Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Cellaring & Group Reviews

A couple days later, still no wife and kids, time for 2013 vs 2019. I am deliberately not reading what I wrote the other night to see what happens.

A: The 2013 is hazy/murky while the 2019 is crystal clear, both are a dark copper/reddish color. The head lingers on the 2019, but drops to a thin film on the 2013.

S: The 2019 has a orange/grapefruit/citrus scent along with a general sweetness, makes me think of the bottom of an OJ glass after all the juice is gone like there is still a hint of citrus remaining. As I write that I think "both poetic and stupid sounding at the same time"
Very little citrus on the nose of the 2013, mostly a caramel maltiness.

T: The 2019 has a sweet citrus flavor that makes me think candied grapefruit maybe with a little caramelized sugar. A definite bite of hoppy bitterness. The 2013 comes across as a more malty sweetness, some darker caramel flavors and hops more underneath vs up front like the 2019.

M: The 2013 is a little more rounder like some of the carbonation has disappeared. The 2019 is crisper but not really more carbonated. Both are very tongue coating/destroying.

O: My first thought when I poured the 2013 was the oxygen cap failed since it is a sort of ugly, hazy color. It is especially ugly compared to the clarity of the 2019. After drinking them both there is no obvious sign of oxidation (cardboard or metallic flavors). But the 2019 is more preferable to me, I find myself reaching for that and forcing myself to also keep going back to the 2013.

So, I think I like the 2019 better than the 2013. And I think that I liked the 2018 better than the older vintages the other night. Obviously I need to compare 2018 to 2019 and see what happens.

 

I've had a two year old barrel aged version, if you're not a big fan of the hoppiness in normal Bigfoot you'll enjoy that. Was much more malt forward, and the barrel notes balanced it out nicely, while giving it a significantly thicker feeling.

 

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 2014

Just over 5 years on this beer.



Appearance: Murky, translucent mahogany. Light brown, densely packed foam. No visible carbonation. Dots of lacing everywhere. Really a gorgeous looking beer.

Smell: Huge hop aroma. Piney, resinous, and earthy. Underneath, gorgeous notes of tawny port wine including raisins and figs. Burnt caramel. Plum and dark berry gummy candy. As the beer warms up the sweeter notes assume control of the aroma, with the hops taking a back seat.

Taste: This beer is quite bitter and resinous up front. Earthy, herbal, piney and pithy hops, with some sweet dark dried fruit notes including raisins. It’s taken on a bit of a rye spicy sweetness as well. The bitterness carries through the whole time.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is muted and it works nicely. Smooth body. Lingering citrus pith bitterness on the long finish.

Drinkabikity his beer is drinking nicely with just over 5 years on it. I can safely say that when stored properly I prefer this beer with a few years. 5 years is probably the sweet spot for me. As expected the hops are still strong, but with a few years on this beer the hop flavors begin to fade, you’re still left with bitterness, but the sweeter malt notes really begin to shine through.

My theory is that if you want the hops to fade any further you’ll risk the beer surpassing its prime. I’ve had this beer 7-8 years old and I did not enjoy it. Really just seemed to fall apart.

No off flavors or negative impact from aging. The only vintage Bigfoot I have left is a 12 oz bottle of 2015 and a 750 of the 2015 barrel aged version. I’ll need to make some time to drink them together. Really pleased with how this one turned out.

 

I got drunk one night and snuck the 12 it looks like. Sad just sad.

 

My dry February ended and my head cold began *shakes fist at gods*

Finally time to crack a fresh Bigfoot. This comes across a bit like an school DIPA, enjoyable if abrasive. Lots of pine sap and a bit of pithy citrus. The finish is an almost unpleasant pine and aspirin combination. If nothing else this makes me realize how grateful I am for the new hop varieties and the innovative means developed for adding them.

Underneath that crushing hop load though, a glimmer of what this beast will become is peeking through. The charred toffee that will strike a tenuous truce with the hop army in 3-4 years before taking over in 6-7 years is barely a seedling in a vast pine forest. But it is there and it makes me crave an older vintage. I'll check back in when I get to it.

 

The 07 is not great and look at the color.

 

Tons of chocolate malt balls with this one. 2009

 

My favorite so far! Creamy mouth feel very little bitterness. Nice hoppy notes. Not overly sweet.

 

Wow looking at that 2007 I'm inclined to think that something went terribly wrong with that bottle. I don't think I've ever seen any barleywine that dark.

 

What did it taste like? The 07.

 

Had a fresh one a few weeks ago so I decided to go just a bit back in time with a 2016 before I open an older one.

The 3 year mark is an awkward age for Bigfoot. The hop flavors have faded but the bitterness has not. The toffee is sharp, with a charred note. Still needs a few more years before this turns into one of my all time faves. Fresh Bigfoot beats this hands down.

 

I think it was oxidized. the color was way off, little carbonation and the taste was not great. I drain poured it sadly.

 

2007 was the last year for twist off caps according to other posts in this forum. I suspect that might have caused some issues with your bottle.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/bigfoot-oh-wow.7176/page-2#post-110499

 

13 and 14 going down. 13 had less bitterness than 14. 14 was dryer with less sweetness. I love drinking these 2 side by side. The differences are cool.

 

Just cracked my first Vintage Bigfoot aged in Bourbon Barrels from the Trip in the Woods Series. This is a sublime brew. I'm still letting it warm and will be sipping it slow but just the first sniffs and sips are amazing. 18 for 25 oz bottle isn't bad at all for a beer this good but I don't know how many more I will be able to justify at that ticket.

 

Here's my full review of the above
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/140/406522/?ba=stevepat#review

Overview, this thing is a beauty. I think it's my favorite barleywine that I've ever had. Body slightly thinned by the barrels and maybe time, hops reduced and replaced with some barrel char and bourbon character. Such a wonderful beer. If you like bigfoot with a couple years on it or you like bourbon barrels or you just like good gotdamn beer. Get yourself one of these

 

Messing around in my storage unit because we are moving and couldn't help but grab some beers. One of these was in the mix, it's pretty much 6 months from bottling so this seems like we are officially cellaring now.

Unsurprisingly, not a lot has changed. still very hop forward with bitter being the dominant flavor. I will say that I am getting a bit more dark fruit out of it and less of the sharp bitterness that struck me as black tea like on the first bottle. I can definitely see why age does this puppy wonders, complexity in the flavor is on the rise already. Wish I'd bought a case instead of 2 6packs so I could be a little less patient with the rest of these.

 

Was a little tipsy the other night and cracked one.. this was essentially my experience- still hoppy and sharp, but starting to head ever so slightly in the direction I was hoping for... was really only checking in for science. Also wishing I had gotten more...

 

I know that pesky science always using up our valuable beer. but such is life