Michael
Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company / Brewery And Tasting Room

MichaelMichael
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From:
Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company / Brewery And Tasting Room
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Flanders Red Ale
ABV:
6.2%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.76 | pDev: 15.16%
Reviews:
101
Ratings:
272
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jul 17, 2023
Added:
Oct 17, 2009
Wants:
  216
Gots:
  50
Michael is a Flanders Red, made in memory of Michael Jackson. The Beer was Brewed in January of 2007, and aged in American oak and Sherry barrels since then. It is just over 6% alcohol, made with Organic Pilsner, Vienna and Munich malts and fermented with a variety of yeast and bacteria.

Released November 2009 & Fall 2012.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by yourefragile:
Photo of yourefragile
Reviewed by yourefragile from District of Columbia

3.63/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
12 oz bottle. Thanks to MSUBulldog25 and black13 for hooking me up! Poured into a tulip.

About two seconds after popping the cap a slow gush falls out of the bottle into a waiting glass. Obviously plenty of carbonation as a bubbly, dense egg-white head forms and has long lasting retention and thick, foamy clumps of lacing. Color is a murky, muddy rose amber. A small layer of sediment settles at the bottom of the glass. Aroma is strong blend of fruit, oak and vinegar. Alternatingly sour and tart with cherry, cranberry, sherry, and vanilla. Taste is at first abrupt and sharp, with the acidity of the vinegar notes taken the forefront. As the beer warms, the front of the palate starts with oak and vanilla spirit sweetness. Subtly the flavors shift to tart fruit and acidic vinegar. Finish is dry, acidic, mildly metallic and extremely long lasting. Smooth body with light carbonation this overall has a very sharp, strong and potentially off putting combination of flavors, but all things considered is very balanced. Very interesting and aging nicely I assume, I look forward to having this again.
Dec 12, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

4.36/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2009 bottle. A little bit lively. Muddy amber pour, patchy head. Fruity aroma, grapes, tart. Taste is grapes, plums, pit fruit, sourness. Super solid after all these years.
Jul 17, 2023
 
Rated: 3.61 by BarrelAgedG from California

Feb 10, 2023
Photo of VABA
Reviewed by VABA from Virginia

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a gorgeous ruby color with a slight head and lacing
Aroma has cherry and fruity hints
The taste follows the nose with a nice cherry and fruity flavor
A light bodied well carbonated beer
A nice Flanders red
Dec 30, 2022
 
Rated: 4.75 by Fettpopps from Massachusetts

Jun 18, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Mar 27, 2022
 
Rated: 1.84 by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington

May 06, 2019
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.38/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured from fridge temp into a Hair of the Dog glass. No sound when cracking the cap - not a surprise given the brewery. Almost no head. Pours a gorgeous dark reddish/brown. The nose is incredible. Sour/tart cherries is dominant. Some funk, and a bit of leather is mixed in. Also picking up peaches, red grape skin, and wood. This is just a beer that I could sniff for an hour before taking a sip. The taste is not 100% what I was expecting from the nose, but equally awesome. Smooth, with a good amount of raisin, cherries, wood chips, leather, tree sap, and maybe a slight hint of tobacco. The complete lack of carbonation actually fits really nicely with the flavors. The aftertaste is slight bitter, but nice and fruity. The mouthfeel is slightly dry, but a really nice refreshing flavor coats the mouth. Overall, this is one of the more unique beers that I have tried, which isn't surprising since this is from HotD. Definitely an awesome experience.
Feb 18, 2019
Photo of Lingenbrau
Reviewed by Lingenbrau from Oregon

4.07/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
12 oz bottle from 2012. Wow, do I feel lucky.

Michael is a gorgeous beer. Somewhat still, like many of the knockouts from Hair of the Dog, he is burnt orange in color with perfect clarity. The auburn and maple syrup highlights are stunning and proud, and Michael knows this. The thinnest ring of white foam acts as a gasket around just the perimeter of the glass.

The smell is devine. Tart yet sweet Rainier Cherries come to mind, along with a slap of aged oak and a smooth touch of caramel.

Cherries once again are front and center. More fruit comes into play with fig and plum, and lightly tart red apples. Plenty of oak, even drabs of leather and vanilla like many of the pounds offerings.

The only knock comes right here. This is a bit watery. Flat, as expected, but manages a slick feel in the end. Surprisingly not oxidized, and still very well balanced with an elevated perception of alcohol warmth that soothes the chest.

Beautiful. Intoxicating. Delicious. This lacks some tartness and soft but lively bubbly character, but I believe this would please the late Beer Hunter quite well. And even if that weren't the case, it sure pleases the shit out of me.

Cheers.
Dec 30, 2018
 
Rated: 3.65 by vfgccp from New York

May 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4.5 by Kmat10 from Canada (AB)

Apr 23, 2017
 
Rated: 3.37 by krl2112 from Illinois

Jan 31, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by scottiethebody from California

Oct 21, 2016
 
Rated: 4.04 by sendbeer from Georgia

Oct 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by BeerOps from Illinois

Aug 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.99 by egrace84 from Illinois

Aug 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Zuidman from Illinois

Jul 31, 2016
Photo of BMMillsy
Rated by BMMillsy from Florida

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2009 bottle drank at the brewery on 6/30/16.
Jul 01, 2016
Photo of MikeWard
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
poured from a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. brewed in 2012, in honor of fellow Brit Michael Jackson, the Beer Hunter.

pours a murky reddish brown with a small white head which dissipates to a small ring. no lacing.

aroma is slightly vinegary, with a strong smell of plums/figs.

really enjoying the taste of this one. the fruits are the dominant flavor, slight vinegary tartness, with a creamy vanilla taste at the end.

mouth is between medium and full. the fruit hangs around for quite some time. although the abv is only 6.2, there is a slight booziness as well.

overall, although this bottle almost broke the bank at 24 bucks, I'm glad I got to try it. Unlikely I'll get to try another one.
May 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.16 by Bunuelian from Minnesota

Nov 13, 2015
Michael from Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company / Brewery And Tasting Room
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 272 ratings