Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Brewed by:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
California, United States
sierranevada.com
Style: American Barleywine
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 9.60%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
Bigfoot is a beast of a beer, brimming with bold flavors of bittersweet malt and heaps of aggressive whole-cone Pacific Northwest hops. First introduced in the winter of 1983, Bigfoot is a cult-classic beer brewed in the barleywine style, meaning a strong, robust, bruiser of a beer with the refined intensity of a wine. Bigfoot is prized by beer collectors for its supreme cellarability. Under the proper conditions, it can age like a fine wine, developing new flavors and character as it matures in the bottle. Each new release or “expedition” is vintage dated. Collect your own and see the flavors develop and progress.
Added by kbub6f on 02-06-1998
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 7,612 | Reviews: 3,099
4.06/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A great diversion from my usual. Nice head and lace. Malty and bitter. The alcohol is quite noticeable with no apparent effort to mask it. Would happily drink again.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A great diversion from my usual. Nice head and lace. Malty and bitter. The alcohol is quite noticeable with no apparent effort to mask it. Would happily drink again.
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4.25/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.36/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.33/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.17/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
3.65/5 rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This beer was startlingly bitter. As it got warmer and near room temperature it mellowed out and seemed more well-balanced.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This beer was startlingly bitter. As it got warmer and near room temperature it mellowed out and seemed more well-balanced.
123 characters
4.23/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
3.8/5 rDev -8.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bought a six pack a few days back...never had this before...tried it last night. Can't say I was overwhelmed. It was good but was expecting more from an almost 10% ABV beer. I think they could have cut back on the bitterness just a tad as it was a bit overdone. The extreme taste transition from slightly sweet to very bitter was a bit much. Still have five left so I'll let those sit a while and revisit this one in the fall.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bought a six pack a few days back...never had this before...tried it last night. Can't say I was overwhelmed. It was good but was expecting more from an almost 10% ABV beer. I think they could have cut back on the bitterness just a tad as it was a bit overdone. The extreme taste transition from slightly sweet to very bitter was a bit much. Still have five left so I'll let those sit a while and revisit this one in the fall.
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3.64/5 rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
2018 edition.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
2018 edition.
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4.26/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Never thought I would see this one again, but here it is in a 2018 version. This is a type of beer that is larger than life, a gigantic malty IPA with a bite. It reminds me of an Italian bitter liqueur called Cynar, which is made from artichokes and claims to "make everything that follows taste sweeter." Just one bottle of Bigfoot in a drinking session changes everything. More than one is not advised!
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look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
Never thought I would see this one again, but here it is in a 2018 version. This is a type of beer that is larger than life, a gigantic malty IPA with a bite. It reminds me of an Italian bitter liqueur called Cynar, which is made from artichokes and claims to "make everything that follows taste sweeter." Just one bottle of Bigfoot in a drinking session changes everything. More than one is not advised!
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4.26/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2018 bottle into my trusty Big Eddy shifter. Beautiful reddish brown color with red highlights around the edges, with a very light tan head and some spotty lacing. Pine, citrus, toffee & fruit aromas. Taste starts out sweet and ends with a bitter finish. It has a medium body, and nice carbonation. Very nice beer.
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look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2018 bottle into my trusty Big Eddy shifter. Beautiful reddish brown color with red highlights around the edges, with a very light tan head and some spotty lacing. Pine, citrus, toffee & fruit aromas. Taste starts out sweet and ends with a bitter finish. It has a medium body, and nice carbonation. Very nice beer.
314 characters
4.21/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
3.83/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.13/5 rDev -0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2018 vintage poured, at cellar temp, into a large tulip glass. Ruby red in color with an off-white head that quickly fades to a solid cap. Visible carbonation with tiny bubbles rising around the edge of the glass.
Nose is hoppy, herbal, pine, citrus. Some caramel & alcohol.
Tastes follows the smell with a strong bitter bite on the finish. Dark fruit, candied citrus peel.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied & slightly sticky. Carbonation not noticeable.
Overall, a solid american barley wine that I can see benefiting from some time in the cellar. It will be interesting to see what develops.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2018 vintage poured, at cellar temp, into a large tulip glass. Ruby red in color with an off-white head that quickly fades to a solid cap. Visible carbonation with tiny bubbles rising around the edge of the glass.
Nose is hoppy, herbal, pine, citrus. Some caramel & alcohol.
Tastes follows the smell with a strong bitter bite on the finish. Dark fruit, candied citrus peel.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied & slightly sticky. Carbonation not noticeable.
Overall, a solid american barley wine that I can see benefiting from some time in the cellar. It will be interesting to see what develops.
590 characters
4.11/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours rust/brick red with a white head that disappears wuickly
Smell is not nearly as good as I am used too. Big hints of alcohol and faint maltiness.
Taste is much better than the aroma suggests. Candied sugar, caramel, malts, and a boozy punch. This is a really good barleywine.
MF- Mouthfeel is warm and the body is medium.
Oveerall a really solid barleywine. Good for a cold night.
389 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours rust/brick red with a white head that disappears wuickly
Smell is not nearly as good as I am used too. Big hints of alcohol and faint maltiness.
Taste is much better than the aroma suggests. Candied sugar, caramel, malts, and a boozy punch. This is a really good barleywine.
MF- Mouthfeel is warm and the body is medium.
Oveerall a really solid barleywine. Good for a cold night.
389 characters
4.25/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bought a 6-pack $9.39 Tamura's 2018 batch
Smell of alcohol, molasses
Clear reddish brown color
Heavy mouthfeel
Medium carbonation
Sweet then bitter finish. Malty, caramel tastes.
Overall a complex beer for a cheap price. Nice to sip and enjoy the flavors.
257 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bought a 6-pack $9.39 Tamura's 2018 batch
Smell of alcohol, molasses
Clear reddish brown color
Heavy mouthfeel
Medium carbonation
Sweet then bitter finish. Malty, caramel tastes.
Overall a complex beer for a cheap price. Nice to sip and enjoy the flavors.
257 characters
Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
4.14 out of
5 with
7,612 ratings
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