Gale's Prize Old Ale - George Gale & Company Ltd

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.35/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap at Max's today. This is listed as the 2001 version, aged in whiskey and pinot noir barrels.

The beer pours a fairly dark brow color with read highlights. There is very little head in this beer and no lacing. Can't say this beer looks all that impressive.

On the other hand, this beer smells pretty nice. The beer smells sweet and malty, but with considerable underlying whiskey and wine. There are nuances of sherry on the nose as well. The flavor profile replicates the nose, though the wine flavor seems to really dominate in this beer. It gives the beer an unexpected sour component that I wasn't expecting. There is also some sherry and malty sweetness, coupled with some light brown sugar. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, and the flavors in this beer seemed to drop off on the finish. Alcohol is almost undetectable.

This is another beer that I think is way past its "best by" date. Still interesting, but it's best days are clearly behind it (IMHO).

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2012 18:49:32 | More by johnmichaelsen

blakesell

Ohio

2.95/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Sampled on tap at Gravity Head in New Albany, IN. Poured into a 10oz glass.

Appearance- Cloudy and brown with a milky way haze over the top of the glass. Lacing clings slightly to the sides.

Smell- Thick, malty, and slightly oxidized. Actually I smell quite a bit of the wet cardboard in this. No hops. Scotch, and cocoa.

Taste- Light, fruity, oxidized, nutty, sherrylike, wet cardboard, cork, and sweet with lighter malts than it smells and looks like. Brown sugar also lingers. Taste runs thin later in the tasting. This old ale is a bit... Old.

Mouthfeel- Thin and watery. Not as thick as expected. Well carbonated. Not warming.

Drinkability- Not something I would revisit. An OK beer but not impressive.

Serving type: on-tap

03-05-2008 20:14:47 | More by blakesell

shbobdb

Indiana

2.8/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

This sherry is quite interesting. In both look and taste it is somewhere between a rich amontillado and cream. The nose is dominated by the rich nutty characteristics of the amontillado, with strong, almost dominating, wet cardboard, while it rounds out and ends pleasantly sweet, like the cream. The light carbonation present is strange and wholly unexpected in a sherry. As is the faint hint of chocolate-covered raisins.

Oh, wait . . . this is a beer? Heck, coulda fooled me.

Next time, if I want a sherry, I'll order it. Gimme a Bell's or a Northcoast anyday.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2006 04:24:08 | More by shbobdb

Billolick

New York

3.93/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Blind Tiger Ale House in NYC. This tasty liquid arrives orangy almond,, clearly low carbonation, minimal head and little lacing. Nose is of alcohol and figs. This is a big flavorful brew, notes of raisins, rum, figs, funk, must and some smoke. Nicely crafted, musty old stuff, slight sourness in the finish.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2005 00:21:22 | More by Billolick

Sixpoint

New York

3.48/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This evaluation is from the first time I ever tasted this beer... served on tap in a burgundy-style glass.


Although the appearance is nice, the aroma is the strongest category of this beer. Absolutely wonderful aroma of toffee, currants, alcohol, and even plums. Can definitely go toe-to-toe with a fine table wine.

As true to style, the beer was "undercarbonated" in the relative sense. However, the full-flavored alcohol taste did not mesh perfectly with the small amount of carbonation and full-bodied, dextrinous mouthfeel. As a result, lower scores in this category.

Drinkability? Well, it's definitely a sipping beer or an apertif. The alcohol flavor seems to be at the forefront of the beer... perhaps more caramelization of the wort or extended aging would help balance this out.

Overall, I am mostly satisfied with this beer, considering I am not a big fan of old ale.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2004 06:02:22 | More by Sixpoint

saltydog

New York

4.33/5  rDev +24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1998 draft tasted at Spuyten Duyvil on draft in October 2003. Age has been very kind to this keg. Appearence: Reddish-brown with purple highlights, fairly light head. Smell: Malty, balanced by woody-fruity aromas. Taste: Incredibly complex. The sweet, caramel malty flavor is balanced by oaky, port-like flavors, hints of figs and dates, and a slight sourness with dries the beer's finish a bit, but not as sour as this beer can sometimes be. Mouthfeel is somewhat light for a Old Ale, but works quite fine with this beer. Balance makes for a very drinkable beer, despite age and complexity.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2003 16:57:40 | More by saltydog

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.01/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

9.3 fl. oz. foil wrapped, corked bottle served in my KtG snifter. Bottled in 1999. Pours a dull, plum-colored hue with a nearly opaque clarity. No head or lacing, just some bubbles that cluster around the shoulders before eventually dissipating completely. Nose reveals dark fruit, toffee, some oxidation, sugary notes, leather and a suggestion of plastic as the brew warms. Taste - well, it's past it's prime. Watery, oxidized, sugar water with some vinous notes and some vinegary acidity at the finish. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body, with zero carbonation and a slight oiliness. Overall, a muddled mess and past its prime. Not quite a drain pour, but I'm glad I didn't pick up the 1997 vintage.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 00:55:50 | More by Jwale73

SLeffler27

New York

4/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presented in a George Gale Old Ale flute glass. Dark ruby red gives way to dark copper in mesmerizing clarity as it radiates elegance from below a barely noticeable rocky head.

The aroma is rich with pungent cherry liqueur and earth notes. Also discernible are plum, licorice, maple syrup, port wine, and spiced rum.

This ale is tart with a light medicinal quality. Saturated with dark fruits of plum, raisin, and cherry. The finish is similar to Chianti and, while short, quite powerful.

A medium body with silky texture, this beer is almost flat with alcohol in line with expectations. However, having aged 11 years, the alcohol is surprisingly present. This one is lightly warming and super dry.

Gale’s Prize Old Ale warms well to clarify the aroma and flavor profiles. It is well suited for a cozy afternoon of reading and is the epitome of a sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 14:53:07 | More by SLeffler27

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

4.46/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2000 Vintage

Pours a hazy plum skin color. No head (expected none) no lace. It's 13 years old, I cut it some slack. Looks good.

Very strong red wine and toffee start the smell. Some chocolate and booze come through as well. Hint of leather.

Port, toffee, leather and earth combine very elegantly. In shorts and a Carhartt hoodie, I feel very underdressed drinking this from a snifter. There is a slight vinegar sour in the aftertaste, non offensive. Only a hint of the boozy heat. The body has a nice, moderate thickness. Goes down well.

I liked it. I'd love to compare it to a newer vintage. The hunt is on! The place I grabbed this from ran out of newer vintages, though I could try a few even older.

New notes 5/18/13.

Just popped bottle #4651 from the 1996 Vintage. Still pretty damn amazing.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 02:09:58 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

rudzud

Massachusetts

1.7/5  rDev -51.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

Got this last year maybe at Julio's. Oh yeah, this is a 1996 vintage! Oh lord this is going to be undrinkable...

A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a murky, muddy reddish brown that had not the slightest sign of carbonation. Average and mehhhh.

S - Stale, old brown sugar, molasses, leather, raisins, plums. No real alcohol notes. Actually doesnt smell half bad. Smells good infact.

T - OH god! One sip and I don't think I can take another. Smokey, old stale leather. Old rotten dark fruits. Slight, slight sweetness. Just tastes old and bad. Ugh.

M - Like stale, rotten prune water. Ugh. This is horrendous.

O - Overall, one of the worst beers I've drank. Only reason why Overall is not a 1 is because the aroma was good, if not absurdly misleading. Disgustingly bad.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 21:24:34 | More by rudzud

Maltmaiden

Alabama

3.58/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2003 vintage.

A: Kind of gross...Absolutely no head at all. Flat and extremely murky. Dark brown.

S: Tangy balsamic? Palm dates. Malt. Alcohol at the end. Hope it does not taste like this...

T: A lot mellower than expected. Dried/sugared dates. Oats. Has a red wine likeness. Slight bit of smokiness at the very end. plum. no hops. Some medicinal phenols. Malty and syrupy...like corn syrup. coca cola. Warming but the alcohol isnt pungent.

M: Flat yet smooth like a very thick wine. Has a beautiful softness.

O: Feels like I'm drinking wine. After a while I warmed up to the taste and body but I practically had to hold my nose drinking this :(

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 13:17:06 | More by Maltmaiden

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Thanks to twiggamortis420 for this bottle!

2007 vintage. Well, if this were a true prize-winner, rather than something prized by the creator, would it compare to the massive achievement of Pabst's blue ribbon way back when? Let's see: This stuff pours a slightly brackish sienna topped by a finger or so of glowing off-khaki foam. The nose comprises red wine grapes, oak-y toffee, a hint of walnut, a breeze of earthy greens, a sprig of spearmint, and a strain of vanilla through the back. The taste brings in more of the same, though the grapes, still lightly tart, are forced to a more background role (though not exactly in the background itself) in favor of a sweeter, richer, slightly buttery-er toffee. In fact, a general sweetness pervades until those grapes force a tannic tartness through and help dissipate everything in a cloud. There's also a sense of spiciness in there as well, one composed mainly of cinnamon and brown sugar, but it's mostly muted, and so doesn't really clash with everything else, fading instead with that aforementioned cloud. The body is a light-leaning medium, with a very light moderate carbonation and an ever-so-slightly vinous feel. Overall, a lovely, complex beer. I wish I had a fresh one to compare it to, but I'm prepared to say that the past five years have been quite good to this beer. I look forward to future engagements with various incarnations...

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 06:58:56 | More by TMoney2591

superspak

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

500 ml bottle into snifter, 2007 vintage best before 12/18/2010. Pours extremely hazy dark reddish brown color with a small foamy light khaki head with decent retention, that reduces to a spotty foamy cap that lingers. Spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of huge prune, raisin, fig, toast, red wine, molasses, caramel, chocolate, bread, earth, tobacco, and light herbal. Pretty nice aromas with good complexity and balance. Taste of raisin, cherry, prune, red wine, toast, molasses, caramel, roasted malt, chocolate, earth, tobacco, wood, light cardboard, and herbal. Moderate wine-like earthy tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark fruit, toast, roasted malt, chocolate, earth, tobacco, cardboard, and herbal earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Pretty nice flavor balance with good complexity; fair amount of oxidation noticed; slight cloying flavors noticed after the finish. Light carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a creamy, slick, syrupy, and lightly chalky mouthfeel that is decent. Alcohol is fairly well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a pretty solid old ale. Some good flavor complexity with decent balance; though a bit cloying, it was quite smooth to sip on. This was fairly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 05:06:56 | More by superspak

RochefortChris

South Carolina

2.13/5  rDev -38.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5

I was very disappointed with this as I love old ales. I chipped the bottle trying to get the cork out It poured with absolutely no head despite pouring it slow. It has the aroma of a Belgian quad with a hazy reddish brown coloring. Flavor was a bit solventy with hint of raisins and prunes. Very thin body and watery mouth feel. Hard to finish.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 22:29:01 | More by RochefortChris

smcolw

Massachusetts

2.2/5  rDev -36.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

Bottled in 1999, opened in 2012.

As typical of some in this style, there is NO head even with a vigorous pour. No lace, naturally. Muddy brown color--appears to be excessively cloudy.

Smells like a glass of Port was added to this beer. Strong alcohol and coyly sweet to the nose.

This is very flat. I believe this may have been exposed to oxygen (thus the strong port flavors). So I can't tell if this is ruined or intended to be like this. If it is intended, I am disappointed. It is sugary and rich. Frankly, this is nearly undrinkable. The aftertaste is similar to drinking a Sherry.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 20:43:56 | More by smcolw

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.8/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from notes:
2007 Vintage

A - Pours a hazy brown with a thin khaki head.

S - Raisins, prunes, dates, dark sweet bread, thick caramel malt, woody apples, new leather, has a sharp but sweet candy aroma, chocolate covered raspberries and alcohol.

T - Tangy fruit, cherries, raspberries, woody undertones, tart grapes, green apples, very woody with a dry tannic finish.

M - Low carbonation, smooth and drying finish,

Wonderfully complex aroma, the flavor was more tart and the tartness grows as it warms. A little weird but very good. I'll let my other bottle go a few more years before I try it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 20:35:46 | More by StaveHooks

beergoot

Colorado

4.58/5  rDev +31.6%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Dark, ruby-red, hazelnut-like color to the body. Absolutely no head on this one. Syrupy malt notes: high in figs, dates, raisins as far as smell goes. Thick and chewy body; slick and smooth with no perceptible carbonation. I guess this is what is described as vinous. Beautiful malt taste with strong overtones of dates and currants. A very nice alcohol warmth rises from the depths. Sweet and bitter at once.

Aside from the lack of any head, this is one tasty brew! Subtle yet distinctive complexity throughout and very, very well-balanced with the flavors. I've gotta get me mitts on another bottle or two of this beer. I would love to sip on this during the winter months when we have a wood fire crackling in the fireplace...

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 22:04:59 | More by beergoot

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

275 mL bottle with a real cork, poured into a Swiss wine snifter. I can't find any dates or vintage numbers anywhere on this bottle or the cork, but the pour makes it look quite old. I would guess this couldn't be younger than 5-7 years.

Pours a muddy brown dirty-looking watery body with no head and no evidence of carbonation. Actually one of the least attractive beers I have never seen, and I have seen some pretty old beer. It looks like I dipped my glass in the shallow portion of a swamp after stirring up the mud. I even let this stand upright in my fridge for a week after buying it, and carefully poured it so as not to disturb the sediment. All to no avail apparently.

Smells rather like old banana peels, grape jelly, and raisin paste. Not a bad aroma at all.

To my utter surprise, the flavor is quite nice! The typical raisin, date/fig flavors of long-aged English strong ale are in full force here, and amazingly are not accompanied by the also typical savory unattractive meat flavors that show up in overly oxidized beer. The flavor is mellow and easy to drink. As this opens up I get even more dark stone fruit and a little jam and toffee.

The mouthfeel is actually quite nice because the body still has some weight. Looking at this one would think it would be a watery mess but instead has a thick feel. Very slight carbonation left.

Conclusion: Looks like muddy water, tastes pretty awesome for an old beer. I wish I could know how old this is.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 21:20:41 | More by allforbetterbeer

DoubleJ

California

2.5/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

I'm getting old, and so is this beer. When my bottle was filled in 1998, I was about to enter the world of middle school. Yes, that was half a life ago. I don't expect the contents from the bottle to bring the memories of that year, but the beer itself should be a ride. On to the beer:

Yank that cork out and pour the beer. It's a beer that looks more like a spirit, with its leather brown color and few bubbles of head that quickly go away. The nose provides hope. There's some god oxidation in the aroma, pleasant notes of prunes, brown sugar, raisins, and a dose of alcohol.

I can't say this has aged too well. What smelled reasonably good and fallen into a sour old ale. Sour grapes and alcohol spice hit and quickly dominate the beer. Figs work their way into the picuture. The alcohol warmth is still there and offers a little sweet brown sugar in the end. It's like a trip down memory lane; you can find vague echoes of what this beer once was, only to be brought back to reality. Medium full bodied with no bubbles, however it still has a little texture remaining.

Too old for my liking. Cut its age in half and we might be onto something.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 06:26:12 | More by DoubleJ

cbutova

Massachusetts

2.8/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

1998 vintage bottle aged somewhere outside of my cellar, just picked it up at the store a few days ago.

A- The 14 year old beer cascades out of the corked bottle entering the glass with an odd red-brown hue, pretty murky up to light. Nothing forms atop the beer, no bubbles or clouds nevermind a head. Lace is non-existant. It appears that this is flat.

S- Old, stale sugars, brown and caramel, dominate the nose and remind me of basically all of the oldest beers I have had (not including lambics). Some mustiness. A dark fruit presence is also big, something like prune, cherries and figs. Phenols and alcohols are there giving it a strong edge.

T- The fruiter aspects of the beer seem to take over here, my beer is somewhere around cellar temperate (mid-50s). Flavors like raisin, fig, prune, plum, grape, cherries lending a lot of fruit to the beer's flavor, very vinous. Brown sugar and caramel still present but in the background. A bit dusty and musty feeling. Interestingly enough there is a magic marker/"Sharpie" thing going on (like I noticed in 1999 JW Lees), probably the phenols/alcohol/musty and edgy fruit combining.

MF- Carbonation is not even a factor in this beer, it all must have escaped the dry cork. Slick and thick oily body with alcohol warming on the palate.

Drinks sort of like a wine or juice because of the missing carbonation and the phenol fruit notes. Worth a shot at $6 and 14 years old but not a new favorite by any means. Really seems to get harsh after each sip.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 02:54:55 | More by cbutova

mmapes

Colorado

3/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

1998 vintage bottle bought locally and tasted in August 2012. Many vintages appeared at Liquor Mart so we started with the oldest to see if we'd like it.

Pours the color of flat Pepsi, sort of a dirty brown. In the glass it's black. No head at all. Carmel on the nose. Carmel/molasses that you get from aged beers. Dried fruit/raisin.

Watery. Not very sweet. Not rich. I could be wrong, but I think our bottle has passed its prime. Should have been drunk years ago. Down the drain with this one.

Would like to post this review so others thinking of buying it can decide to get a newer vintage, but hate to give it a numeric score since it's not a fair tasting. Will settle for 3s all around, since N/A is not allowed.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 19:23:58 | More by mmapes

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500 ml bottle, 2007 vintage. Served in a snifter, the beer pours a reddish/brown color with about an inch light tan head. Head retention is decent, and there isn't much lacing at all. Aroma is dark and sour fruit, caramel, and some bready malt. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there's the addition of some brown sugar. However, it tastes mostly like slightly tart dark fruit. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit coating and has good carbonation. I think this is a solid brew. Nothing impressive about it, but it's certainly not bad either. Maybe another vintage of this would be better, since I don't think aging this one longer would help this brew improve much.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 22:44:55 | More by bluejacket74

zeff80

Missouri

3.6/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2001 bottle consumed on 8/5/12.

A - It poured out a murky brown color with almost no head. No lacing at all.

S - It smelled boozy and a little fruity. The fruit aroma increases as it warms up.

T - Boozy and malty. A little brandy-like. Mostly sweet with a sourness that I assume is unintended.

M - It was smooth and medium bodied. A somewhat sticky mouthfeel.

O - This is really interesting. I'd like to try newer vintages.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 03:06:07 | More by zeff80

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a bottle at The Diamond in Brooklyn, NY

2005 Vintage

A: Pours a murky dark orange to amber to brown in color with hints of golden yellow when held up to the light, which looks like a very dark unfiltered apple cider. There is just the most minimal amount of off-white head that dissipates almost instantly. No amount of lacing is observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of alcohol with more moderate notes of sherry and dark/tropical fruits.

T: There are light amounts of malty dark fruit (bordering on tropical fruit) sweetness with notes of sherry and some alcohol presence.

M: On the heavier side of medium bodied with very low amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of alcohol heat/warming.

O: Enjoyable and interesting but there is just too much alcohol presence for this one to be easy to drink. This would probably be a much more enjoyable beer sitting by the fireplace and sipping on a cold winter afternoon than in the middle of summer (even in frigid AC).

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 13:49:56 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

3.68/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle at The Diamond, Brooklyn, NY

A: The beer is very dark brownish amber in color and poured with absolutely no trace of a head.
S: There are aromas of alcohol in the nose along with notes of sherry and sweet, dark fruits.
T: The overall taste tastes like a lighter version of sherry with hints of alcohol and toffee.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied and has a low amount of carbonation.
O: This beer must have been aged upright with a cork because there’s not that much visible or perceptible carbonation. Although the alcohol was noticeable in the smell, it wasn’t that perceptible in the taste.

Note: 2005 Vintage

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 00:48:53 | More by metter98