2008 Sierra Nevada Big Foot Ale

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mikeyc

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2007
Messages
292
Reaction score
10
So I tried the Big Foot the other night. I have to say, Im having a hard time calling this a barley wine. Most of the barley wines that I've enjoyed, Old Crustacean, Below Decks, there is a big caramel, malty sweetness balanced by the bitterness of the hops. With the Big Foot, there was loads of hop flavor, with some sweetness in the background. And the hops never went away. Has anyone tried Big Foot? What are some other opinions? I really liked the beer, but just thought it was way too hoppy for a barley wine.
 
I love this stuff. One recommendation is that it gets better with age, so if you have a six pack or two hang onto a few bottles for the next few years and see how it changes. Keep in mind that the style criteria for a barleywine are pretty broad and the the hop character is within stlye.
 
Fresh it is huge in the hops. Let it age for at least a year and the hops will drop out and it will be maltier in the profile. I have at least 3 bottles from 2006. Maybe I should crack one open...
 
I really like the 2008 right now, and it is on sale nearme. Of the barleywines I have tried lately the Horn Dog by Flying Dog was the least fruity.
 
I just picked up another 6-pack tonight. I will probably drink two or three more from my original 6 pack in the next few months, then it's one a year until gone or I move again.
 
98EXL = retard....I could have sworn I read this was an IPA on the bottle when I picked it up. Now that I'm halfway through one, I realize I'm dumb.

In other news, I do like it a lot
 
It is very similar to a IIPA when young. Let it age a while and it becomes more malty. I buy a six pack every year. Then every year i drink one bottle from each. In general I prefer them around 3-4 years old.
 
I just found a six pack at a local store. It seems this stuff is getting short in supply, so I'm glad to have snagged some! I have one chilling right now, and I'll post a full review later.
 
The review:

Appearance:
Poured from a 12 oz stubby bottle into a wide snifter-like tulip glass. Beautiful, clear, deep coppery/amber with a nice collar of dense tan foam. Nice lacing.

Aroma:
Complex and inviting! Strong, spicy, citrus hop notes with a big, sweet, malty, caramel finish. Alcohol evident but not overpowering. Black cherry and deep/dark fruit overtones.

Flavor:
Tasty! Very sweet up front with a nice citrusy hop bite as the flavor develops across the palate. The fruity complexity in the nose carries directly to the flavor. Very well balanced for a big beer.

Mouthfeel:
Full bodied and well carbonated. Alcohol warmth is really only evident as an afterthought (especially if you exhale through your nose).

Drinkability:
I love this beer! For the style, it could be a quite a bit bigger, but it's well executed for its "size." I think I'd call it an IIPA that wound up a tad too dark rather than a barleywine. However, it's the best SN beer I've ever tasted. SNPA is good, but a little "vanilla," the porter and stout are overdone in terms of roasted flavor, and SNCA just isn't quite my thing. This is far from "vanilla," underdone if anything, and is definitely "my thing!" For a barleywine, it gets a solid B, but for a drinkable, balanced, rather big beer, it's an A+!
 
I have 1 bottle I found the other day. I'm debating about whether to drink it now or cellar it for awhile. I really dislike bitter beers, but I could find a couple more bottles, cellar some and try some of the 'tasting experiments' mentioned above....
 
maltMonkey, if you only have one bottle, I'd suggest cracking it open and having a go at it. My guess is that you'll find it a tad bitter for your taste, but there's no need to waste the cash on a second bottle if you hate the first. It will mellow a bit over time, but if you don't like it today, it won't change enough to change your mind in several years.

On the other hand, if you like it but find it just a tad harsh, buy another and cellar it.
 
Thanks Yuri--I will give it a go.

I've heard about this beer for several years but the 2008 will be my first time trying it--so far the people I've talked to say that it's a little different every year.

We'll see!
 
I picked up a 6er a couple weeks ago and had my first bottle last weekend. This year's edition has a wonderful complexity and was big enough on both hops and malt to really tantalize the senses, while remaining relatively in balance - admittedly, I'm a hop head. Each sip inspired me to take another, relishing each sample. I *loved* it! So much, that I dashed off a quick note of appreciation to an online acquaintance who happens to be a brewer at SN. I mentioned that I was going to cellar some and he replied with this advice:

It's the only beer we make you should age in my opinion. I prefer 6 to 12 months max.

Take that FWIW...
 
I'm not sure that I'm going to cellar this one at all. I like it the way it is, and it's not all that special to me other than the fact that I managed to snag a sixer of it before availability disappeared.

On a pairing note - I just enjoyed a Macanudo Maduro with a Big Foot, and it was a fantastic match. For you cigar buffs, it's definitely a beer you can sip with a smoke.
 
Back
Top