Old Ale Project - A Homebrew Recipe

I have two goals with these “beer projects”.  The first is to learn more about a specific style of beer.  The second is to take what I’ve learned and turn it into a homebrew recipe that includes everything I’ve discovered that I enjoy and avoids everything that I don’t.  Now that I have been through twenty five Old Ales, I think I am sufficiently prepared to come up with a reasonable effort.

Old Ales are not excessively complicated beers, so I’ll start off by listing all the things I don’t like and would like to avoid in my recipe.  First and foremost is a high ABV.  The Bruery’s Coton is great, but I don’t need five gallons of 14.5% beer in my house.  I also appreciate the role that wood plays in this style, but the oak flavor has got to be on a leash.  An example of wood-gone-wild is Widmer and Cigar City’s Gentlemen’s Club, which was an oaky disaster.  Additionally, I am not a fan of the overuse of hops in this style.  Eel River’s Triple Exultation clocks in at 80 IBUs, which in my eyes turns it into an American Barleywine.  Finally, I just can’t get into an Old Ale that is thin and/or hot.  Ola Dubh 30 is an example of the former, and Hanger 24’s Vinaceous is definitely the latter.  

Ok… so here’s what I like.  Ultimately I want a traditional Old Ale.  One that fits within the BJCP style parameters.  I want flavors like prunes, raisins, port, vanilla, and tobacco.  I like the burned sugar flavors of brown sugar, caramel, and molasses.  I’m looking for dark or toasted bread flavors.  I like a little oak flavor that comes from barrel aging (I just don’t want to be beaten over the head with it).  And I really like the musty characteristics that come from aging (whether in a barrel or a bottle).  Oh, and I want a beer that clocks in on the lower end of the expected ABV scale.  The BJCP style guidelines suggest that an Old Ale should fall between 6% and 9%, so I am going to target the low end of that.  

My recipe is going to include as many UK-origin ingredients as possible; Maris Otter, EKG, Fuggle, and White Lab’s London Ale yeast.  And to give it the molasses flavor I like I’m going to add a half pound of Lyle’s Black Treacle.  To push the caramel and raisin flavors I am going to use 75L Crystal Malt, and for the burned sugar and prunes I’m also going with some 120L.  And in hopes of balancing all this sweetness, I am going with a bit of Black Patent as well.  For the body I’m going to include some flaked barley.

But my most favorite thing about Old Ales is the fact that traditionally they were often intentionally staled and blended back with a younger beer.  So I am going to revel in freedom that brewing five gallons at a time affords me and sit on this beer for a full year.  Then, in twelve months, I am going to brew exactly the same recipe and then put them both on draft at the same time to see how they compare to and compliment each other.  Because the hop flavors will likely drop off fastest, I am going to target the higher end of the IBU scale.  And I’m going to drop a bit of oak in the aged version to give it a barrel aged flavor.  

Here’s the recipe.  See you in a year…

Good Night, Sweet Prince

Ingredients

11 lbs. Maris Otter Pale Malt

1 lb. 75L Crystal Malt

1 lb. Flaked Barley

4 oz. 120L Crystal Malt

4 oz. Black Patent

2 oz. East Kent Golding (60 minute)

2 oz. Fuggles (30 minute)

0.5 lb. Lyle’s Black Treacle (added after initial fermentation has settled)

WLP013 London Ale

A pinch of Irish Moss

1 oz. American Oak Infusion Spirals (in aged beer)

Specifications

OG:  1.065

IBU:  49

SRM:  19

Directions

Mash at 157°F for 20 minutes.  Batch sparge with balance of required water.  Boil for 90 minutes and pitch at 70°F.  Ferment in primary for ten days holding temperature at 65F, then transfer to aging vessel (a keg in this case) and store it cold for a year.  Brew the same recipe twelve months later, and blend the young and old beers to taste.

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Great Divide Brewing’s Hibernation Ale (#25)

12 ounce can poured into a tulip.  8.7% ABV.  Stored and served at 55F.  Bottom of the can stamped with “Canned On: Oct27 2016 10:18”.

Appearance: In this light this beer almost looks like liquid red velvet.  It’s a dark ruby with deep plum shadows.  Absolutely brilliantly clear.  The beige head pours thick and coats the side of the glass as it dissipates.  Beautiful beer (5/5).

Aroma:  Wow… it smells unbelievably green and fresh for a beer that was assembled over a year ago.  Caramel and slightly astringent grain husk.  There isn’t a great deal of depth to the aroma, but it comes off very inviting (4.25/5).

Taste:  Fresh brown sugar, peaches, and plumbs.  Maybe a little toasted marshmallows.  Sweet, but not cloying.  All the flavors have rounded edges with a slight astringency on the back end.  Like the aroma, there’s just not a ton of complexity (4/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, light carbonation.  Velvety and smooth (5/5).

Overall:  This perhaps the easiest to drink of all the Old Ales I’ve consumed.  Like Great Divide took an Old Ale and dialed it back 40%.  And it comes in a can!  This may be the only Old Ale that could spark a “less filling… tastes great” debate.  I imagine myself immerging from a backyard pool in slow motion and catching an airborne can of Hibernation Ale.  All the hot girls are there dancing in their bikinis and the muscular dudes are high-fiving each other.  At the end of the commercial I pop the top and start chugging, only to have the frame freeze on my over-enthusiastic face.  No other Old Ale fits this scene, except maybe this one.  It’s good, but maybe Old Ale on training wheels (4.25/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Founder’s Old Curmudgeon (#24)

Twelve ounce bottle poured into a tulip.  9.8% ABV.  Stored and served at 55F.  Bottled “01/21/16”.

Appearance:  The color of an aged brick building.  A building with a cellar.  Murky with a fair amount of age-chunks suspended in glass.  Poured with a decent head that has since faded into a thin ring around the edge.  The debris is being pushed around by the bubbles, which is creating a sort of hypnotic lava lamp that I can’t take my eyes off of (4/5).

Aroma:  Interesting… the aroma comes off very earthy.  Almost like a damp cellar. 

Old tobacco.  Stale wine.  Some old guy, sitting in the corner and giving you the stink eye.  What’s his problem?  Perhaps he’s the curmudgeon (4.25/5).

Taste:  The bottle says Old Ale with molasses and oak.  Molasses… check.  Oak… can’t miss it.  Both come through in spades.  It gives the impression of a very old wine.  Fruity and woody.  I’m back in the cellar with the old guy.  He’s wearing an ancient leather coat that has an extinguished pipe in one of the pockets.  His wife died twenty years ago and he comes here every night.  He sits on the same stool and eyeballs everyone who walks through the door.  You anxiously order a drink.  Perhaps Old Curmudgeon (4.5/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, light carbonation (4.5/5).

Overall:  This beer puts the “Old” in Old Ale.  It is full of rich flavors and just feels incredibly mature.  Of all of the Old Ales I’ve consumed over the past couple years, this one may be the best example of the style.  Not my favorite per se, but in the future if someone asks me what an Old Ale is, this is likely the direction I will recommend they take.  When Michael Jackson talked about his half a glass by the fire, I imagine this is what he was looking for.  Awesome job, Founders (4.5/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Fuller’s Vintage Ale (#23)

One pint, 0.9 ounce bottle poured into a tulip.  8.5% ABV.  2013 offering.  Stored and served at 55F.  Limited edition number “104318”.  Came in a box.  Super-fancy.

Appearance: The body is a hazy copper that is crowned with a thin ring of foam.  There are also couple apologetic bubble islands floating across the center of the glass, but they are slowly fading away (4/5).

Aroma:  The first thing that jumps out at me is the alcohol, which I find a little odd at only 8.5% ABV.  Figs and stone fruit and raisins and all that, but damn the alcohol really wants its presence known.  OK… I see you, alcohol.  Relax (3/5).

Taste:  Very thin and one dimensional.  It comes across quickly like a boozy wine, but all of that disappears very quickly like some weird magic trick.  A little caramel and prunes.  Definitely oxidized, but I’m not sure this has contributed to an interesting aging characteristic.  I dunno.  I wish there was more to say, but there really isn’t (2/5).

Mouthfeel:  Light body, light carbonation (2.5/5).

Overall:  On the back of the bottle the brew master states that this beer is best enjoyed before December 31^st of 2023.  I’ve been sitting on this one for about three years (and I promise it’s been well taken care of).  I’m not sure what’s supposed to happen in the next six, but I don’t feel like I popped it open too early.  It’s only going to get more oxidized and thin from here, so 2023 seems like a strange number to throw out there.  I understand that this is supposed to be one of the classic examples of the style, so I’m not sure what I’m missing here.  I’ve had way better Old Ales at a third of the price (2.5/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Bell’s Third Coast Ale (#22)

12 ounce bottle poured into a tulip.  10.2% ABV.  Stored and served at 55F.  Label stamped with “10/30/14 C” (not sure if that’s a bottle on or enjoy by date, but in late 2017 who cares).

Appearance:  Beautiful mahogany brown.  It would be brilliantly clear, but this bottle has been sitting on its side for a couple of years and my stupid, aggressive pour kicked up the sediment and now it’s all floating around in the glass.  After a few minutes most of it sunk to the bottom.  It’s almost completely flat with nearly no bubbles or head (4/5).

Aroma:  Damn… this is what Old Ales should smell like.  Dried pitted fruit and molasses.  A deep pull grabs a little bit of port wine and old leather.  Smells like something old guys in smoking jackets would enjoy.  The bottle exploded with aroma upon opening, but after a few minutes in the glass most of the fragrances have floated away, leaving me to continue hunting them down (5/5).

Taste:  Malty but not sweet.  Nutty and dark fruit jam.  Think walnuts covered in blackberry preserves.  And don’t forget the walnut skin.  That super-bitter stuff that falls out of the shell once you pull the meat out.  Not of a lot of it, but definitely a pleasant helping.  Also, I’m not sure if this beer has ever seen a barrel, but I feel like I’m getting a hint of oak as well.  Perhaps it’s just mature malt character (5/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, light carbonation (4.5/5).

Overall:  If beer came in piles, I would drink a pile of this.  It’s exceptional.  The bottle I am drinking is a couple three years old, but I can’t imagine that this wouldn’t be amazing fresh.  The twelve ounce bottle is the perfect serving size for the 10.2% ABV.  And then you make it affordable on top of that?  Thank you, Bell’s (5/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Tahoe Mountain Brewing Co.’s Old Ale (#21)

1 pint 0.9 fluid ounce bottle (half a liter translated into human) poured into a tulip.  10.0% ABV.  Stored and served at 55F.

Appearance:  As dark as my soul.  Apparently the beer pulled ALL of the char off the sides of the barrels it lived in.  So maybe once it looked like an Old Ale, but now it could visually pass off as a stout.  No head to speak of and only an infrequent bubble desperately escaping from the depths of its abyss (2/5).

Aroma:  You know that smell you get when you age raisins in a bourbon barrel?  And then you add a little more bourbon?  And then you mix it with your feet?  And then you rinse your feet with some more bourbon?  It smells kinda like that.  Bourbon, raisins, feet, and bourbon (1/5).

Taste:  I tend to like a little Old Ale with my bourbon.  Unfortunately this is pretty much just lightly carbonated bourbon.  Someone may need to discuss the idea of blending with the brewery.  I would love to evaluate the beer here, but I’m not 100% convinced I can find it (1.5/5).

Mouthfeel:  Lightly carbonated bourbon.  Thin and also bourbon (1.5/5).

Overall:  So there’s a lot of bourbon in this beer.  I like bourbon, but I also like beer.  And I thought I bought a beer.  Apparently not the case.  And something has gone funky (or was from the get-go) because it smells terrible.  Sorry, Tahoe (1.5/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Bravery Brewing Company’s Old Rat (#20)

22 ounce bottle poured into a tulip.  9.0% ABV.  Stored and served at 55F.  Bottled on “082515”.

Appearance:  Very dark.  Only the most aggressive light makes its way through.  The body is the color of scorched earth and the foam is a nice khaki.  The bubbles were very forceful up front, but eventually calmed themselves down into a thin sheet.  Seems a little dark for an old ale, but I guess looks aren’t everything (3.75/5).

Aroma:  Dehydrated dates and figs.  Think brown sugar that has been hiding in the back of the cabinet for a couple years.  Musty and leathery.  The label suggests chocolate and toffee, but I think they’ve been aged out (4.5/5).

Taste:  Can’t find the chocolate or toffee here either, but what I have discovered is a nice blend of dark fruit, pipe tobacco, nutmeg, and toasted marshmallow.  Ok… maybe just a hint of chocolate.  But no toffee, dammit.  It’s surprisingly dry, but I think that may be related to the bug that snuck in there (see below in “Overall”) (3.75/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, medium carbonation.  The over-carbonation creates a fizz-reaction on your tongue that is kind of a little unpleasant, but it’s not the end of the world (3/5).

Overall:  Sorry to be overly critical, but who names a beer after the world’s most hated rodent?  Do you really want a product you consume to be associated with a reviled pest?  Perhaps “Decrepit Cockroach” was already taken (likely a Dogfish product).  Anyway… I bought this bottle a little over a year ago and have had it stored at 55F ever since.  But I picked it up off the shelf at the bottle shop, and I wonder if it picked up a little infection at some point during bottling.  It’s not a disaster, but the bottle gushed when I opened it and the beer fizzes a little hard on the tongue (see “Mouthfeel”).  I like it alright, but probably would go with another option if I was looking to scratch my Old Ale itch (3.25/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Eagle Rock Brewery’s Jubilee (#19)

22 ounce bottle poured into a tulip.  8.1% ABV.  Stored and served at 55F.

Appearance:  Burned amber with an ever-so-slight haze.  The bottle poured with a strong head, and as it dropped it left a lovely lacing pattern on the edges of the glass.  All that remains are lonely, little islands of passing bubbles (4.5/5).

Aroma:  Brown sugar, caramel, and raisins.  A little light roast coffee.  The label told me that I should smell banana bread, and as soon as I read that I did.  Thank you, power of suggestion (4.5/5).

Taste:  There is a surprising lack of sweetness.  The beer is built on a foundation of malt, but it is very well attenuated and almost dry.  The holiday spices give the perception of liquid fruitcake (without all that weird candied fruit).  I get suggestions of nutmeg, allspice, dates, and molasses.  The alcohol gives it a comforting warmth right there at the end (4/5)

Mouthfeel:  Medium body, light carbonation (4/5).

Overall:  The bottle stamp has been fairly worn, but I’m pretty sure it says to “enjoy by” June something 2014.  Well, I’ve stored it properly since I purchased it in 2013 and I’m pretty sure I haven’t done it any harm.  This is a very nice beer and dangerously drinkable.  I think an Old Ale should probably not be so thoroughly fermented, but that may be a result of the three plus years it’s been sitting in my cellar.  I probably ought to grab a fresh bottle and compare.  Also, I wish I could try it without the “holiday spices”, but just because I’m typically not a fan of “holiday spices” in my beer.  They are not overwhelming or detracting at all.  Ultimately, a very enjoyable edition to the Old Ale arsenal (4.25/5).

Old Ale Project – Avery Brewing Co.’s Old Jubilation Ale (#18)

12 ounce bottle poured into a tulip.  8.3% ABV.  Stored and served at 55F.

Appearance:  Dark chocolate brown.  A beige head billowed upon the pour, but immediately sank into the glass.  This bottle has been in storage for a couple years and a fair amount of sediment has dropped out of suspension over time.  The glass looked like a snow globe at night for the first minute or so, but the chunks eventually settled to the bottom.  Held up to the light, the beer is brilliantly clear with beautiful amber highlights (4.25/5).

Aroma:  Boozy, metallic, and oxidized.  Deep in the background I can detect the smell of dark malts, brown sugar, chocolate, maple syrup, and soy sauce (3.5/5).

Taste:  Restrained sweetness with hints of coffee, oak, toffee, burned sugar, and dates.  There is also an underlying bitterness that cuts the sugary base and balances it out nicely.  Maybe a touch of a metallic taste, but the bottle has been stored on its side so that may explain it (4.25/5) 

Mouthfeel:  Full body and light carbonation.  Perfectly smooth and rounded (5/5).

Overall:  The bottle stamp is apparently written in Klingon, so I can’t say for certain what year this is from.  But I believe I’ve been holding on to this since the early winter of 2013.  Avery’s description says this beer is “cellarable for 2 years”, but I think that’s kind of cutting it short.  I don’t think the age is hurting anything.  In the end, I really enjoyed this beer but it didn’t blow my doors off.  It is often cited as a “commercial example” of the style, but I think there are better options out there.  I liked having the old bottle, but I’d like to try a fresher sample to see if I’m missing something (4.25/5).

Taprooms – Toppling Goliath in Decorah, Iowa

The Eastern Iowa Airport is a little bit further away from Decorah that I realized.  When I plugged the route into my GPS it told me that I was 112 miles away from my destination.  112 miles is a pretty good distance, but I figured I could burn through it pretty quick.  No problem… I had an entire afternoon to kill.  But I was thinking like a city boy.  What I didn’t realize is that I would not be travelling on an interstate.  Between me and Toppling Goliath was 112 miles of two lane highways, a half a dozen small towns, residential streets, oversized tractors, and thousands upon thousands of acres of corn.  The posted speed limit constantly changed from 70 miles per hour, to 25, and back.  All in all it took me around two and a half hours to drive each direction.  It’s a good thing I had my evening open as well.

The Toppling Goliath taproom is in what could have been an old Pizza Hut or Chinese food restaurant.   The parking lot appeared to be fairly full, but when I walked inside there was maybe only six to eight patrons.  Half of them were nestled up to the little bar area, and the other half was sitting at a table in the front “solar”.  I settled into a little table between the two.   

I came for the fabled pseudoSue, but I wanted to see what else they had to offer as well.  I ordered a pint of Naughty 90, a heavily oaked English IPA, and began my self-guided tour around the small taproom. The arched ceilings are tiled, and the floor is a nice hardwood.  The first wall you see upon entry features an array of merchandise, an open wood frame that leads into the front area, and a flat screen television.  Over the bar there are pictures of their “Mug Club” participants, and small posters that promote several of their brands.  There are two TVs on this side too.  Of the three televisions in the place, two featured big game hunting (not the same channel).  I got the impression that animals would be dying on the third one too, but it was late in the baseball season and some playoff races were getting down to the wire.

I transitioned into a little people watching as I sipped on my pints of Rover Truck Stout and ZeeLander (the latter is a brilliantly assembled, single hop IPA made with Nelson Sauvin).  Beer drinkers of all ages came and went throughout my stay.  The population of Decorah is only about eight thousand people, so I felt like I was seeing a relatively good sample size of the town.  The dialog at the bar was rich with Midwest-isms, and focused largely on guns and cars.  Beer orders were affirmed with an “okie-dokie!”, and folks left with a hearty “so long!”  I loved it.

Toppling Goliath may be grabbing a lot of attention, but it’s unquestionably in a little town in northern Iowa.  I really appreciated that they weren’t trying to be anything else.  I ended up taking my pseudoSue back to my hotel and drinking it out of small, plastic cups.  This probably wasn’t the best way to enjoy one of the most respected pale ales in America, but it worked out just fine in the end.  Ultimately it was a much longer day of beer hunting than I expected, but fortunately it was worth the effort.

310 College Dr.

Decorah, Iowa 52101

563-387-6700

http://www.tgbrews.com/site/

-Matt

Beer Bars – Old Town Pour House in Chicago, Illinois

I could tell I was not going to like the Old Town Pour House from the second I walked in the building.  I’m not much of a sports bar enthusiast, and as soon as I passed through the revolving door I was immediately presented with no less than twenty flat screen televisions playing every sport that cable television had to offer that evening.  My friends and I showed the bouncer our IDs, and we were quickly seated at one of four long “community” tables that make up the majority of the main floor seating.  This puts us literally elbow-to-elbow with the couple next to us.  I’m really not a big fan of this type of seating arrangement.  I grabbed the menu to search for my first pint, and was pleased to find it fairly well organized with the beers sorted by style.  I settled upon Surly Bender, and then screamed my order to our waitress.  Screaming is apparently the only way to verbally communicate at the Pour House because the music turned up so loud that you can’t hear anything else.  I have literally been to concerts that were quieter than this bar.  I hate that.  After the first was ordered, my buddies and I started to fight against the noise in hopes of assembling a conversation. 

After about a half hour of struggling through a fragmented dialog, 75% of the televisions switch over the Thursday Night Football.  I know that America loves its football, but I found it very odd that the bar decided to demote the Cubs game to two of the twenty or so TVs.  The football game didn’t even feature a team that was based within a thousand miles of Chicago.  I know the Cubbies lost hope of a playoff spot a couple months ago, but are the locals no longer interested supporting their team?  I guess.

It’s a shame that I was so turned off by the place because it really is a beautiful bar.  The entire interior is covered with deeply stained wood.  The ceiling and walls are covered with this amazing wood paneling, and the hardwood floor is laid out in a lovely fishbone pattern.  There are about twenty five stools at the bar and a handful of small tables here and there.  On the far end of the restaurant is a wooden staircase that leads up to a few more tables (and even more televisions).  I didn’t get a chance to check it out, but I think there may be another small bar up there too.  The downstairs flooring switches to a black and white tile, but retains the stained wooden walls.  The bathrooms are down there, as is another little bar.  All in all it’s a very elegant looking establishment that should be the perfect environment for libations. 

 

The food was fine.  We ordered three appetizers to share and nothing was left in the end.  The tater tots appeared to be made in-house, the fried pickles were nice and thick, and the fried cheese curds were actually pretty spectacular.  Despite the aforementioned shortcomings, I will allow that the Pour House seems to have perfected the art of deep frying things.

In my eyes, the Old Town Pour House is more or less a “classier” (and more expensive) Buffalo Wild Wings.  It’s not a good place to meet up with friends because you can’t hear them, and, if you’re unlucky enough to get stuck at the long tables, you’re forced to make new friends because you’re essentially sitting on your neighbor’s lap.  The food was pretty good, but I can get good food at a thousand different places in Chicago.  They’ve got a lot of draft handles, but honestly only a few of them were interesting.  Most of it was stuff I could get easily back home.  I guess there were a lot of pretty women to look at, but they were outnumbered pretty close to ten-to-one by guys with shirts that are one size too small.  So in the end, I guess I’m happy to have checked the Old Town Pour House off my to-do list, but I don’t expect that I’ll ever return. 

1419 N Wells St.

Chicago, IL 60610

312-477-2800

http://www.oldtownpourhouse.com/

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Lightning Brewery’s Old Tempestuous Ale (#17)

22oz bottle decanted into a snifter.  9% ABV. 

Appearance:  Amber honey with rich, ruby highlights.  Presented a decent beige head upon the pour, but it faded quickly into a thin ring around the edge of the glass.  Thin streams of bubbles rise in sporadic columns to the surface, but can find no purchase upon their arrival. Absolutely brilliant (both in visual perception and clarity).  But watch out on the last pour because there's a ton of sludge on the bottom of the bottle (5/5).

Aroma:  Perhaps one of the most aggressive aromas I’ve experienced with the style.  I’ve set the glass aside to type out the appearance, and from almost two feet away I’m still nearly overwhelmed by the smell.  Grape jam, brown sugar, and molasses.  Figs and dates.  Old, blackened bananas.  Everything you’d expect from an Old Ale, but apparently dialed up to eleven (5/5).

Taste:  A lot of what I got in the nose also shows up in the flavor.  I immediately get figs, dates, and old bananas.  That is followed by a touch of dark bread crust and burnt marshmallows.  There is a faint suggestion hop bitterness and maybe just a hint of wood.  Very easy to drink for such a big, rich beer (5/5).

Mouthfeel:  Full body and low carbonation.  Silky smooth with a hint of alcohol warmth (5/5).

Overall:  I am blown away.  This beer exceeded my expectations in every way imaginable.  If I am looking for the perfectly crafted Old Ale, I honestly don’t know what to change here.  It is rich, smooth, sweet, and warm.  I don’t like to give away perfect ratings for free, but Old Tempestuous has earned it.  I guess the only thing that may improve it would be a few years in a cellar, but right now I'm glad I didn't wait.  Well done, Lightning (5/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – George Gale & Co.’s Prize Old Ale (#16)

9.3oz bottle decanted into a snifter.  9% ABV.  Bottled in 1998. 

Appearance:  Deep mahogany brown.  Lightly hazed with no head and minimal carbonation.  As I neared the end of the glass, I noticed there were some fairly substantial chunks of something that has collected on the bottom (4/5).

Aroma:  Extremely rich port wine aroma.  My head was enveloped in a cloud of amazing smells from the second I took the cork out of the bottle.  I also get some overripe plumbs and brown sugar as I dig deeper into the glass (5/5).

Taste:  Incredible.  Massive wine flavors from extended aging.  There are also some prunes, figs, apples, and raisins in there, as well as some vanilla and tobacco.  On the back end I get a woody note that dries out the finish a little bit (4.75/5).

Mouthfeel:  Medium body and low carbonation.  A touch of heat from the alcohol (4/5).

Overall:  Brilliant!  I absolutely love this beer.  It seems like it’s lost a little body over the years, but the flavor is unbelievable.  It is rich, mature, and beautiful.  I am very fortunate to have stumbled across a bottle (4.5/5).

-Matt

From the Cellar – 2011 Bell’s Expedition Stout

12oz bottle decanted into a snifter.  10.5% ABV.  Packaged on “9/19/2011”.

Appearance:  Super black.  There was a thick, beautiful tan head when I poured it, but it quickly faded into a light ring around the edge of my glass and a small island of bubbles floating in the middle (4.5/5).

Aroma:  The predominant smell here is soy sauce.  I have had this beer in its younger days, and I don’t remember an aroma like this.  There is a little bit of roasted malt in the background, along with some burnt molasses, charcoal, and overripe stone fruit, but it’s nowhere near as pleasant as I remember it being (2.25/5).

Taste:  The taste follows the aroma.  Burnt soy sauce with charcoal in the aftertaste.  There are some stout qualities in the background, but they are so far removed that there is little reason to comment on them.  Ultimately, it has been overtaken by this weird soy sauce flavor that hits you up front and lingers well beyond the sip (2.5/5).

Mouthfeel:  Full body and light carbonation (4.75/5).

Overall:  I understand that both beer and wine cycle as they age and I’m wondering if I caught the 2011 Expedition Stout on a low point.  I can’t remember having a stout that tasted like it ran through a Chinese kitchen before reached me before.  I would highly recommend that if you have a 2011 bottle of this beer, you give it another year or two before opening it.  I’m sad to report that this beer has gone from an exceptional stout to a sub-average one over the past three years (2.75/5).

-Matt

Beer Bars – Mr. Beery’s in Sarasota, Florida

Mr. Beery’s is in a quiet little strip mall off an abused road in Sarasota, Florida.  I almost broke my rental agreement driving through the dilapidated parking lot, but there were plenty of spaces for me to nestle into at 8pm on a Wednesday night.  A backlit sign, a few neon beer logos, and a series of stickers mark the entrance. 

At the entrance I was greeted by a twenty-stool bar and a couple of old pool tables.  The overhead is softly playing various popular rock songs from the 90’s to current.  There is a small stage and a screen, but neither was in use during my visit.  Every wall is fairly dark and decorated with a collection of various types of brewery paraphernalia.  There are a handful of table-and-chair sets sporadically scattered throughout the establishment, with an elevated “lounge” (couches and coffee tables) in the back.  There are four flat screen televisions broadcasting various sporting events.  A couple of video games, a dart board, a skee-ball machine, and a modern jukebox complete the ambiance (definitely bonus points for having skee-ball). 

Behind the bar is a chalkboard announcing the current draft selections, which appears to be hosted on about twenty four handles.  There are a few locals, a few Belgians, some German beers, and a random collection from around the US.  They’ve got some bottles, but I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a cellar.  I didn’t have to struggle to make a decision, but I don’t feel like I was missing out on much after I left either. 

The staff seems pretty nice.  When I asked for a local recommendation, the bartender suggested a can from Cigar City.  I don’t know why this surprised me, but it kind of did.  I almost always ask for a local recommendation, and it’s never been presented to me in a can.  I’m not opposed to cans as a beer storage vessel, but I kind of assumed my next beer was going to be on the draft list.  Isn’t that where all the exciting beers are supposed to be?

When I travel I tend to reference DRAFT Magazine’s “Top 100 Beer Bars in America” list, which is how I found this bar.  I have been to many locations on their lists, but I’m not sure I agree with this one.  It would probably be a great find if you were thirsty and randomly stumbled into it, but I wouldn’t consider it among the upper echelon in the country.  It certainly wasn’t worth driving an hour in the wrong direction to visit.

In summary, Mr. Beery’s is a decent craft beer bar with an unfortunate name.  They don’t do any food, so eat before you arrive (or order a sandwich next door).  Their draft selection is pretty good, and their bottle list is meager.   But if you love to drink and play skee-ball, I guess you’re in luck.

2545 Mall Dr.

Sarasota, Florida 34231

941-343-2854

http://www.mrbeeryssrq.com/

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale (#15)

18.7oz bottle decanted into a snifter.  6% ABV.  Served a little cold, but allowed to warm.  Vintage listed as “2012/2013”.

Appearance:  Amber honey body with fat bubbles on top.  The eggshell white crown fades very quickly into a nothing.  Brilliantly clear (4.25/5).

Aroma:  Earthy and musty.  Smells like an old, wet cellar.  I can almost see the water dripping down the walls and the fungus and moss growing between the cracks in the bricks.  In the background is ancient, dried up molasses and damp wood.  This beer has taken the “old” in Old Ale very seriously (4.5/5).

Taste:  The immediate impression is surprisingly dry with a bread crust finish.  Very English tasting.  It continues by following suit with the aroma; damp and musty.  There is also an underlying sweetness that tastes like peaches, which is followed by a faint oak bite (4.5/5).

 

Mouthfeel:  Medium body and light carbonation (4.25/5).

Overall:  I’ve been trying to avoid Winter Warmers throughout this project, and I was a little concerned when I stumbled across a beer named Winter Welcome.  But the BJCP lists this beer as one of the commercial examples of the Old Ale style, so I went ahead and picked it up.  I’m glad that I did.  This is an incredible beer.  It’s full of flavor and personality.  Perfect representation of the style.  I’d like to buy a case of it and sit on it for the next decade (4.5/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – The Wild Beer Co.’s M.O. (Modus Operandi) (#14)

11.2oz bottle decanted into a snifter.  7% ABV.  Served a little cold, but allowed to warm. 

Appearance:  Deeply stained brown body with no foam cap and few bubbles.  Slightly murky when held up to the light (3/5).

Aroma:  Boozy alcohol, freshly cut wood, marshmallows, and grape Kool-Aid.  No smell trumps the others.  Everything is fairly balanced and restrained (3.5/5).

Taste:  Sweet and sour, but nothing lingers.  Artificial grape flavoring, and maybe some prunes and raisins.  Every component is very dialed back.  The wild yeast has added an interesting character to the beer, but has it also chewed up all the other flavors?  There really isn’t anything else to talk about (2.75/5).

Mouthfeel:  Thin body and low carbonation (2/5).

Overall:  I understand that Wild Beer is not trying to make a traditional Old Ale with this, so I will not judge it as such.  But there’s not really much in here.  It’s a decent flavor… but that’s pretty much all it is.  A single flavor.  It tastes like lightly carbonated grape Kool-Aid.  There isn’t anything for malt or hops.  So where’s the beer flavor in this beer?  I certainly appreciate unconventional techniques and ingredients, but I think the wild yeast has ripped this beer apart.  What might make it a little more interesting, if I may make a suggestion, would be to pay a little homage to Greene King’s Olde Suffolk English Ale and blend back some of this beer in its fresh form into the final product.  That should give it a little more depth, and could potentially build back up the thin body.  As it is, I am uninspired (2.5/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – A Concurrent Analysis

I’ve just crossed the midway mark of this project, so it’s time to take a look at what I’ve experienced over the past couple months.  This analysis includes…

North Coast Brewing – Old Stock Ale Otsuchi 2012 (#1)

Alaskan Brewing – Winter Ale (#2)

Widmer Brothers & Cigar City – Gentlemen’sClub (New Oak Spirals) (#3)

Eel River – Triple Exultation (#4)

The Bruery – Coton (#5)

Greene King – Olde Suffolk English Ale (#6)

Harviestoun Brewery – Ola Dubh 30 (#7)

Prairie Artisan Ales – The Beer That SavedChristmas (#8)

AleSmith – Old Ale (#9)

Ballast Point – 8.9 on the Richter Ale (#10)

O’Hanlon’s Brewing Co. – Thomas Hardy’s Ale (#11)

Hangar 24 – Vinaceous (#12)

San Diego Brewing Co. – Saxon Old Ale (#13)

I feel like these thirteen beers have already given me a pretty good idea of what to expect with this style.  The nose generally presents aromas that resemble brown sugar, molasses, dark pitted fruit, dried fruit, and dark breads.  You can often get a whiff of alcohol and the barrel it was aged in (if applicable for the latter).  I have actually come to appreciate the smell of this complex style of beer perhaps even more than the taste. 

Flavors tend to follow the bouquet with brown sugar, molasses, dates, figs, cherries, and deeply toasted malts.  The mouthfeel is consistently full with light carbonation.  As for appearance, I generally expect a deep chestnut body, with a few streams of rising bubbles, and a thin, beige head.  I believe that brilliance is preferred, but not always achieved. 

The most important aspect of this style that I have picked up thus far is the genuine need for aging.  I have had both old and young, and decidedly prefer the former.  Age and proper cellaring completely round out any harsh edges on this beer.  Ballast Point’s 8.9 on the Richter Ale and San Diego Brewing’s Saxon Old Ale were nice pints, but both were a little too sharp for me (please note that these both came from draft handles that weren’t marked with a vintage, so I am assuming that they came from this year).  Conversely, The Bruery’s Coton and O’Hanlon’s Thomas Hardy’s Ale were both carefully aged, and the result was incredible.  Rounded sweetness, sherry-like flavors, and a velvety mouthfeel appear to be the reward for patience.  Greene King’s Old Suffolk English Ale is a blend of both old and new, and this seems to be the ideal technique for perfecting this style.

Also, I like to perceive the alcohol in an Old Ale, but not be beaten over the head with it.  This beer should be warming… not hot.  Hangar 24’s Vinaceous and AleSmith’s Old Ale were both a little on the hot side, although I much preferred AleSmith’s effort. 

In addition, I have found that hops are better here when they are restrained.  Eel River’s Triple Exultation was a nice beer, but the amplified hop character made it feel like the odd man out.  Light bitterness and minimal hop aroma seem to be the way to go.

Finally, oak flavors and barrel aging are a good fit for the style, but, as with my other observations, they need to be handled with grace.  Widmer and Cigar City’s Gentlemen’s Club was so oaky that I could barely even finish it.  Conversely, thought and planning was clearly put into the barrel aging of Prairie Artisan Ales’ The Beer That Saved Christmas, which definitely enhanced the overall experience.  I would like to continue to find wood in my Old Ales, but not enough that I could pick my teeth with.

Well, I’ve got another twelve to go.  The herd is quickly thinning, so I’m hoping I can come up with a complete flight of twenty five.  Wish me luck.

-Matt

Old Ale Project – San Diego Brewing Co.’s Saxon Old Ale (#13)

11oz draft pour in a goblet.  8.5% ABV.  Served a little cold, but allowed to warm. 

Appearance:  Tinted chestnut with a beautiful, velvety crown of foam.  Brilliantly clear.  It’s a beautiful beer and well presented (5/5).

Aroma:  Very restrained aroma.  I get a little noble hops and a bit of fresh brown sugar.  Maybe some water treatment too.  I’m really looking for more, but there just isn’t anything coming out (2/5).

Taste:  Some moist raisins and a bit of hop bitterness.  There’s a bit of brandy- and sherry-like character.  I also get the impression of whole cherries (pits and all).  It tastes, very fresh, which is often and advantage in beer, but doesn’t necessarily help this one (3/5).

Mouthfeel:  I get a hint of an astringent bite, almost like I would with an oak barrel.  There is definite warmth from the alcohol.  Full body and low carbonation (3.25/5).

Overall:  I can only guess, but I’d be willing to bet that this beer was brewed within the past couple months.  All of the edges are still a little sharp and bordering on unpleasant.  It’s a decently made Old Ale, but still too young.  I’d love to meet this same keg next year when freshness turned into maturity (3/5).

-Matt

Old Ale Project – Hangar 24’s Vinaceous (#12)

22oz bottle decanted into a snifter.  8.7% ABV.  Served cold and allowed to slowly elevate to room temperature. 

Appearance:  Deep coffee color, a little murky, with multiple columns of rising bubbles and a thick, billowy head (3.5/5).

Aroma:  The dominate aroma here is booze.  It doesn’t sound like this was aged in a spirit barrel, but I would have guessed that it was.  I suppose that it’s a combination of the grapes and the oak that are fooling me.  I also pick up a little bit of molasses, brown sugar, dates, raisins, and bready malt.  It has a fairly appealing smell, but the alcohol is a little over the top (3.75/5).

Taste:  Still boozy.  It’s hard to pick up many other flavors because the alcohol is so intense.  It’s also very sugary.  And I guess there’s also a bit of overripe dark pitted fruit.  As it warms up the grapes may be coming out some, but I may just be talking myself into finding them.  If “grapes” weren’t written on the bottle, I’m not sure I would have (3/5).

Mouthfeel:  Beyond warm… hot.  I’ve got heat all through my chest.  Full body and medium carbonation.  There’s also a bit of astringency, maybe from the oak or maybe the grape skins (3/5).

Overall:  Hangar 24's first "Local Fields" beer is an Old Ale brewed with freshly crushed Mourvedre Grapes from Temecula, California and aged on French Oak.  8.7 ABV should definitely be a level where I perceive an alcohol strength, but this beer is way out of balance.  It’s so boozy that I have a hard time identifying any other flavors.  It’s just too hot.  I like the concept of mixing an Old Ale and grapes, but I would like to see a little more grape and a little less booze (3.25/5).

-Matt