Old Tempestuous - Lightning Brewery

CrazyMacHarris99

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -30.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is not an Old Ale but more of a Strong Ale. Their website lists it as a "UK Strong Ale" and a "Winter Warmer."

Pours a hazy orange color with a thin head that leaves oily legs all over the glass. Smell is dominate bananas or as I like to call it, "circus peanuts." The taste is similar with the bananas. It is fruity with some earthy maltsand not really any hops. The mouthfeel is harsh but not to thick or thin. Drinkability is okay but this is not any one style and is pretty much all over the place.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2010 03:58:07 | More by CrazyMacHarris99

ALBuff

Hawaii

3.25/5  rDev -14.7%

03-25-2013 00:06:46 | More by ALBuff

RashyGrillCook

California

2.75/5  rDev -27.8%

12-12-2012 01:05:08 | More by RashyGrillCook

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +5%

10-21-2012 12:35:54 | More by t0rin0

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev +11.5%

09-25-2012 01:53:37 | More by Daniellobo

Irrationalist

California

4/5  rDev +5%

08-10-2012 05:59:47 | More by Irrationalist

Duff27

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Small head leaves a collar. Translucent light red body. No lacing.

Sweet cherry/fruity aromas.

Yum. Cherry taste as well. Smooth alcohol heat on the tail end, wouldn't guess 9.0%

Low end of carbonation, medium-thick mouthfeel.

Surprise über like here. Cherry flavors and thicker mouthfeel put i kver the top for me. Thanks TATURBO.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 02:42:03 | More by Duff27

GarretD

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -1.6%

04-11-2012 03:59:05 | More by GarretD

SocalKicks

California

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

04-08-2012 14:33:25 | More by SocalKicks

JCanarecci

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +24.7%

03-30-2012 14:03:43 | More by JCanarecci

yokken

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%

03-18-2012 05:01:48 | More by yokken

DarthKostrizer

California

2.55/5  rDev -33.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to Pat/Richard for sharing this one at a bottle share

Look: Dark brown in color with a 1/8 inch head and no retention

Smell: Burnt sugar and caramel

Taste: This is where the beer went completely bad. It had a very overpowering caramel sweetness that made the beer hard to drink. In the background was notes of toffee and brown sugar but there was just something odd about the flavors. Just bad

Mouthfeel: Medium body and low carbonation and a bit oily

Overall: I will never drink this beer again. The flavor was just bad and damn near undrinkable

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 20:45:29 | More by DarthKostrizer

FosterJM

California

3/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

1046th Review on BA
Bottle to Snifter
22oz (Was told 2010 bottle)

Thanks to Pat/Richard for sharing
Shared at MrHirschybars tasting

App- A semi brown, creamy looking pour with a very small head. A few dots of cling and that was about it. Along the lines of an old ale, but a lot more translucent.

Smell- For an old ale this was very sweet and a bit of putting. I found the nose to be a mix of vanilla, crème and some alcohol.

Taste- I will say I wasn't the biggest fan of this one. Old Ales are a style I am trying to get more into with Adam (semi old ale) and the Anniversary beers from the Bruery. This was way far too forward sweetness with just a weird flavor note.

Mouth- A medium bodied beer with somewhat of a medium carbonation level. Pretty thick malts remain on this one with some vanilla.

Drink- Overall, I think my hopes were a bit dashed by this one. Maybe this bottle is just a bit too old or just lost something. Overly sweet without much balance.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 18:14:50 | More by FosterJM

UCLABrewN84

California

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared at a tasting at MrHirschybar's place.

Pours a semi-clear amber color with a tan head that settles to a film on the top of the beer. Small dots of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, dark fruits, and some candy-like aromas. Taste is pretty much the same with a very sweet finish. This beer has a light level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good old ale but nothing too exciting. Very sweet.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 22:03:55 | More by UCLABrewN84

jophish17

Georgia

2.5/5  rDev -34.4%

01-10-2012 18:47:47 | More by jophish17

heresy22

California

4.5/5  rDev +18.1%

01-06-2012 19:03:43 | More by heresy22

hawkmage

California

2.5/5  rDev -34.4%

12-31-2011 16:10:09 | More by hawkmage

3HovsepiansBrews

California

3/5  rDev -21.3%

12-24-2011 18:51:56 | More by 3HovsepiansBrews

AmericanGothic

Iowa

4.08/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a Sam Adams pint.

A: Pours a slightly hazy, amber color with one finger of pale tan head. Good retention but not much lace. Vigorous carbonation.

S: Banana, brown sugar, and butterscotch. Quite nice.

T: Much like the smell-- banana and brown sugar up front, bit of bitter cola on the finish. As the beer warms, some spicy bubble gum and caramel joins in.

M: Medium body, very smooth and oily.

O: A tasty beer. Not a lot of complexity, but good flavors nevertheless. I would buy this beer again. First beer from Lightning, and eager to try their others now.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 22:51:25 | More by AmericanGothic

beveragesampler

Indiana

3.3/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

22oz Bottle
A: Pours deep cloudy amber with little to no head and no lacing.

S: On the nose is a sweet caramel subtitle ginger and spices.

M: clean, rich and smooth with a subtitle lingering malty sweetness. Medium-heavy body, low carbonation.

T: complexities of butterscotch, caramel, toffee, ginger, spice, bread, dried fruit, banana and some citrus from the hops. Plenty going on here, well done.

F: slightly oily with a nice subtitle citrus that lingers for just a bit. 9%ABV well hidden.

O: reminiscent of a light barley wine style but with a focus on the hops. Good representation of a winter warmer. it should age well over the next few years to become more complex. I would enjoy having this brew again.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 02:13:29 | More by beveragesampler

Exiled

Texas

4/5  rDev +5%

11-14-2011 22:16:07 | More by Exiled

mactrail

California

3.85/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sweet at first and last taste. Rich and nutty. Clear amber in the tulip glass. Hop-flavored butterscotch. A total malt experience that is fine for sipping. Fragrance is quite remarkable. Seems to bring together pear brandy with raspberries. Flavors include a little mince meat pie with a touch of rum. But the whole effect is lighter and more buttery than most strong ales.

Personally, I find I prefer barley wines, which this seems to be only with less hops. But I'm glad to see one San Diego County brewery pursuing the brew less traveled.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 04:24:01 | More by mactrail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of JohnCoctosin. Served in a snifter.

Pours a slightly-hazed reddish-copper color with a very thin white head and some light spotty lacing on the way down. The nose carries a slight amount of stone fruits plus a bit of toasted bread and caramel. Flavor has a bit of fruit plus malty sweetness. A bit of brown sugar and toffee. Light body with fairly-light carbonation. Decent enough, but not something I'd come back to.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 23:55:25 | More by Thorpe429

hamilton23

California

4/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours reddish orange with very little head, if any. Cloudy.

S: Apricots, peaches, some caramel malts.

T: Similar to the nose. Dried stone fruits. A fair amount of sweetness.

M: Well carbonated and slightly dry finish.

O: Not bad for the bucks. I will try this one again.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 03:35:55 | More by hamilton23

brewandbbq

New Hampshire

4.1/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle.

Pours hazy dark copper with a thin, bone head that struggled to settle up. A whisp on the surface and a few dots of lacing remained for the glass.

Aromatics are filled with bannanas, toffee, and caramel. A nice tropical fruitiness runs underneath but the beer is mainly phenolic and malty.

On the thicker side of medium bodied with a tacky, sticky mouthfeel.

Plump malt, drizzeled caramel, bannanas, and a hint of clove starts the palate. Toffee and some butterscotch follow through.

Finishes with some lingering sweet toffee, a hint of booziness, and plump malt.

Pretty tasty. Not sure if I'm sold on the Old Ale moniker, but a nice American strong ale anyways. Lacking the traditional vineous, almost tart note found in the great Old Ales.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2010 01:13:07 | More by brewandbbq