So I have a lot of these beer reviews written up in text files, so I decide I might as well start posting them. Last night I went over to a friend’s house to throw some cards and just hang out and they immediately wanted me to try this ‘new’ beer they’ve had picked up in their variety pack from Total Wine. It was Flying Dog’s Horn Dog and while I’ve had it before it has been awhile so I gladly accepted and popped the top.

I’m not sure if they were offering it to me to be hospitable or because they couldn’t handle the bitterness, either way it didn’t matter to me because it is one of my favorite barely wines but let me tell you, This Dog Bites. With 10.5% alcohol, don’t plan on drinking too many of these b/c they will quickly knock you on your ass.

Beer Description: Dark brown with some ruby highlights. Great aroma- dark fruit, licorice, sweet malt, and a hint of hop bitterness. Flavor starts with some bitterness and quickly turns to sweet malt with lots of fruit and licorice. Flavor lingers before a bitter malty-alcohol finish. Nice and warming.

From FlyingDog.com:

“Big malty flavors, including licorice and chocolate, are balanced with a moderate hop profile. Brewed with copious amounts of prized malts and flaked oats, the Barley Wine is so strong that it has to be aged for several months before we can bottle it. Like a fine wine, it will continue to improve with age up to 2 years after bottling (If kept cool).”

Its a great tasting beer to have a couple if you are looking to get a nice buzz going, but it is not for all. You must be able to handle the bitter-maltiness of Horn Dog, but if you can you’ll easily see why it was the Silver Medal Winner of the World Beer Cup of 2003 (Barely Wine Category).