Hair of the Dog Brewing Co.
Portland, OR
Available: WA, OR, CA, NY, also Denmark
Brewer Alan Sprints works by himself and produces about 5000 cases of beer a year. Fred from the Wood is aged in new oak barrels for six months before being bottled. One hundred cases are produced twice a year, and released in April and November, sold from the brewery only.
ABV: 10
ABW: 8
Color: deep golden
Bitterness: 65
Original Gravity: 1104
Fred is a delicious beer, but can be a bit thick and sweet without some aging. But, age Fred in wood and watch magic happen. Sweet and fruity notes of ripe peaches, vanilla cream, caramel custard and a hint of coconut. Gentle tannin finish. Still fairly thick, but with a silky texture. And the oak dries out the beer enough to make it surprisingly drinkable for such a thick, high-alcohol beer.
Praise be to Ceres for providing honey-like grain, Gambrinus for lupulin to balance the richness, Alan Sprints for his alchemy and Fred Eckhardt for inspiration. With a turbid toffee (copper) color and extravagant nose of virgin spice, the taste is alive with contrasting flavors — peach, honey, vanilla, fig, grape, tobacco, maple, oak, smoke, even capsicums. Fred is full bodied, coating the mouth with exciting flavors. Heavenly with pecans, raw milk cheese and freshly picked plums. Fred might not be Michael Jackson’s reward in heaven, but it’s damn close.
John Hansell is an equal-opportunity drinker. He writes about beer, wine and spirits. He is the creator, publisher & editor of Malt Advocate, a magazine for the whisky enthusiast.
Founder of Merchant du Vin and the Pike Brewing Co., Charles Finkel is a pioneer in the marketing of craft beers in America.
