Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale: 2011-2014
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA
Working from the most recent, the barley wine starts off with present boozy notes, some caramel sugar, cherry pits and a hop bitterness at the finish. It’s complex but not defined. As it ages vanilla notes come into play and the mouthfeel develops into a more syrup consistency, while maintaining medium carbonation. Later the hop after bite yields to a toasted caramel and deeper sense of alcohol warmth before the last year bring in robust alcohol warmth, cherry, plum and prune along with a bready element and lower carbonation.