to me... This beer had just the right amount of carbonation, sweetness, big flavor and complexity to make it extremely unique and enjoyable.

My favorite Old Ale to date. Congrats HotD - This is a sublime example of an Old Ale.

I want more!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2009 04:47:30 | More by beachbum1975

beerman207

Kentucky

4.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

First off - my apologies to Bamadog. I was hoping to split this with him but I couldn't resist giving this a try tonight.

A 12oz 2008 Adam bottle - batch 74.

A-Mostly black with a nice tan head that comes through. The head sticks around for a while. Wow.

S- Smells of plum, raisins, chocolate, faint smell of alcohol

T- Oh my lord this taste is amazing. The chocolate and raisins just come right in along with sweet plums and perhaps even figs? Wow. The alcohol presence is so well masked!

M- Great balanced mouthfeel.

D- The flavor and the balance of alcohol in this beer is remarkable. I paid $5.50 for this in a little shop in Pennsylvania and was taking the recommendation of the owner. He wasn't kidding that this beer is something special. If you can find it and like the Old Ale Style you need to give Adam a whirl.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2009 01:47:40 | More by beerman207

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks dakkon54!

batch 81 (bottled in September 2010).

Pour is a deep, dark opaque brown. Initial half inch head subsides into a small ring.

It smells aged, but not in a bad way. By aged, i mean a dry, sweet grainy smell that I associate with aged beers. Light smoke on the nose, hints of dried dark fruits, and just a bit of tobacco. This thing would pair so well with a good Cedar aged cigar.

The taste has charred wood everywhere. Hints of tobacco and cigar smoke come to mind, but not in a bad way. Theres enough sweet malt to back those cigar box flavors up. The roasted, toasted, and charred malt still dominated, but the body is there--enough to balance out the charcoal taste.

it drinks so smooth and easy. Its definitely 10%, and it drinks like it. Thick and heavy for sure. Lots of booze and dark fruit come somewhere in the middle. I shouldn't be able to drink a 10% like this.

Very, very well done Hair of the Dog.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 00:45:16 | More by VncentLIFE

FightingEntropy

Minnesota

4.83/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Incredible beer. I had at on tap at Hair of the Dog while doing the tour and brought a bottle home. The bottle has more smoke that non tap, both are woody with a lot of alcohol in the nose. The 10% ABV is less noticable in the taste but still there. Very "hearty" as per the label, leather and figs, and lots of dark fruit. The smoke mellows as it warms, so I think I drank it too cold but was unfortunately in a rush drinking it in the hotel and unable to bring it on the plane. Great lace, strong smoke. Alan Sprints, the brewer, said the style is between an alt and a rauchbier. Brewed in memory of friend and brewer Adam Kerchival. Great beer--go get a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2006 15:48:57 | More by FightingEntropy

beermanbrian

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I've been wanting to try this one for years. Old Ale's are a crazy style having huge range of taste. I've loved some, hated some. Let's see where this one stands.

Dark almost black color with the slightest hints of red. Foamy tan head, mimimal lace. Looking good so far, the old ales i've really liked are the darker ones.

Smell of dark fruits, figs. Some roasted malt and a hint of chocolate. Again this is a crazy style that you never know what you are going to get. This one is a cross between barley wine and RIS.

Full chewy body with some alcohol burn on the finish but it dosn't become cloying.

This one didn't let me down. An excellent brew that exceeded my expectations. This style is still a surprise every time I have one, but it is a pleasant surpise more often than not.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2009 00:51:41 | More by beermanbrian

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My cellar continues to amaze me with what is down there! This is a Batch 55 bottle with Batch 81 currently on the shelf at Pinocchio's. This will be a pleasant continuation to the day (I hope).

From the bottle: "Hair of the Dog brewing company produces bottle conditioned beers which improve with age. We are dedicated to providing the beer lover with new and unusual beer styles. The sediment you see is normal to the bottle conditioned process. Pour slowly to allow sediment to remain in the bottle."; "This ale is top fermented and cold conditioned to give it a rich and mellow smoothness. The unique garnet color is derived from specially roasted barley and the intense hop profile is provided by the use of only the finest whole hop flowers."

Needless to say, I can read and follow directions, so I used a very gentle slow pour. I got a most impressive dense finger of light-tan head in spite of my low-key pour and it had great retention! Nose was quite vinous, reminiscent of a dry red wine. Color was a deep dark-brown with garnet highlights and NE-quality clarity. Mouthfeel was relatively full with a lot of carbonation in evidence. My initial mouthful was somewhat hot, giving way to a tawny port-like taste. Wow! I am not a wine guy, but my uncle has been into wine for twenty-five years or so and I have had some exposure to it. The dryness of the finish was gasping in its intensity. I did not experience the hops mentioned on the label, nor did I really get much in the way of maltiness. Instead, this would probably stack up well against a sherry or a port. I am really impressed and will have to get some new vintages for storing. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Finally, the lacing looked as though it would take a jackhammer to remove.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 19:53:33 | More by woodychandler

syrupjoe

Minnesota

4.83/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into pint glass. Enjoying in the comfort of home. Pours a very dark brown color with hints of ruby around the edges. It's also evident that this brew is rather cloudy. Very thick, foamy light tan two finger head.

Nose: Fig, honey, molasses, cocoa, dark red berries, soy sauce.

Taste: Sweet chocolate, honey, resinous malt, fig, raisin, graham cracker. A bit of booze and tobacco in the finish.

Overall this is a massively complex and rich beer. I loved it. The booze is incredibly well concealed, only coming in ever so slightly in the aftertaste. Moderate carbonation and clean, slightly slick but dry finish. Can't wait to drink another one!

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 06:00:16 | More by syrupjoe

marcpal

New Jersey

4.8/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Been hanging on to this one for a while since getting it in a trade a while back from msubulldog25.

Felt the urge to finally break it out and enjoy it- and that, I did tonight.

Poured into an oversized chalice.

Batch #69

A: Dark red and pretty close to black in color. Dark mocha head that stayed substantial and the lacing was gripping.

By the way, love the look of HotD bottles, classy stuff.

N: Coffee, smoky, and chocolate. The alcohol is not hiding, this one is going to pack a wallop. A hint of raisins, more in the taste, but clearly dominated by smoke and dark chocolate.

T: On first sip, it reminds me exactly of figgy date pudding I had recently. Warming vanilla and strong fruits. As it warmed, the alcohol became more present and soothing- smokiness came through clutch and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.

Complexity is through the roof, well crafted. This is a barleywine, especially when the wafts and hits of licorice as it goes down. The smokiness is more in the aftertaste than the initial flavor.

M: Creamy, thick mouthfeel. Full bodied indeed- definition of creamy to the point of a thick root beer float. Warming alcohol in the drawn out smooth finish.

D: Great stuff. Complex as can be and delicious. The alcohol will catch up, but this sipper is a gem. Not at all too sweet but the right levels of most things- old ale? if so, still tremendous but seems more of a BW.

Hair of the Dog is just flat out great- I wish I had better access to this stuff. Just remarkable.

I eagerly want more of this beer and the others from these guys, whatever way possible. Hell, I might be moving to Portland soon.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2008 23:16:47 | More by marcpal

OSUBeerStudent

North Carolina

4.8/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Batch 79 bottle into a tulip, bottled January 2010.

A - great, an opaque brown with very billowy, mocha head that lingers pretty well.

S - great again. Very fruity compared to some batches I've had, strong fig notes. Also noticeable leather and tobacco, more tobacco than leather. Less sweet than Adam from the Wood smells, for instance, but some noticeable toffee. All-around excellent.

T - fantastic. Lots of fig with some dark, sweet cherry notes. Rich maduro tobacco and a bit more sweetness than the smell, largely goes with the fruit. Despite the sweetness I wouldn't call it a sweet beer - it's more of a richness, with enough bitterness to balance it out. It has the caramelization of a good toffee but without all the sugar. The aftertaste is more along the leather side. The richness and complexity of the best quads but without the Belgian yeast, giving it a character all its own. Really great and amazingly different from the Wood version, even, but you can tell that the Wood version evolved from this.

M - a little less full than I would like. The 3-year old bottle is well-carbonated but not fizzy. It's not thin by any stretch but with the richness of the flavor, it could use just a bit more body. Having had many bottles/drafts of this, I know it varies some.

One of my favorite beers, just finally took the time to review it. Wonderful for anyone who likes a rich, complex beer/old ale/quad. A great beer fresh or with plenty of age, along with its variants.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:22:38 | More by OSUBeerStudent

Murph

Arizona

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

Wow. Pours a dark brownish amber with a thin head that sticks. Complex aroma with roasted malt and alcohol dominating. Slight wooden undertones. Roasted malt, chocolate, slight whiskey, and slight smokey wood characteristics in the taste. I know there is a lot of alcohol in this beer but I can't find it in the taste. Very subtle hop character. This is one awesome beer. A lot of subtle characteristics that just beg you to analyze them. A nice beer but not for the faint of heart.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2002 19:42:57 | More by Murph

ccrida

Oregon

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

Batch #67, 12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip glass, Adam is dark, deep ruby, almost black. The head is thick and creamy, tan colored and two fingers tall. This looks a lot like a stout. Working my way down, the side of the glass is almost entirely coated in creamy foam or large spots of lace. Not what I think of for an old ale, but really nice.
The aroma is very rich malt, figs and some caramel.
The taste very malty and distinctly smoky. I was not expecting this, but it works really well here. There is a pleasant, slightly fruity sweetness of of fig and grape, as well as molasses. The hops are lost in the intense richness of the malt, with just a bit of bitterness on the finish, which suits me perfectly - I'm getting sick of these crazy bitter strong ales that need 3 years to be drinkable. There's also a warming booziness that is clean and not at all fuselly, giving my cheeks a pleasant glow.
The mouthfeel is rich and creamy but not to heavy, and is in keeping with it's RIS like appearance.
The drinkability is dangerously high, as this is a phenomenal brew and much stronger then it seems. I only had one in this sitting though, so my score reflects how much it left me wanting, rather then a testament to be able to easily drink a sixer of them.
All in all, another masterful offering from Hair of the Dog, with a great name that I'm happy to share as my own! I'd love to grab some more of these to cellar, but holding off on them would be a very difficult test!

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2007 02:35:59 | More by ccrida

jgasparine

Maryland

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

Bottle Sampled- Batch #72

A- Poured carefully from bottle to yield a thin foamy tan head, which quickly gave way to some edge lacing. The body is a clear ruby/garnet color... but so dark it appears black. This beautiful red color can only be seen from certain angles when held to a light source. No carbonation was observed.

S- The nose on this beer is simple, yet elegant: big aromas of [slightly smoky] roasted malts with some restrained hops playing second fiddle. No fancy words to describe the nose... but it is truly wonderful.

T- Big flavors of caramel and roasted malts punch through on the first sip, accompannied by hints of vanilla and candy sugar. Some earthy hop dryness comes-in midway, in PERFECT balance with the big malt flavors (I hesitate to use the term "hop bitterness" as that doesn't accurately describe the hop flavors). The finish is very long and sweet. This may be one of the best beers I have ever tasted in my life.

M- BIG mouthfeel- textured with tons of unattenuated sugar and the perfect compliment of soft carbonation. Totally chewy. An absolute dream!

D- Wow. This is nearly perfection in a glass. I could sip this all night if it weren't for the 10% ABV. Not exactly the beer to reach for after mowing the lawn, but it works wonderfully spring, fall and winter. What a delight!!

Note: I also sampled a bottle of Batch #40 alongside this one... and I can attest that this beer ages EXTREMELY well, developing a significant madiera character with time!!

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2009 14:33:26 | More by jgasparine

Offa

California

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

This is an incredible beer, rich and complex, yet amazingly smooth and easy to drink.

Deep, deep red and basically black, it has a big tan head slowly shirnking and leaving a little bit of weak lace.

The aroma is rich dried figs, caramelised dark raisins, hints of chocolate and coffee, smoke, toffee.

The taste is rich but not to heavy, complex, highly balanced. It is faintly smokey, with dark caramelised fruits, hints of spices, hints of leather (as the bottle indicates- I didn't notice it at first but it comes on clearly after a few sips), light hints of bourbon, stronger near the finish. It tends slightly towards the sweetish side, but not cloyingly so, with a little faint bitterness, spice, and alcoholic warmth to help balance and carry it, however all of these are tame and the result is smooth. It is highly drinkable for the strength.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2009 00:02:32 | More by Offa

Firebelly

Nevada

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

Served from a bottle into an imperial pint glass. Not sure what glass would be optimal for this style, but this glass was clean and available.

A- This beer was very dark brown, almost black, and appeared very viscous during the pour. Dense, tan head formed from very gentle pour and stuck around.

S- Smelled very malty and roasty to me. Just a touch of something yeasty? I can't put my finger on it. Overall very pleasant.

T- Extremely heavy malt and roast flavors. Also some smoke but it was less prevalent. This beer has a very rich, complex taste. I have to say it's one of the best I've tried in recent memory. Very reminiscent of some big imperial stouts, but very easy to drink.

M- Very thick, smooth mouthfeel. Exactly what I enjoy.

O- This beer is excellent. I traveled some distance to buy beer, and I feel very lucky I randomly grabbed this. Wish I had more. Instantly jumped to my top 5 beers ever tasted. Great combination of taste, complexity, and smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2011 22:30:04 | More by Firebelly

Reaper16

Alabama

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

12 oz. bottle -- Batch 74 (Fall 2009) -- served into a tulip glass

Pours a a very dark chestnut brown. There's some lighter brown at the very top of the beer, when held to direct light, but for the most part it is very dark. This is a big beer with nearly three years on it, so there isn't much head. What's there is a sort of dirty beige color. Actually, a more aggressive pour yields a full finger or more of a proper khaki color. Nice stuff.

This bottle of Adam smells like a properly-aged beer in all of the right ways. There's plenty of sherry-like notes from the oxidation, along with deep fig and prune and fruitcake.There's a bit of bakers' chocolate and some... mint? Yeah, mint. Just like in my favorite Old Ale, Straight to Ale Unobtanium. There's even some smoke, which when taken in with the mint gives off a sort of menthol cigarette sort of vibe. It's not perfect, but there's a lot of complexity here. Perhaps some barrel character would take this aroma over the top.

Some barrel character might improve the flavor too, but this beer is close enough to perfection as is that I'm not left wanting for anything. This is a fantastic beer. Dark fruits for days, especially a strong fig presence, but like dusted with some decent chocolate. There's flavorful alcohols and oxidized sherryish notes. Some toffee, for sure. Some smoky character. The sharpness of the aged character paves the way for the figgy, chocolaty finish. Every complex flavor is in some impeccable balance here.

This aged beer isn't thick in terms of mouthfeel, but there's a very appropriate and pleasant syrupy quality.

Overall, this beer is astonishing. I just reviewed a beer last week -- Straight to Ale Unobtanium -- that I said was the best Old Ale I'd ever had. Hair of the Dog Adam is better. At least as good, at the very least. Or, this aged bottle is, anyway. I am blown away by this Old Ale. I wish I had more. ISO: Adam from the Wood. ISO: more straight-up Adam. Amazing.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 04:16:15 | More by Reaper16

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

GilGarp

Colorado

4.78/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Enjoying this special beer on a snowy February night, in honor of my brother by the same name, who is celebrating his 19th birthday.

Batch #77. Adam is served slightly chilled in a goblet. It has a very dark brown hue with good clarity seen as it is poured. No head is produced even though I pour it straight into the middle of the glass. I'm careful to leave the sediment in the bottle.

Aroma is immediately evident even before I life the glass to take a wiff. It's wonderfully complex with brown sugar sweetness, some cocoa, figs, and leather.

Flavor is off-the-charts bold but somehow manages to be very smooth at the same time. Each small sip totally coats the palate but it isn't cloying. Just a huge wonderful old ale. It has chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, tobacco, and dark fruits all coming together.

Mouthfeel is full bodied, silky smooth, and very low in carbonation. It's perfectly balanced and has great depth of flavor. This particular bottle has been aging for about three and a half years so it has had a good amount of time to mellow. I can't imagine it getting much better with another year or two.

Overall an outstanding old ale, one of the best I've ever had. Cheers to Adam and my awesome brother.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 00:33:30 | More by GilGarp