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Bigfoot

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
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🌍 United States · Barleywine · One of 23 Barleywines in hopIQ

A barleywine-style ale released each year from January to April, with the vintage printed on the bottle so it can be cellared. Two-row pale and caramelized malts build a heavy, bittersweet body with toffee, caramel, dark bread crust and dried fruit such as raisin and plum. Cascade, Centennial and Chinook push against it with grapefruit, pine and resin, and the bitterness stays high and drying. With age the hops recede and notes of sherry and port move forward.

ABV
9.6%
Bitterness
Very bitter90 IBU
Resinous hop bitterness
SRM
amber14
See all Barleywine alternatives →

AWARDS

Gold Medal · 1987
Great American Beer Festival
Gold Medal · 1988
Great American Beer Festival
Barleywine
Gold Medal · 1992
Great American Beer Festival
Barleywine
Gold Medal · 1995
Great American Beer Festival
Barleywine
★Gold Medal — Great American Beer Festival
★Gold Medal — Great American Beer Festival (Barleywine)
★Gold Medal — Great American Beer Festival (Barleywine)
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Full body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Off-dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Sharp bitter finish.
mildbitter
Texture
Somewhat creamy mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Assertively bitter and full-bodied.

A big shape with hops that push through — mass and edge working in tandem.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Barleywine.
Hop character
piney
citrusy
resinous
Malt character
caramel
malty
bready
Distinctive notes
dark fruit

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Bigfoot

◎ Appearance

Deep amber to copper-brown hue with excellent clarity and a rich, tan head that forms quickly and clings to the glass with persistent lacing. Carbonation appears moderate, appropriate for the style's weight and age-ability. The color reflects the generous use of caramelized malts in the grain bill.

deep amberpersistent headcopper-brownclear

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with prominent caramel and toffee notes from the Malz foundation, followed by dried stone fruit—raisin and plum—that speak to the barleywine's complexity. Cascade, Centennial, and Chinook hops introduce grapefruit zest, pine resin, and a clean herbal bite that cuts through the richness without overwhelming it.

caramel, toffeedried fruit, raisingrapefruit, pineherbal resin

◐ Taste

A full, bittersweet entry coats the palate with toffee and dark bread crust character, transitioning into a dense mid-palate dominated by caramel sweetness balanced by substantial hop bitterness. The Cascade and Centennial varieties provide grapefruit and pine notes that dry the finish, while the 90 IBU lingering bitterness and resinous edge prevent any cloying quality. Alcohol warmth is present but well-integrated.

toffee, carameldark bread crusthigh bitternessgrapefruit, pine

◑ Finish

Long, drying finish with persistent hop bitterness and resin that lingers on the palate. The initial boldness gradually yields to warming alcohol and a subtle sherry-like quality that hints at cellaring potential.

long, dryingresinous aftertaste
87
hopIQ score
Aroma
86
Taste
88
Appearance
85
Finish
87
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Bigfoot

Serve at 12–16°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 12–16°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Excellent cellar candidate — can age 3–10 years, developing dried fruit, toffee and sherry notes.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Bigfoot

About Barleywine

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Barleywine?

Barleywine is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Barleywine

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same caramel, bitter, full-bodied character as Bigfoot will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Barleywines in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Barleywine beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →