Old Foghorn
Anchor Brewing Company

Old FoghornOld Foghorn
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From:
Anchor Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
English Barleywine
Ranked #170
ABV:
10%
Score:
88
Ranked #14,488
Avg:
3.92 | pDev: 10.97%
Reviews:
1,103
Ratings:
2,067
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 19, 2023
Added:
Oct 15, 2001
Wants:
  91
Gots:
  189
Old Foghorn® is brewed based on historic English barleywine methods. It is highly hopped, fermented with a true top-fermenting ale yeast, carbonated by a natural process called "bunging" to produce champagne-like bubbles, and dry-hopped with additional Cascade hops while it ages in our cellars. Made only from “first wort,” the rich first runnings of an all-malt mash, three mashes are required to produce just one barleywine brew.

ABV varies slightly over the years.
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Ratings by DavidST:
Photo of DavidST
Reviewed by DavidST from Texas

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a goblet, bottled on Dec, 2009. This pours a yeast filled thick tea color with a decent tan colored head which quickly dissipates. The smell is very malt heavy with lots of toffee and some caramel. The feel is medium to thick. The taste is as it smells, this is older the hops have faded and its almost all sweet thick malts, good stuff.
Nov 25, 2011
More User Ratings:
Photo of milkshakebeersucks
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
May be retired (the beer and brewery, not me), but this 2022 vintage seems to have held up pretty well.

Starts off with a deep, clear copper color, a small beige head and moderate lacing. Sweet, strong, malty nose with a dose of molasses, caramel and dried fruit. Sweetness up front; dark fruit, brown sugar, toffee, nuttiness. Not cloying, though. Floral hops add a bit of balance. Strength starting to kick in. Smooth, warming finish. Decent carbonation. Full bodied. Modest complexity. Dry, somewhat bitter finish.

If Anchor does make a comeback, hope they keep this in their portfolio.
Nov 19, 2023
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nice and sweet and warm. Brown/orange/amber with small tightly beaded thin head. Aroma of malt and alcohol. Taste is slightly sweet, fruity and peat. Alcohol warmth aplenty, nice dark fruit aftertaste. A classic.
Nov 08, 2023
Photo of mpruden
Reviewed by mpruden from Ohio

4.36/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured from an undated 12-oz bottle into a Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass.

Look: Dark apple cider with an inch and a half tan head with some retention and leaving very nice lacing — a beautiful pour.

Nose: Maybe I’m being influenced by the look, but I smell some apple cider (!) plus fresh stone fruit — peaches? — and sweet alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Medium thick, sufficient carbonation.

Attack: Oh, boy! Follows the nose very nicely, plus a little brown sugar.

Finish: Just the right bitterness to balance, and warming alcohol.

Overall: I really like this ale. Full disclosure: I prefer an English to an American Barleywine, because I prefer malt to over-hoppiness in terms of balance, and this one is a winner. It’s also a very near perfect pairing with this fall morning’s Sourdough Pancakes with Strawberries and pork sausage.
Oct 21, 2023
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.04/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
12oz bottle poured into a tulip

A- pours a hazy ruby amber color with a one-finger foamy off-white head that reduces to a ring

S- some berry-like fruity esters on the top of the nose quickly give way to some malty notes of bread dough, caramel, brown sugar & toffee. Citrusy, berry and floral hop undertones

T- malty caramel and brown sugar up front are quickly followed by a hop bite that gives fruity red berries & candied citrus peel. The finish gives more caramel with plenty of fruity esters on the linger

M- medium-heavy body with moderate carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that continues into a silky, slightly warming finish

O- well balanced and a great slow sipper
Aug 09, 2023
Photo of steveh
Reviewed by steveh from Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Surprised I've never reviewed this one before. Maybe my first ever Barleywine back in the 20th century -- or at least my second. Bottled February 10, 2023. 10.2 ABV.

L -- Clear, deep copper-brown with a firm, off-white to light tan head that holds up very well.

S -- Caramel malt, earthy and herbal hops, dark fruit esters, light cocoa, and peppery alcohol.

T -- Herbal to earthy hops up front, sweetish caramel malt, light cocoa, dark fruit, hot alcohol.

F -- Mouthfeel is soft and syrupy with a crisp and dry finish. Light-robust body.

O -- It wowed me then for what beer could be, it still wows today.

A very nice winter warmer, but rich and tasty no matter the weather. Another to be sadly missed.
Jul 31, 2023
Photo of cheeseheadinMinneapolis
Reviewed by cheeseheadinMinneapolis from Wisconsin

4.16/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled on 02-10-2023. enjoyed on 7/30/2023 10.2% ABV
On the pour the body is slightly murky. Oddly when held to the beer light you don't hardly see anything and it's rather transparent. Not much of a head with this bottle. But the bottle I had 2 days ago had a better head.
Smell is good, sweet plum, Dark fruit.
Taste is sweet, dark fruit, caramel/toffee, plum, and a spice like: orange peel and anise.
Good beer. I have 10 more bottles. I will store some, drink some, and maybe give a few away along the way
Jul 31, 2023
Photo of Victory_Sabre1973
Reviewed by Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota

4.29/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2015 vintage consumed on 7-29-2023, from a bottle

I will start off by saying that the carbonation is amazing in this 8 year old beer. It took 2 tries to get it all in the glass. The first pour, the beer is a beautiful clear amber color. Once the head dissipated a bit, and I could get the rest in the glass, there was a bit of murkiness to it, with floaties. The head was quite thick, and a nice tan color, with tiny bubbles. It looked quite fluffy. When the head finally dissipated fully there's a bit of lacing on the glass.
Aroma is full of caramel and toffee notes. I also get notes of raisin.
Taste, well, it's amazing. Raisin hits right away, and lingers throughout. The caramel and toffee then hit and work well with the raisin. The flavors seem to go back and forth to see which profile is more pronounced.
Full bodied, and this beer, even though it's under 10%, let's you know to sip and savor it.
This is so delicious. I am glad I got a bottle of it. I could get more, but, I think others should savor this.
Jul 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4.35 by Bartleby91 from Wisconsin

Jun 26, 2023
Photo of Griffin2
Reviewed by Griffin2 from Virginia

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz bottle dated 7/10/21 into a snifter glass.
L - Pours a hazy medium to dark amber color with a slight white head.
S - Smells of dark fruit and toffee.
T - Tastes of dark fruit and has a slight orange peel flavor on the finish.
F - Full bodied and lightly carbonated.
O - Very tasty English Barleywine.
May 02, 2023
Photo of KaBoots
Reviewed by KaBoots from Florida

4.27/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Tastes like an English barleywine with the alcohol of an English barleywine, at a paltry 8.8%. The date code is unreadable but at least a year old. A pretty standard redish, brown color. Aroma is quite sweet/caramel. If you're a hop-head I'd pass on this one.
Jun 14, 2022
 
Rated: 3.73 by Mikexw from New York

May 05, 2022
Photo of 86sportster883
Reviewed by 86sportster883 from Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured out of a Crowler, off a keg with a few years on it. This version of Old Foghorn takes on a light reddish amber hue when held to the sunlight, otherwise it looks caramel brown with orange highlights capped by a dense khaki colored head. The head fades to a thin ring but leaves a prominent lace down the side of my Stone barley wine glass from the early 90’s. Smells like rich dark fruits with a touch of molasses, toffee and caramel. Any floral or citrus hop notes have faded, or have been overpowered by these rich malty notes. Luckily, the taste retains a perfect assertive hop bitterness to stand up to the big roasted, bready, toasty, char, toffee, raisin, prune and dried fig richness, to add some hoppy clove-like spiciness and a hint of phenols. I’m a big fan of English-style barley wines and have never, prior, been all too impressed with fresh versions of Old Foghorn. But I love this aged (3-4 yrs.) version. At 8.2% abv it sets itself apart from many American knockoffs of the style, and delivers a truly delicious fireside sipper. The mouthfeel is medium with a light carbonation that keeps it from feeling slick. It finishes with a drying, yet sticky finish with a lingering hop oil bitterness that keeps you reaching back for another sip. Complex, yet subtle in as all aspects but the glow you will feel at the end of your glass.
Feb 25, 2022
 
Rated: 4.46 by BrentMcQuirk from Texas

Jan 18, 2022
 
Rated: 4.13 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Nov 18, 2021
 
Rated: 3.83 by DBosco from Massachusetts

Aug 16, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by jsgodfrey from Netherlands

Apr 04, 2021
 
Rated: 3.89 by Tiernan from Texas

Jan 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.3 by stephenlee93 from England

Dec 19, 2020
Photo of IPAs_for_days_13
Reviewed by IPAs_for_days_13 from Texas

3.97/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
L: Pours a very cloudy ruby/amber color with a thin beige head.
S: Smells sweet, like the smell of a port wine. Some roasted malt aromas accompanied by a nice earthy hop smell, a little bit of molasses as well.
T: Taste follows the nose, there is a bit of a toffee aftertaste to this brew.
F: Medium-bodied with a thick/chewy feel to it. This beer definitely has a warm finish to it as you consume.
O: Not a bad barleywine by any means, but not as goos as the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot in my opinion.
Oct 09, 2020
Old Foghorn from Anchor Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 2067 ratings