Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale - Flying Dog Brewery

Rickythejeweler

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Murky dark mahogany, carbonation bubbles settled along the bottom, thin soapy head, filmy lacing.

S - Green apples, raisons, anise, good amount of hops, booze, faint chocolate, butterscotch, toffee.

T - Grapes, juicy hops, prunes, licorice, light brown sugar, toffee, raisons, chocolate malt.

M - Full bodied, medium carbonation, coats tongue with booze and finishes slightly dry with chooclate malts.

O - Cleverly suprised at how delicious and complex this is! Great job, Flying Dog!

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 00:48:41 | More by Rickythejeweler

PolarBear3

Australia

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank from my Duvel Tulip

A - Poured a cloudy brown colour with an a one fingered biege head a little lace.

S - Sweet chocolate malty aromas with some caramel notes

T - Sweet bready malts with some chocolate, toffee and a little aniseed on a slightly bitter finish.

M - Medium bodied with good carbonation

O - A very complex beer and with its incredible aromas and flavours finely balanced, that you do not want it to end.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2011 14:16:08 | More by PolarBear3

sixerofelixir

Ohio

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

12 oz bottle. I believe there was a vintage year inked on the label. Mine was 2011.

I don't have any notes, so I'm going by memory here. I remember everything pretty much being good and in order with the beer. It was dark and had nice head retention, smelled and tasted like dark chocolate (not the licorice like the bottle said) and had a very nice feel to it. I definitely remember it being *mild* in terms of other barleywines in every category. But that means smooth, and it was very easy to drink at the abv. Good beer. No shit.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 06:51:41 | More by sixerofelixir

ChanChan

California

4.22/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2010 Horn-Dog Barleywine. Consumed on 10/30/2011.

Appearance: Caramel color with a one inch beiche-colored head.

Aroma: malty, sweetness, some chocolate, liquorice.

Mouthfeel: Medium mouthfeel with good carbonation, this beer coats the entire mouth very well.

Taste: Chocolate and black liquorice also a good amount of booziness, not hot just pleasantly boozy.

Overall: I had this beer with dinner and it was a very enjoyable barleywine. It was quite complex, the finish reminded me of a Danish pastry.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 06:19:13 | More by ChanChan

troysoy2

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Vintage 2010, poured into a pint glass. Dark amber with lots of tiny bubbles, the head was pretty impressive and dissipated quite quickly, leaving little lacing.

The smell is quite complex. Definitely some bready, dry malt, but then it's later overshadowed by something sharp. Maybe not hops, but actually the alcohol. And yes, there's definitely a hint of anise sprinkled on the top.

Quite drinkable for a barley wine. It's well balanced, not as much of a challenge to the palate as I was hoping, but good. In fact, I'd say that the smell matches the taste almost too perfectly... The mouthfeel is smooth and velvety, little carbonation comes across.

Overall, it's definitely an enjoyable brew, definitely suitable for long-term enjoyment, with its high alcohol content. I just think it could benefit from having a little more complexity to keep it more interesting during that time.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 07:40:10 | More by troysoy2

scott2269

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2009 vintage poured into my DFH sniffer. Nice full 1/4 inch head. Decent carbination and lacing. The smell is very sweet, fruity and mouth-watering. Taste is very full, with lots of raisins, figs, and pears. Is this really 10% ABV? Not hot at all, could drink this all night long, for better or worse. I have to say this is one of the better barleywines that I have tried. Flying Dog brews some good beers, but this is my favorite. I have had the 2010 and 2011 vintages, but sitting in the cellar for over two years has really done this brew good. If you see it, you should probably grab some for now, and some for later.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 01:48:39 | More by scott2269

FoundersFanatic

Ohio

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

A- nice copper color

S- smells like most Barley wine beers smell like, but the smell is a little stronger than the taste

T- is very good and reminds me of a better version of Brooklyns Monster Barley wine ale. Malty, caramel, a bit of licorice, somewhat sweet, smooth, rich, and alcohol is hidden well but could knock you out. Not super strong flavors, but very smooth and not as hoppy bitter as some barley wines, very good beer

M- very smooth and feels good in your mouth

O- very good barley wine ale that doesn't have a really strong overpowering taste like some. Very round, somewhat sweet, caramel/malty overtone that is smooth and great to drink, not sip. The alcohol is hidden well and is not very noticeable which is nice. Great beer overall, very impressed so far with the few Flying Dog beers I have tried

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 04:27:47 | More by FoundersFanatic

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle - 2005 Vintage - thanks to pushkinwow for this one

Appearance - Murky brown colour with a small size fizzy beige coloured head. There isn't a lot of carbonation and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for around 1 minute before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, butterscotch, molasses, earthiness, raisins, hops

Taste & Mouth - There is a low amount of carbonation and the beer feels velvety on the tongue. I can taste toffee/butterscotch mixed with raisins and a bit of hops. The alcohol is very well hidden and there is also a hint of leather in the taste. It ends with a very smooth malty/buttery aftertaste.

Overall - This is probably the oldest beer I've drank so far and it has held up very well. It was very smooth and very drinkable. I'd like to get my hands on some more of this.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 19:40:20 | More by spinrsx

brewmudgeon

Wisconsin

3.6/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

horn dog

a 3.5-4 slightly hazy (possibly just due to the chill) deep garnet. short head; ring and lacework in short supply.

s 4 dates, molasses and pumpernickel bread on the nose.

t 3.5 how sweet it is! like most flying dog beers i've tried, horn dog is firmly on the sugar laden side. here, though, it does not seem too unwelcome as a barleywine is a sipper by nature. an undercurrent of hops and a moderate amount of roast manages to cut through some of the syrup. the finish features what i take to be a spicy hoppyness fighting with the sugar, with a fog of yeast drifting through.

m 3.5 thick and syrupy, but with a surprising share of spritzy carbonation.

o 3.5 at first i thought this might be a homerun, as the barleywine style seems to target fd's wheelhouse. but one bottle on a rare occassion is sufficient...

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 02:33:37 | More by brewmudgeon

pBRale

Iowa

4.08/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From tasting notes 9-1-11

Appearance: Hazy amber-orange pour with thin, cream colored head that dissipates fast and leaves a few rings of lace.

Smell: Malt Mania!! Biscuity and bready with a hint of booze.

Taste: Licorice, bready malts, a touch of hops noted at the end, though the malts are definitely at the fore for this beer. Good overall taste with a very slight alcoholic burn to the finish.

Mouthfeel: Thick, almost syrupy mouthfeel that is silky smooth and slides right down. Would not know 10%+ abv except for the warming sensation i get afterwards.

Overall: Surprisingly smooth beer that is very malty yet maintains enough balance to be quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 01:44:35 | More by pBRale

chocosushi

Oklahoma

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Vintage 2010
12oz Bottle->Unibroue Tulip
A ~ Pour is deep ruby/chestnut with thick, spotty lacing that dissipates in a uniform fashion into a ring around the glass.

S ~ Soft toffee notes, Candied Pear, Rum-Soaked Raisin Bread.. Touch of baked red apples

T ~ Dried/Candied Pear follows through with a bready backbone..
Raisin-bread, Salty Caramel & Plum are throughout. Hints of banana bread & applesauce that play well in the full flavor of the beer.

M ~ Sweet at times, but overall very mellow. Balanced with a moderately hoppy finish that's not too dry. I enjoyed the feel throughout. ABV very well hidden...Undetectable.

D ~ I rated this against Barleywines as a whole. This one was Well crafted. I Will be buying more of these for the upcoming season. Enjoyable to the last sip. One of the best Flying Dog offering I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 03:24:49 | More by chocosushi

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Ba Review #45
Served On: 8/22/2011
Glassware: Pint

Another special offering from our friends at Flying Dog. I have been a huge fan of barley wines ever since I first had the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot.

Look: This beer poured a murky dark reddish brown with very little light coming through the glass. Head was an impressive 2 fingers of tan foam. Of course it dissolved to a thin coating rather quickly.

Smell: Nose had a sweet plum with earthy brown sugar in the background. Also some dark cherry notes were occasionally noticeable. Smell was exactly what I would expect for an exceptional barley wine.

Taste: Mouth feel was super thick and creamy. It reminded me of drinking puréed soup from a pint glass. The dark fruits hit the palate first, then a syrupy brown sugar middle. The finish was of toasted barley and a sweet sensation that coated the entire mouth. The alcohol warming was rather minimal. I was expecting some sort of burn – somewhere. Flying Dog did an excellent job incorporating the alcohol into the complexity of this beer.

Again, another topnotch brew from Flying Dog. I laid down the reminder of the 4 pack in my beer cellar, so I should be enjoying this offering periodically for years to come. I have been dieing to do vertical tasting notes on Ba, but it doesn't seem their format supports it.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 16:05:02 | More by CraftBeerTastic

vandemonian

Maryland

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Flying Dog Horn Dog is a nice barley wine.

A: Red colour and a 5 mm head that fades to excellent lacing. 4.5

S: Toasty malt and some nice woodiness. 4

T: Malty up fron into a slightly sour tang of burned toffee. 3.5

M: Thick with some carbonation. 4

O: Pretty nice. 4

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2011 01:52:53 | More by vandemonian

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Has a lighter nose than I would have expected for a barleywine, but still present are many of the typical aromas, such as malty sugars and a hint of rosewater from the hops. Also present is a touch of anise, as well as remnants of toasted grains.

On the tongue, the malty sugars come through strongly, beating against the senses in onslaughts of caramels, maple syrups, medium-dark fruit esters, deeply-roasted chocolate malts, and lightly-toasted grains, as well as the hint of anise noted in the aroma. Hops play a supporting role here, as even their medium-strong grapefruit-bitter presence (45 IBU) is subsumed under the sugars. The aftertaste tends toward the more bitter parts of the brew, with chocolate malts and anise winning out. Those familiar with the brewery's Double Dog Double Pale Ale will, in fact, find this brew quite similar, if a bit spicier.

Overall, this is a decent barleywine, having well-cultivated flavors and a nice balance. It doesn't necessarily stretch the boundaries or surprise the tongue, but it is quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2011 03:21:08 | More by jondeelee

dc55110

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Vintage 08AA, found on the shelves of a local store this week. Poured after an hour in the refrigerator (in cellar prior) into a standard snifter glass.

Pours a cloudy mahogany, little to no head is present, only the slightest trace of tiny bubbles struggling to make it to the top. A nice ring of lacing is present as I tilt my snifter from side to side.

I braced myself for the worst as I removed the top and wafted the escaping gases towards my schnoz. I was pleasantly greeted by the presence of rich buttery caramel malts and hints of dried fruit, with just a touch of alcohol.

The tastes initially isn't as defined as the aroma. While the buttery caramel is there, it is not as strong as the aroma would have suggested. There is a little more of a fruity presence then expected. The 10.2% is well hidden, only when drawing deeply with a mouthful is it really even detectable. There is the slightest hint of oxidation, no thing that ruins the beer (not sucking on a battery or a mouthful of aluminum), but just enough to notice. After a solid hour of allowing this to breath and warm up, the flavors really begin to appear. It has amazingly buttery brandy aspect to it. The oxidation is no longer present. The fruitiness has morphed into the more this more brandy-esk flavor. Combined with the buttery toffee hints this has aged very well.

Mouth feel is rather thin. I figured at this point this should be nearly syrup. While there was little head formation when pouring, there is still a fair bit of carbonation, almost to much for how thin the beer is at this point.

I'm very pleased with this purchase, I don't know if this has spent the past four years on the shelf or if it was in a cooler, either way it has held up as well as anyone could hope in a semi controlled environment. Would I pick this up again? Sure would. Will I find this on the shelf for $9.56 with four years on it ever again? Probably not!

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 01:40:13 | More by dc55110

joefuzz

New York

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

Little 7oz bottle 08 vintage sent as a extra from G311 poured into captain lawrence tasting glass.

pours a deep see thru red with a small quickly dispersing white head that becomes nothing more than a small ring of bubbles around the glass.
smells of vanilla brown sugar and dark grapes mainly no alcohol scent present.
Tastes very sweet like sugary dark fruits getting alot of raisins and red grapes. very slight alcohol aftertaste.
Mouthfeel is pretty spot on for the style low carbonation and kind of thick.

overall pretty decent beer, i seem to remember this being much more boozy the last time i had it but with a few years it settled nicely.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 17:50:37 | More by joefuzz

abraxel

Michigan

4.18/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Murky, translucent, reddish brown. About a finger of off-white head which subsides quickly to a thin film, but that film sticks around a while. I can see bubbles forming quickly from all over the glass, and there's visible sediment suspended throughout. Doesn't look bad, but not particularly good.

S - Tasty, sweet malt -- dark fruits, a bit of nuttiness. Perhaps a touch of alcohol. I like it.

T - Lots of nuttiness, with a solid base of sweet, dark, fruity malt. Almost no hop presence at all. At the finish there's some roasty-like bitterness, which lingers afterward along with the nuttiness. This isn't a mind-blowing barleywine, but I really like it.

M - Rather thick mouthfeel (about normal for a barleywine) with just a little carbonation. Leaves only the slightest film behind, which disappears after a short while. Very nice, but I'd prefer it be thicker.

Overall, this is a good beer, and is probably my favorite from Flying Dog. Not the best barleywine I've had, but it fits my tastes nicely. Thanks to the price and accessibility, this is one of the relatively few beers that I've sought out at the store several times.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2011 22:25:04 | More by abraxel

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

7oz nip bottle into a Stone Bluff Winery wine glass. 2008 vintage.

Out the little bottle Horn Dog boasts a dark brown tree bark type color with very little bubbles on top, becoming a ring around the collar, small specks of lace on the glass.

Time has been great to this one as no alcohol is in the nose, just a heaping of caramel sweetness and vanilla. A english malt scent with dark bread and faint dark fruit and grape skin.

A subtle spiceness in taste along with the aforementioned smells wrapped up in taste. The english malt is well integrated with dark fruit tastes, light plum. Caramel over chocolate and a touch of vanilla. No alcohol from the 10 percent whatsoever. Hops have completely faded yet a small grass presents itself. Great B-wine here.

Feel is above medium and with no alcohol from the 3 years in the bottle no heat as well making this simple to drink. Carb is kind of low but I don't mind just as long as there is some and I find lightly carbed English B-wines easier on the mouth. Smooth sailing.

Im surprised this came out of Flying Dog. They're beers are hit or miss for me, horm dog is a big hit for me at least with three years on it. I wish this was a 12oz bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 05:33:43 | More by onix1agr

rvdoorn

Netherlands

3.73/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Look: the beer pours a red-brown color with a medium head.
Smell: Sweet molasses, vanilla, caramel, malts, alcohol and dark fruits.
Taste: Very strong malt in up front, followed by a very strong caramel sweetness. Also some dark fruits, grapes and maybe some peach. Aftertaste is lightly boozy and dry with minor hints of hops.
Mouthfeel: medium-thin body, medium carbonation.
Overall: This beer is a bit unbalanced, but not unpleasant to drink.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 09:01:29 | More by rvdoorn

Arithmeticus

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured chilled in tulip glass

A: deep ruby red; nice head that dissipates quickly; carb on low end
S: pleasant, fragrant currants and malt
T: very satisfying flavor; not very complex for a barleywine style; strong booze factor; that said, the figs and grapes come through nicely, and the strong dose of hops ensures a nice set of alto and soprano voices mingle with the bass of the barleywine

Overall, very decent; not my favorite of this style, but certainly a good value (in dollars, too!)

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 00:28:04 | More by Arithmeticus

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Light tan frothy head (that dissipated rather quickly into some surface memory) over a garnet body.

Super malty nose, with that molasses punch that signals a barleywine. Not overly strong, but good for the style.

Taste is nice and smooth. It's a barleywine, don't get me wrong, but it's not too intense, and it's well-balanced. Toasty and biscuity on the aftertaste with a healthy dose of malt up front, tempered by a completely appropriate (though low) amount of hops.

Mouthfeel is a tad fizzy, but no real complaint here.

I'm not usually a barleywine person, but when I saw one coming from a brewery as large as flying dog (and at that price) I had to bite. I don't regret it; it's not crazy or off the wall, but it does a darn good job for the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2011 02:03:31 | More by zaphodchak

jtingue

New York

4.22/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

Appearance- Reddish amber in color. A half a finger of head dissipates quickly to a thin layer, with a nice ring of bubbles around the side of the glass. Nice lacing, and alcohol legs.

Smell- Lots of caramel and dark fruit. Malty and very sweet with a touch of alcohol burn. This is served at room temperature and it seems to subdue the aromatics.

Taste- Big maltiness right up front and very sweet. Flavors of peach or nectarine, plum are very present. Again there is a nice sweetness though, making them seem more like candied fruits. The finish is slightly dry but with a lingering cane sugar sort of sweetness.

Mouthfeel- A nice palate cleansing carbonation is dominant. The body is moderate to heavy coating the mouth with each sip. On the finish you are left with warming alcohol.

This beer is enjoyable and has ignited an interest in barleywines for me. I think I'll age a few and see what happens...

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 20:52:46 | More by jtingue

mattkoon

South Carolina

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

this beer is bursting with caramel and vanilla. The smell is deep vanilla and molasses. The flavor is sweet with rich caramel flavors. I was expecring it to be rougher- more like a barleywine, but it does agreat job of balancing that ballpark with smooth drinkability. This is one of my new favorites.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 22:04:48 | More by mattkoon

vrushing88

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I've recently got back into barley wines. This beer was my ticket back.

Dark brown ale, with a heavy, pungent malt aroma. Very sharp taste. This (like most barley wines) is a sipping beer. A little more than a small sip will put you in your place.

Not the best barely wine out there, but a fairly good one for the price. Worth drinking!

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 00:42:36 | More by vrushing88

scotvega18

New York

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Southern Tier tulip

A - The color is really nice, somewhere between a clear ruby read and brown, much clearer than expected. I poured it with a finger or two of head, but it quickly faded. Lacing is alright though.

S - Dark Fruit and raisin, and grape bubble gum. A touch of alcohol and an odd smokey or roasty character that is faint but definitely present.

T - At the front it is all dark fruit sweetness, big and bold and takes forever to fade, but on the tail end is the alcohol. It warms as it goes down and leave more of the bitter smokiness behind. Still cant put my finger on what it is, but kind of reminds me of Cranberry or Craisins.... I have never tasted that in a beer before.

M - The Carbonation is fine and the alcohol is clearly present. That sets this apart though is the stickiness that it leaves. I love when it feels like you need to brush your teeth after a beer and this fulfills that and more.

Notes - As an introduction to this style, I am not sure how good of a beginner this one is, but I don't dislike it. I think the alcohol is masking a lot of the sweetness that this style should have and may do very well with age. I bought a four pack and will be saving the rest of them.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2011 22:42:55 | More by scotvega18