Old Ale Project – AleSmith’s Old Ale (#9)

25.4oz bottle decanted into a snifter.  11% ABV.  “Bottled On” date 07/02/13.  Served at 55F and allowed to elevate to room temperature. 

Appearance:  Dark mahogany with thin streams of fine bubbles rising to the surface to create a faint, beige cap (4.5/5).

Aroma:  I can smell this damn thing from two feet away.  It’s a mixture of incredibly rich, dried, dark fruits, molasses, and toasted bread.  It also smells very boozy.  I’m surprised that the bottle doesn’t say anything about bourbon barrel aging, because it smells like it’s seen a barrel.  All-in-all it is an incredibly inviting aroma (4.75/5).

 

Taste:  Malt.  Super-malt.  Malt all over the place.  Bready and intense.  I also get roasted marshmallows, fresh tobacco, figs, dates, and raisins, pumpernickel, brown sugar, and that tobacco flavor that comes with many beers in this style (4.5/5).

Mouthfeel:  Beautiful warmth from my tongue all the way down to my belly.  Full body and light carbonation.  I love it (5/5).

Overall:  I think this may be my best Old Ale yet.  The only thing it’s missing is that interesting brett character that comes with either wood aging or inoculation.  Otherwise it is nearly perfect.  It’s roasty, malty, sweet, and warm.  Well done, AleSmith (4.75/5).

-Matt