Hi, beer drinkers and aficionados! It's been a hot minute since I've gotten to do a beer review, mostly because all the beer I drank in the past couple weeks has been to keep me sane under the pressure of graduating college. But now that that's done, it's time to settle down with a nice snifter full of ale. And not just any ale, but Sierra Nevada's self-proclaimed "beast of a barleywine," Bigfoot.
Bigfoot is somewhat of a collector's item because barleywines are kind of like the wines of the beer world. The brewing company makes a batch of this good stuff annually. You can drink it right away or save a few bottles to cellar them and let them age and become something completely different. Me? Well, this is my first time trying it so I'll probably get another 4-pack in the near future to cellar a couple bottles; these puppies I'm drinking now.
Bigfoot is a pretty crazy ale with an ABV of 9.6%. It's brewed with caramel and two-row pale malts as well as whole-cone Centennial, Cascade, and Chinook hops. Some of my favorite hops are in this thing, huzzah! So, let's break this bad boy down...
Appearance: 4/5
Bigfoot pours a very rich red color, nearly reminiscent of red wine, but not quite that blood-red. It's a very nice color as I do tend to like red ales very, very much. The read is pretty good, but nothing extravagant. It does leave a bit of lacing, which is a nice touch.
Nose: 4/5
All the hoppy goodness of this ale can be sensed when nosing it. I get a strong floral scent from Bigfoot that leaves me salivating and dying to try it. Some of the spicy malt notes come through in the nose as well, but not as prominently.
Taste: 5/5
Bigfoot has some nice spice and bitterness to it. The spice and hoppy bitterness balance each other out to create a nicely-crafted taste. There are some sweet caramel notes too, which round out the flavor a bit so it's not too overpoweringly bitter or spicy. Quite nice indeed.
Mouthfeel: 5/5
Bigfoot is quite strong. It has a very rounded medium-to-dark body.
Finish: 5/5
Here's where the hops really shine. A nice citrusy, bitter aftertaste lingers for a good long while after a sip of Bigfoot. It's quite nice to be able to mull over the taste of the great hops they used in this ale after each sip. The beer goes down well, but not so easily as to be forgotten.
Total Score: 94/100
This is one of Sierra Nevada's greatest achievements, if you ask me. Next to their legendary Torpedo Extra IPA, this is one delicious and interesting brew. While Sierra Nevada has released a Summerfest beer (a light pilsner that's very sessionable), this is probably the go-to summer beer from them. It's strong, flavorful, and interesting. Do yourself a favor and grab a 4-pack while they're available. Your taste buds will thank you.
Until next time, cheers!
-Blake
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