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: 7,639 | Reviews: 3,106
4.24/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Kind of a hazy brown color with a small amount of tan head. Smell of caramel, molasses, burnt sugar and what my initial reaction was hops, but I think it's a pine note that my brain associates with hops. Taste follows the smell almost to a T, including a slight pine hint in there. Flavors are mellow and they mix well together. Medium bodied and a nice dry finish. First time trying this guy and it was excellent
413 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Kind of a hazy brown color with a small amount of tan head. Smell of caramel, molasses, burnt sugar and what my initial reaction was hops, but I think it's a pine note that my brain associates with hops. Taste follows the smell almost to a T, including a slight pine hint in there. Flavors are mellow and they mix well together. Medium bodied and a nice dry finish. First time trying this guy and it was excellent
413 characters
4.5/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
3.5/5 rDev -15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.31/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a chill hazed coppery deep amber producing variable head size from 2 fingers to voluminous depending on the purchase and pour. The head is tan, frothy and lasting. It leaves a wash of sticky lacing 1/2-1 inch above the collar ring regardless of total head height. Aroma is spicy, cake-like bready, sweet grain, caramel/toffee, subtle raisin, fig and white fruits; some grass & pine with a strong alcohol note. Taste is boozy sweet caramel/toffee, sweet bready malt, thin dark fruits with a chocolate hint. Hop presence is earthy herbal and pine. Hints of molasses, sweet potato casserole and white fruits appear as the brew warms. Starts sweet and remians so for most of the sip with a faint peppery prickle appearing briefly in the middle. Bitters between midsip and finish and hangs on into the aftertaste. Aftertaste is caramel malty, bitter pine, alcohol blend. Mouthfeel is moderately heavy with medium carbonation, smooth, silky with an hint of alcohol bite.
971 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a chill hazed coppery deep amber producing variable head size from 2 fingers to voluminous depending on the purchase and pour. The head is tan, frothy and lasting. It leaves a wash of sticky lacing 1/2-1 inch above the collar ring regardless of total head height. Aroma is spicy, cake-like bready, sweet grain, caramel/toffee, subtle raisin, fig and white fruits; some grass & pine with a strong alcohol note. Taste is boozy sweet caramel/toffee, sweet bready malt, thin dark fruits with a chocolate hint. Hop presence is earthy herbal and pine. Hints of molasses, sweet potato casserole and white fruits appear as the brew warms. Starts sweet and remians so for most of the sip with a faint peppery prickle appearing briefly in the middle. Bitters between midsip and finish and hangs on into the aftertaste. Aftertaste is caramel malty, bitter pine, alcohol blend. Mouthfeel is moderately heavy with medium carbonation, smooth, silky with an hint of alcohol bite.
971 characters
4.16/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | 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
3.91/5 rDev -5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
4.75/5 rDev +14.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.23/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Bottled 12/01/17.
Enjoyed 09/29/18.
L. Murky brown, carbonation streaming up, light tan frothy head leaves a thick lacing.
S. Molasses, burnt sugar, dates, caramely, Whoppers (the candy, not the burger).
T. Bitter and sweet, and not shy in either direction. Toasted malts, dark caramel, molasses, some smooth bitter dark chocolate, grassy piney hops, big dates. Pretty scrumptious.
F. Pretty full feel, smooth, sticky and resinous. Not boozy, only somewhat warming way in the end.
O. At 10 months it has terrific balance. I'd buy it again. Cheers ! ! !
558 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Bottled 12/01/17.
Enjoyed 09/29/18.
L. Murky brown, carbonation streaming up, light tan frothy head leaves a thick lacing.
S. Molasses, burnt sugar, dates, caramely, Whoppers (the candy, not the burger).
T. Bitter and sweet, and not shy in either direction. Toasted malts, dark caramel, molasses, some smooth bitter dark chocolate, grassy piney hops, big dates. Pretty scrumptious.
F. Pretty full feel, smooth, sticky and resinous. Not boozy, only somewhat warming way in the end.
O. At 10 months it has terrific balance. I'd buy it again. Cheers ! ! !
558 characters
2.78/5 rDev -32.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
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
4.25/5 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
4.06/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2012 bottle, so nicely aged.
A - Dark brown body, mostly opaque with strong red and orange highlights, light tan head with an orange tint, and extensive small bubble lacing.
S - Harsh alcohol and pine notes, almost like floor cleaner, but in a manner that is not offensive per se. Caramel and lemon aspects are also there, offering something more pleasant.
T - A sipper, as you might expect. Opens with caramel sweetness, leading to lemon and bread, and a grassy, steeped tea bitter bite in the finish. That bite helps keep things from getting cloying but is itself a bit overpowering, particularly when the beer is still cold. You end up wanting to take another sip quick, but if you let it linger, the biting bitterness does trail off after peaking at about 30 seconds from the drink.
M - Moderate body, with a very dry and building finish.
O - This is a beer designed to sit and grow. And it does offer great flavor range, a mingling of bitterness and sweet caramel. Not a favorite style, but well built and offering quite a bit to chew on.
1,054 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2012 bottle, so nicely aged.
A - Dark brown body, mostly opaque with strong red and orange highlights, light tan head with an orange tint, and extensive small bubble lacing.
S - Harsh alcohol and pine notes, almost like floor cleaner, but in a manner that is not offensive per se. Caramel and lemon aspects are also there, offering something more pleasant.
T - A sipper, as you might expect. Opens with caramel sweetness, leading to lemon and bread, and a grassy, steeped tea bitter bite in the finish. That bite helps keep things from getting cloying but is itself a bit overpowering, particularly when the beer is still cold. You end up wanting to take another sip quick, but if you let it linger, the biting bitterness does trail off after peaking at about 30 seconds from the drink.
M - Moderate body, with a very dry and building finish.
O - This is a beer designed to sit and grow. And it does offer great flavor range, a mingling of bitterness and sweet caramel. Not a favorite style, but well built and offering quite a bit to chew on.
1,054 characters
4.04/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2018 version. Pours a clear light to medium brown with ruby red highlights. a one inch creamy tan head that left nice blotches of lacing. Smells of lightly roasted malts, toffee, raisins and hops. Taste is far more bitter than I expected, somewhat sweet roasted malts, toffee, raisins, dates and alcohol. This beer is meant for sipping and needs to be drank at near room temperature. Full bodied, lightly carbonated, lingering dry and bitter finish.
449 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2018 version. Pours a clear light to medium brown with ruby red highlights. a one inch creamy tan head that left nice blotches of lacing. Smells of lightly roasted malts, toffee, raisins and hops. Taste is far more bitter than I expected, somewhat sweet roasted malts, toffee, raisins, dates and alcohol. This beer is meant for sipping and needs to be drank at near room temperature. Full bodied, lightly carbonated, lingering dry and bitter finish.
449 characters
Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
4.14 out of
5 with
7,639 ratings
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