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: 7,593 | Reviews: 3,094
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.
590 characters
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
2.35/5 rDev -43.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
look: 2.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
3.34/5 rDev -19.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
This is my first ever barleywine. I am very...hesitant about this style now. This was a lot hoppier than I was expecting - hops aren't bad of course, I do love my IPAs - but to me it was too overpowering on the bitter, piney hops. The malts do give it just a bit of a bittersweet flavor to it, and there's an interesting almost raisiny after-taste, but to me it feels unbalanced and too intense on my palate. It does look awesome - a deep red color with a head that never dissipated as I sipped it down. It also hides the alcohol well for 9.6%. I couldn't possibly say this is bad. I don't know how well it represents the style, but it's obviously a well-made beer. I just don't think it's for me.
698 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
This is my first ever barleywine. I am very...hesitant about this style now. This was a lot hoppier than I was expecting - hops aren't bad of course, I do love my IPAs - but to me it was too overpowering on the bitter, piney hops. The malts do give it just a bit of a bittersweet flavor to it, and there's an interesting almost raisiny after-taste, but to me it feels unbalanced and too intense on my palate. It does look awesome - a deep red color with a head that never dissipated as I sipped it down. It also hides the alcohol well for 9.6%. I couldn't possibly say this is bad. I don't know how well it represents the style, but it's obviously a well-made beer. I just don't think it's for me.
698 characters
4.24/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2018 12 oz bottle, 12/01/17
Poured out brilliant red with an off white head, not much retention.
Candy like notes, malt, spicy.estery. taste is a bit of a bitter note, spicy
Caramel perhaps.notes of candy like sweetness.good beer a bit hot.
Alcohol present. and will put 3 or 4 aside for future review tweeking.
313 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2018 12 oz bottle, 12/01/17
Poured out brilliant red with an off white head, not much retention.
Candy like notes, malt, spicy.estery. taste is a bit of a bitter note, spicy
Caramel perhaps.notes of candy like sweetness.good beer a bit hot.
Alcohol present. and will put 3 or 4 aside for future review tweeking.
313 characters
3.88/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I don't normally like barleywines but this is really good and somewhat hoppy (which I view in a good light)
107 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I don't normally like barleywines but this is really good and somewhat hoppy (which I view in a good light)
107 characters
3.15/5 rDev -23.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25
4.28/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2018 Vintage, poured into a sample size snifter.
Aroma is caramel sweetness at first followed immediately by the hops with citrus and spice. Flavor follows the aroma with some really intense bitterness like a punchy IPA. Warming mouthfeel, medium body and medium carbonation keeps it from sitting heavy on the palate. Barleywines, IPAs and hoppy beers are not my go-to in most cases, but I've had this in the past (fresh and aged) and I enjoy both for different reasons. This is a huge and aggressive beer fresh, looking forward to having another next year for an entirely different experience.
594 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2018 Vintage, poured into a sample size snifter.
Aroma is caramel sweetness at first followed immediately by the hops with citrus and spice. Flavor follows the aroma with some really intense bitterness like a punchy IPA. Warming mouthfeel, medium body and medium carbonation keeps it from sitting heavy on the palate. Barleywines, IPAs and hoppy beers are not my go-to in most cases, but I've had this in the past (fresh and aged) and I enjoy both for different reasons. This is a huge and aggressive beer fresh, looking forward to having another next year for an entirely different experience.
594 characters
4.1/5 rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
3.88/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Maybe it is my having so many barrel aged beers recently, but I think the 2018 version of this falls a bit short of what I can recall from previous bottles. Don't get me wrong, it is still a fine beer. I just think it is lacking in the overall depth I can recall from previous versions.
286 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Maybe it is my having so many barrel aged beers recently, but I think the 2018 version of this falls a bit short of what I can recall from previous bottles. Don't get me wrong, it is still a fine beer. I just think it is lacking in the overall depth I can recall from previous versions.
286 characters
4.1/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
1998 vintage.
22 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
1998 vintage.
22 characters
3.77/5 rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Review of the 2018 vintage, Poured cold from 12-ounce bottle into a large snifter. Clear toffee-brown colored body, with a light tan head that took a few minutes to settle into a nice cap. This was allowed to warm to cellar temperature in the glass. Malt-forward aroma, mostly caramel and dark bread. The alcohol is very prominent on the nose as well as the palate. As aggressively hopped as this is, there is a ton of resiny bitterness that coats the tongue and lingers on the finish. Some cellaring might mellow this out somewhat. As is, it's still a very good beer.
568 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Review of the 2018 vintage, Poured cold from 12-ounce bottle into a large snifter. Clear toffee-brown colored body, with a light tan head that took a few minutes to settle into a nice cap. This was allowed to warm to cellar temperature in the glass. Malt-forward aroma, mostly caramel and dark bread. The alcohol is very prominent on the nose as well as the palate. As aggressively hopped as this is, there is a ton of resiny bitterness that coats the tongue and lingers on the finish. Some cellaring might mellow this out somewhat. As is, it's still a very good beer.
568 characters
3.51/5 rDev -15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
4.19/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2015 batch poured into a snifter. Beautiful on the pour - a clear amber-ruby color in the glass with a thick off-white head that lingered and slowly receded. Caramel, toffee, pine, and resin on the nose. The taste was rounded out with pine, bitter orange peel, caramel, and toffee all mingled together. A full bodied malty finish. Outstanding.
343 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2015 batch poured into a snifter. Beautiful on the pour - a clear amber-ruby color in the glass with a thick off-white head that lingered and slowly receded. Caramel, toffee, pine, and resin on the nose. The taste was rounded out with pine, bitter orange peel, caramel, and toffee all mingled together. A full bodied malty finish. Outstanding.
343 characters
Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
4.14 out of
5 with
7,593 ratings
0 characters. We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters.
In English, explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.