Sierra Nevada opened with three beers in their portfolio: Pale Ale, Porter and Stout, and in January of 1983 they brewed their first batch of Bigfoot® Barleywine Style Ale, a blisteringly powerful blend of malt and hops. At nearly 10% alcohol and 100 IBUs, the beer was one of the earliest examples of “extreme” brewing and has remained a cult-classic ever since.