Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

2023 vintage, fresh in 2023. This is coming across great with full malty base holding up a plethora of bitter hoppy goodness. This comes together great with pleasing rich deep held up by plenty of mostly pine hop bitterness. Terrific vintage. This is a 4.4. 2005 vintage sampled June 10, 2017. Same pour. A= more of an earthy caramel note than the 06 with sherry in the background. No hops in the aroma. T=a similar to the 06 just a litter richer deeper and hoppier. Slightly better tasting than the 06 and 07. 2006 vintage sampled June 10, 2017. Same pour. A=caramel, a light dark fruity ester sensation and then mild pine hops wrapped in sherry oxidation. T=smooth supple beer notes blending into a modest sweet caramel note and then pine hops. The hops grow to midway and sustain into the finish. Generally smoother than the 2007. 2007 vintage sampled June 10, 2017. Same pour but nearly still. A=sherry oxidation, a dash of caramel and then muted soft pine hops. T=smooth sweet caramel rolling into a mild burnt caramel, soft sweetened muted pine hop flavor and then a sherry note. Nice. Plenty of hops and tasty caramel. 2006 vintage sampled April 23, 2006. Thick light tan head deep clear copper color. Aroma is on the light side with malts, spice, alcohol and hops showing up in that order. First sip is a thick syrupy flow of fluid into my mouth. Malt flavor attacks the entire tongue. This beer is full body and full flavor that you can sink your teeth into. Some bitterness and warm alcohol finish. Doesn’t seem as good as ’05 or ’04 versions. Bottle from 2004 consumed July 24th, 2006. Murky amber color with off white to tan-ish head. Strong fruity aroma with hints of malt and a bit of alcohol. Excellent lacing. Yum, thick rich mouthfeel. The caramel flavor really jumps out at you. The fruitiness has faded away over time. I’m left with a very nice toffee after taste. Wow, real smooth with faint alcohol taste hidden away. The remaining hops are tough to make out as they’ve really mellowed from what they once were. Very good. I’ll certainly have to cellar more of this stuff. I’m currently under rating this beer at 4.0. The 2004 fresh and with age is a 4.6 or 4.7 on its own. The sum total of this beer over the years is a 4.4 for me.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

One of the grand daddies of the American Barleywine style. Certainly one of the best as well. The pour is reddish-brown, cloudy, and topped with a light brown rock head that doesn’t last. Aroma is full of sweet notes like caramel and fresh bread, and non-sweet notes like pine and floral hops. Mouthfeel is full bodied. Flavor is nicely balanced between the sweet malty flavours and the bitter hop finish. Easiest drinking 10% ale I can think of.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

Bottle. Colour - light reddish-brown, almost clear, off-white head, decent lacing. Aroma - sweet malt, alcohol, some roasted malt, some dark fruit. Mouthfeel - medium bodied, well carbonated. Flavour - very sweet.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 4 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 5

Pours out a murky reddish brown color. The aroma scares me because I can smell the hops. The mouthfeel is just above average but oh shit the hops are very noticeable. The taste is hard to figure out because the hops are so present. This is not a barleywine as far as my taste buds are concerned. It's hoppy but I'm able to drink it but it is border line Pour it out". At $21 for a bottle it's over priced by at least $10.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottled 12/11/2014. Pours a reddish brown color with a small light tan head that disappears quickly, but leaves some impressive lacing. Sweet aroma of malt, piney hops and candied fruit. Tastes as it smells with the sweet malt leading the flavor parade, with the hops and fruit rounding out the flavor. Full, rich mouthfeel. Sierra Nevada has done it again. Not only do they make very good beers, but their price point is spot on, as it is in most of their beers. This beer would be a good entry point if you wanted to try a barleywine for the first time, or even for a repeat offender, which I am. I will probably buy more to cellar for later consumption. Good stuff.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

2011 version. Pours slightly hazy reddish copper colour. Has a nice dense light tan head with great retention and excellent lacing. Mild aroma of caramel and a tad medicinal. Bold flavours as you would expect from a barleywine. Taste of caramel, pine, grapefruit, floral and a bit of spiciness. Nice bitter orange rind finish. Flavours are well balanced. Medium to full bodied, slick and creamy,

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

2012 batch. This beer pours a dark red with a forceful thick khaki head that hangs around. The aroma is wheaty with some alcohol notes. The mouthfeel is a little thin. The taste is deep and complex red ale with a slight alcohol bite. Overall another pleasing offering from sierra Nevada

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

This is for the 2012 batch. To me it's a deep-tasting lager with the taste of alcohol, and a strong alcohol kick. I don't find this good for a night of tasting beers. This one is a pleasant, strong drink when you want to get drunk. But SN's Hoptimum exists, so this is second fiddle. It's good, better than what other companies offer where ales are concerned. But in SN's lineup, there's Hoptimum. Then there's this. Recommended, but if you see Hoptimum on the shelf? That's the one to buy!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

pours a nice copper amber in color with a nice quickly disappearing head. The aroma is of honey and hops. The flavor is fruity and woody with hints of caramel and brown sugar. You can barely taste the high ABV but you can feel it's kick if you drink a few.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Surprisingly light aroma for all the hops in it. A beautiful caramel color andy thick foamy head. Warm this sucker up to taste the balance of all the hops with the thick sweet caramels.