Last night, I was at the local Ingles grocery store looking for a last minute substitution for this week and an interesting beer caught my eye. It was called Bigfoot. It was from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and part of their Limited Selections category of beer. I had seen many Sierra Nevada beers in the store before, but this is my first experience with them.
Bigfoot is a barleywine. I know the name says barleywine style ale, but that is just legal stuff. You see, the name barleywine originated because of the higher alcohol content which is more similar to wine than to normal beers. But, in the US our FDA wants everone to know that this isn't a real wine, since it is made from grains and not fruit. Thus, we have to sell barleywines with a silly name that uses the word ale. So, if you have been looking for barleywines in the US and were disappointed that you couldn't find authentic ones then I have good news. These are true barleywines. These are the beers you are looking for.
When first opening Bigfoot, it smelled a lot like a lager. Not a very strong one at that. My first teaser sip corrected that. I was hit by a strong bitter hops that I didn't expect. And somewhere in the center of that flavor was a sweetness I wanted to find again. But first, I needed to see it in a glass.
The color is a sort of cloudy red-brown. It isn't exactly a color my eye finds appetizing, but it is the appropriate color for a barleywine that isn't dark like a stout.
Overall the bitter bite this beer comes with was strong for me and my beer started to warm before I could finish it. Which is a shame. That sweetness that was so pleasing in the finish is directly related to the cold. This beer is great as long as you finish it before it warms up.
Ultimately, my personal tastes are for something a little less bitter, but I did enjoy this beer. I'll carry 3 of them in my 6 pack. But, with an alcohol content so high, its almost the same as having 6 of them.
The Point Blank Critic
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