Old Foghorn (Anchor Brewing)
Still on my standards trip, I figured it was time to write a post for Old Foghorn barleywine. Barleywines are hit or miss for me. This one is the standard I compare it too. I like this better than Sierra Nevada's Big Foot, and even better than Three Floyds' Behemoth and Owd English. To accompany this purchase I got some other barleywines too, so I can really have an honest discussion about them.
General Thoughts
Look and Smell: It was a brown with a tint of amber. The tan head settled with lacing. It kept a ring of foam around it. I could smell the grains first, then the hops and malt together. It wasn't an overly sweet smell. It had a great balance.
Taste: It was malty. I could taste the grain (barley). I could also taste the hops (cascade). As it warmed the flavors really came out. It had almost a spiciness to it that you'd find in holiday beers. The aftertaste was a sticky sweet, almost syrupy feel. I normally don't like that, but with its bitter taste it balances it out.
This is a beer to drink slowly and savor. It's warming, but I don't taste the alcohol. It hits all of the senses. It is a pleasant beer to drink.
From the Anchor site:
Old Foghorn® Barleywine Style Ale is brewed strictly according to traditional brewing methods, using only natural ingredients — water, malted barley, fresh whole hops, and yeast. Old Foghorn is based on traditional English barley wines.
General ThoughtsLook and Smell: It was a brown with a tint of amber. The tan head settled with lacing. It kept a ring of foam around it. I could smell the grains first, then the hops and malt together. It wasn't an overly sweet smell. It had a great balance.
Taste: It was malty. I could taste the grain (barley). I could also taste the hops (cascade). As it warmed the flavors really came out. It had almost a spiciness to it that you'd find in holiday beers. The aftertaste was a sticky sweet, almost syrupy feel. I normally don't like that, but with its bitter taste it balances it out.
This is a beer to drink slowly and savor. It's warming, but I don't taste the alcohol. It hits all of the senses. It is a pleasant beer to drink.
From the Anchor site:
Old Foghorn® Barleywine Style Ale is brewed strictly according to traditional brewing methods, using only natural ingredients — water, malted barley, fresh whole hops, and yeast. Old Foghorn is based on traditional English barley wines.
Old Foghorn is highly hopped, using only Cascade hops. It is fermented with a true top-fermenting ale yeast. Carbonation is produced by an entirely natural process called "bunging," which produces champagne-like bubbles. Our "barleywine ale" is dry-hopped with additional Cascade hops while it ages in our cellars.
We have been producing small batches of Old Foghorn since 1975. Today, it is available both on draught and in twelve-ounce bottles. The high original gravity and full flavor of this ale make it a unique product, perfect for sipping after dinner. A lot of time and tradition goes into our Old Foghorn, and we hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.
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