Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale
Had some Bigfoot on tap with Trep at the Flying Saucer in Raleigh. The beer goddess brought me an amber-copper hue of a brew that turned ruby red in the sunlight. A slim, tan head dissipated shortly after the first sip and left a nice, sticky ring of foam around the edge of the glass. At first, the aroma seemed more like an IPA than a barleywine, which was kudos in my book. There were big, sweet hop notes with citrus, caramel and pungent floral aromas. The taste was a blend of the strange and familiar: Notes of tree bark, piney hops, alcohol, bread, barley, and gin. A crisp, well-carbonated mouthfeel met the palate up front and left a sour, liqour-esque bite to the back of the throat. Although I'm not a huge barleywine fan, this was pretty damn good. Hats off to Sierra Nevada for making a tasty brew...