Hair of the Dog - Fred #1 and #72

http://www.hairofthedog.com/fred_vintages.html

I had been saving this one for a special occasion.
#1 - Brewed on 10.6.97
#72 - Exact brew date unknown, beer has been in my basement for about a year.

O.M.G.
I hate using textlish, but it's appropriate here. Holy son of wow, the bottle opens with a faint "pshsst" My first thought was, "ok, this stuff is going on 12 years old, hope it hasn't spoiled..." Defiantly not, the carbonation was weak but the flavor made up for it. Juicy thick and such an aroma, Beer heaven definatly has this on tap.

More to follow.

Hair of the Dog: Fred

It has been 4 days past the one year date of my first Fred. Odd isn't it?

http://brewmunkey.blogspot.com/search/label/Hair%20of%20the%20Dog

I consider myself a little more matured in my beer drinking since then (being my last Fred post isn't that informative other than WEEEEEE!). This is a real heavy beer, I would say an Imperial American Pale Ale. The key points this beer makes are heavy palet, thick pour, medium golden body, and watching the bubbles float through the beer is entertaining. This is one of the few heavy yet clear beers that slow the bubbles down to almost a slow motion. The first sniff gives the impression that you have a serious IPA on your hands. That first sip sent shivers down my spine and I knew I was in for a treat. 10%abv is a serious beer and they pull it off well. The lingering taste after you swallow is that of the alcohol and sweetness. Definetely not the beer you drink a few of but you should have this one with a good steak and potato dinner for sure.

Hair of the Dog: Fred

http://www.hairofthedog.com/

Oh Fred. You are a golden special ale (as so noted on the label). They say it has 10 varieties of hops and you can tell. There is no way for me to tell which variety of hops are there! It was good, but more of your typical ale with a lot of finishing hops. IF they labeled this beer as an IPA, I'd say it tasted a little weak and sweet. But I would prefer this to the last IPA ;-)

I had this beer (and others) with breaded pork chops, potatoes, and green beans. Not bad. I'd do it again.