Old Court Ale - 16 Mile Brewing Company

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

2.93/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured a cloudy deep amber color from the can.

Smell is somewhat sweet, and not altogether pleasant.

Taste has a lot of malt in it, with virtually no hop flavor able to detected.

Average in the mouth, nothing special.

Altogether I was dissapointed with this beer. I would never revisit it. It just did nothing for me.

Serving type: can

11-26-2011 20:07:36 | More by tgbljb

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The CANQuest (TM) is indebted to both THECPJ and mdaschaf for this beer. The former sent this to me, gratis, and then his buddy CANtacted me about one of my Gots so it became a Beer It Forward. It looks like tonight is going to be an homage to The First State, albeit the only one without National parks, monuments, battlefields or historic sites. "Aw", shucks, from a recent Jeopardy! category.

Hey, for those that reviewed the serving style as "Bottle" vs. "CAN", I would beg to differ with you. The message is the medium and it is aluminum, which CANstitutes "CAN" in my book. I do not care what shape it may be formed into, if it is not made of glass, it is not a bottle. Hell, on this site, 5L kegs are CANsidered CANs. That's my p.o.v. and I am sticking to it until directed otherwise.

No Crack, just Glug from this bottle-shaped CAN, and color me impressed! A solid finger of tawny head with very good retention. Color was the shade of deep-copper that a sheet of it had the other day as I was walking past a construction site. I happened to remark on it and the crew member standing over it laughed and told me not to get any big ideas. Ha! Just because I look like a cross between a biker and a dope dealer/user does not mean that I am going to try and rip off a huge piece of metal. I was thinking more of the hair color of a former G/F, whose hair was so coarse that it was like CU wire. But, as usual, I digress ... Nose was both piney and malty and my mouth began to water. Mouthfeel was medium and the hops were right there on the tongue, initially, slowly getting out of the way to give the malt a chance. Finish was dry with the hops reasserting themselves and lingering well after the finish. I CANnot tell you how much better this was as compared to their Blues' Golden Ale. Sure, two different beers, two different styles, but this was worth drinking a bomber's quantity (those CANs are 22 Fl. Ozs., son).

Serving type: can

07-16-2011 00:51:44 | More by woodychandler

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to THECPJ for this one.

Light fizzy head of 1 finger over mostly clear amber orange brown color

Nose has some light crystal malts, light reddish malts, light aged malts, light herbal hops and touch earthy, brown sugar

Taste semi sweet, syrupy, brown sugar, toasty malts, earthy and light herbal hops, light maple syrup, tobacco?, grainy malts, semi bitter, finishes a bit sweeter, syrupy and light hops lingering.

Mouth is med bodied, decent carb.

Overall not bad but not great, syrupy, herbal hops don't help, kinda meh.

Serving type: can

05-31-2011 03:20:57 | More by jlindros

Spider889

Ohio

2.7/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to mdaschaf for this. I've never heard of these guys before.

Interesting, albeit odd, aluminum bottle, 651ml. What?! The bottle art/graphic looks nice, but there was no indication of what the beer actually was. I was thinking it was maybe an old ale or something. Too bad...

Looks really nice, super clear, near ruby colored. A tall white head, good retention, and nice lacing. Just not quite appropriate in color for an American Pale.

Smells pretty weak. Grainy malts and earthy hops.

The flavor had me guessing this was an English Pale Ale, which it fits rather well. As an American Pale this just doesn't add up for me. Too much malt and no true hop flavor, only a mild bitterness. Lots of doughoness as well.

Pretty smooth with very soft carbonation. Overall not bad, but I felt rather disappointed with this beer.

Serving type: can

05-25-2011 05:28:38 | More by Spider889

jsanford

Georgia

3.3/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz Aluminum Can-bottle poured into a Pint Glass. Sent to me by THECPJ. Cheers Shane!

A - Pours a clear, dark copper with a 1-inch head of ivory foam that recedes slowly.
S - Sweet toasted caramel malt with a slightly earthy hop finish. Bit of a floral character in the hop profile, and perhaps some pineapple.
T - More sweet caramel malt with a slight roasted quality and a very light hop presence. Sweet is the main word, lotsa malt.
M - Medium-bodied with a fairly crisp mouth-feel and moderate carbonation.
O - Not bad, perhaps a bit sweet for my tastes. Still, crisp and sessionable.

Serving type: can

04-13-2011 03:44:26 | More by jsanford

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz aluminum bottle into a pint glass. Until there is an "aluminum bottle" category under serving type, I'm reviewing this as a "can", since designating the type of material that the serving container is made out of is more important to me than its shape.

Pours a crystal clear dark copper, with 1-2 fingers of rich off-white head. This settles into a tight creamy finger that drenches the sides of the glass with a rich foamy cascade, leaving back of ton of sticky spotty lacing. The aroma smells leafy and spicy, with a touch of gentle grassiness weaving its way in. This sits on top of fruity citrus and some thick doughy sugars. Maybe a touch of butter is thrown in there as well.

Those hops are citric and grassy feeling in the taste, with a light green bitterness that is balanced by a toasted bready sweetness. The finish is dry and leafy with some lingering bitterness that sticks to the tongue a bit. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a smooth crispness that rides along rather easily in the mouth. This is fairly refreshing feeling overall here on the palate.

This was a decent APA for the most part but seemed to lack a little sizzle. They don't date these aluminum bottles, so I can say for sure if I had the freshest sample here, as this seemed like it maybe had a little age on it. I liked what I found here though for the most part.

Serving type: can

03-25-2011 14:47:10 | More by Kegatron

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

More crafts need to come in these aluminum can-bottles. Just for variety's sake. This brew pours a clear orange garnet topped by a sparse layer of white bubbles. The nose comprises a healthy dose of flowery citrus backed-up by a nice contingent of mild caramel. The taste sees the roles reversed, the caramel slightly dominating the more flowery citrus hops. A hint of white chocolate pervades the aftertaste. The body is a straight medium, with a light active carbonation and a crisp, dry finish. Overall, a decent sessionable brew; nothing special, but solid nonetheless, and rather drinkable.

Serving type: can

08-07-2010 23:51:31 | More by TMoney2591

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 651 ml aluminum can shaped like a tall bottle.

Pours a clear amber/red color with a finger of head slightly tanned and yellowish. Little bit of lace clings on to the glass with the head retaining fairly well. Initially it has a strikingly sweet aroma of malt and citrus hops that fades to a bit of grain and also a slight note of metallic twang. Taste is grainy with some caramel notes blended with a faint hop bitterness. As it warms, the alcohol comes through and there is a slight metallic twang in the finish that is somewhat masked by the hop bitterness. Moderate amount of carbination and a light feel this beer.

Overall it's not bad, I would definately drink it again. However, it reminds me more of an oktoberfest meets pale ale than just a pale ale which is what stopped me from scoring it higher. The color, taste and crispness will surely throw you off from thinking this is your normal APA.

Serving type: can

02-03-2010 23:41:47 | More by stakem

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.51/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

First had: on tap at 16 Mile

A "dark pale ale."

Darker amber-colored pour with a small off-white head; moderate retention and lacing. Aroma of sweet malts, some citrusy hops. Taste of toasted bread, caramel malts, crisp citrusy hops coming in for a sense of balance. Nothing tremendous, but definitely a solid brew. Medium body, and drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2013 08:33:22 | More by Rifugium

BryanCarey

Texas

3.23/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Poured from the bottle, this ale has a color that is copper/amber and a nose that combines scents of light citrus, bread, and a dash of chocolate. The off- white head of foam is slow to form, but it does hold together for a while after pouring.

Moving to the taste, 16 Mile Old Court Ale is lighter than most, with a mild flavor that offers tastes of bread, caramel malt, grains, toasted notes, light hop spice, and even a touch of raisin. The beer is a little sweeter than most beers of its style and the flavor returns to that of sweet, bready and caramel malts in the finish.

This is not a full- bodied brew by a longshot but I did appreciate it more as I consumed. At first, the body seemed too light to take the beer seriously, but it still has enough malty character- along with a small amount of hop character- to make it worthwhile. As I took more sips, I started to slowly catch on and my opinion of the beer slowly increased. I also realized that my first bottle was served much too cold- a few additional degrees made the flavors more pronounced.

This ale is certainly no classic, but it is a good, everyday type of ale that could be matched with many foods or occasions. It’s worth a try if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:52:40 | More by BryanCarey

ckollias

Maryland

4/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a Belgian tulip glass.

A: Pours a clear amber hue with a two finger white head that slowly dissipates leaving a good trail and ending in a solid persistent lace.

S: Sweet malty caramel aroma with decent hop background.

T: Great sweet malty and bitter hop mix. Smooth and finishes on the hoppy side.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: I really enjoyed this pale ale. Smooth and great balance between the malt and hops.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 03:23:00 | More by ckollias

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I appreciate JC letting me have one of these, enjoyed chilled from a McDonalds glass.

The color is darker than most with a slight bronze shade with good clarity and thick cream cap with tight bead pattern. the smell is good with some subtle citrus hop elements and mild caramel tinges from the malt. The feel has a mild bitterness which is nice in contrast to the malt which comes off as slightly sweet with a mild hint of diacetyl smoothness in the finish with moderate carbonation and body.

The taste is good actually better than expected with more citrus hop characteristics than the nose let on with some mild malt toastiness adding to the sutbtle sweet nature but the beer is pretty well balanced which is important for this style. The overall take on this is it is a pretty solid example of the style, minor things I dislike but in general a drinkable pale with some nice flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 17:33:14 | More by Slatetank

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Pours reddish brown, 1/4 inch white foam that persists. Light sweet caramel nose. Similar comments on the taste with a hint of hop at the finish that builds slowly. Heavier at the end. Bitter balances sweet well. Overall a good blend.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 14:04:30 | More by KTCamm

AC-Mivsek

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a reddish brown color with a fairly thin white head.

S- Malts strike first, followed by caramel and toasted grains. Very earthy with no real hop presence.

T- Similar to the smell, but sweeter. Very malty and strong with the caramel.

M- Medium-light body with low carbonation.

O- Smooth and easy drinking, but it isn't anything too special. Seems more like a Scottish style or a brown ale rather than an APA due to the lack of hop presence.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 22:53:21 | More by AC-Mivsek

deaconoflove

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Medium amber with a very nice head. Looks good. Aroma has some malty, faint chocolatey sweetness and caramel. Tasting brought a hint of cherry and raisin I think. Finish is surprisingly tart. It fells substantial with good carbonation and why yes, I could drink more than one.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 01:05:59 | More by deaconoflove

mgironta

New Jersey

2.48/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This brew poured with a finger of pure white head that dissipated slowly, but left a half a finger on top of the body. The body was a clear, mahogany color with moderate visible carbonation on it. The nose had a bit of nuttiness and sweetness and another flavor that wasn’t really pleasant. The taste was a bit more pleasant. The flavor was a bit of a malt bomb. It had a lot of sweetness from the caramel malt and a bit of nuttiness. The only hop presence came at the end of the sip with some very mild bitterness. The finish was relatively quick. The body was medium with lower than expected carbonation. This was an alright beer, but nothing fantastic. For a pale ale, there weren’t enough hops to it.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 22:49:55 | More by mgironta

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12-ounce bottle into a Relic Brewing imperial pint glass.

A: Poured a reddish, honey brown amber color with a one-finger head of creamy, beige foam that dissipated fairly quickly and left some weak, soapy lacing. Carbonation is steady and the brew is quite clean looking.

S: Nutty, sweet and roasted caramel and oatmeal malts spring forward with some mild fruity and herbal notes.

T: Sweet and grainy up front with a freshly sparged, roasted malt flavor to it. Hints of toffee and roasted caramel come to the foreground as subtle fruity notes work their way into the slightly spicy and bitter finish. The aftertaste carries a little nuttiness and cooked, bittersweet malt flavor with it.

M: Medium-bodied and slightly creamy mouthfeel with a slightly sharp and grainy feeling before the onset of mild hop resins and that base malt finish.

O: A slightly roasty, malt-forward yet balanced APA with a little extra bang for the buck at 6.1% ABV. I like the American brown ale flavors that tease out a bit but wish the hops were a little more aggressive for this APA. Smooth and pleasing, I'd hazard to say this is the most palatable 16 Mile brew available year-round.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 01:11:54 | More by Gambrinus1184

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

1.78/5  rDev -49.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured a clear golden color without any head at all.

The scent was very skunky with a little hint of citrus.

The taste was similar, skunky, even less citrus presence, no hop presence, very watery.

Light bodied, thin and watery, low carbonation.

Unfortunately there isn't anything good I can say about this beer. Avoid this at all costs.

Serving type: on-tap

08-06-2012 18:51:23 | More by BeerCon5

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ba Review #195
Served On: 07/23/2012
Glassware: Pint Glass
Labeled ABV: 6.1%
Date/ Code: -

Found this at Dewey Beach Liquors while visiting Coastal Delaware on summer vacation.

Look: The beer poured a rich deep copper. Very clear with a decent amount of carbonation bubbles racing upward. Head was a 1-finger layer of off-white foam. Some random spots of lacing appeared now and then.

Smell: Earthy sweetness with a touch of hops making for a very nice balanced aroma.

Taste: First was a caramel followed by a nice hop bitterness. Then a sweetness hit the sides of the tongue while an earthy spice followed up for the finish. Aftertaste was more bitterness.

This was a great Pale Ale with a slightly higher ABV than most, but would be expected with the increased complexity and heavier character of the brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 17:58:04 | More by CraftBeerTastic

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewery's tasting room. Sorry Delaware Republicans, I'm just here for the beer. Described as a dark pale ale. Damned dark for an APA.

A: The ale looks like a brown ale, darker caramel in color. A thin white head, no lacing through, comes with the pour.

S: Darker caramel malts add the darkness to the ale. Underneath that, lighter biscuits and a moderate hop presence. Not a hopbomb though.

T: More caramel, the darker flavors providing a tangible sweetness. The ale is well-carbonated, plenty of bubble scrubbing my palate clean. That adds a fizzy bite, sharp but not unwelcome. The hoppiness of the ale is evident, a citrus flavor amongst the caramel. The darker malts add depth, the hops add life.

M: The mouthfeel surprised me, bigger both in terms of hops and malts, than I was expecting. The caramel is strong, a pleasant punctuation on the ale.

O: I went through the glass in a rather fast manner, so they must be doing something right.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2011 00:10:13 | More by akorsak

mdaschaf

Washington

2.78/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Review from notes.

A: Poured a deep brown color with a very foamy tan colored head, about three fingers in height. Pretty good retention with some spotty, but thick lacing left behind.

S: Overly malty, lots of caramel and toffee, but the most prominent aroma is nutty. No hop presence at all.

T: Similar to the aroma, very malty with caramel and toffee, which do give it a bit of sweetness. The nut flavor shows up, but it is not as strong as the aroma led on.

M: Medium bodied with low carbonation for style. Sweet finish.

O: Hard to believe this is an APA, but according to both BA and the 16 mile website it is. With that in mind, this beer failed for me. There is no hop presence whatsoever, and while the flavors were not bad, they are not what I expect at all out of an APA.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 18:46:45 | More by mdaschaf

lnashsig

Texas

3.55/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to mdaschaf for this extra in our recent trade. Poured from bottle into my dfh snifter. Pours a dark amber color, nice white head that quickly recedes, no lacing. Smell- a bit metallic, but I get some amber-type aromas, some sweetness, otherwise, not much here. taste- some banana, rich carbonation, some sweetness from the malt, barely any hop presence. Mouthfeel- the rich carbonation makes for a dry finish, which takes your mind off of the sweetness. drinkability- nothing too special here, but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 20:52:37 | More by lnashsig

THECPJ

Delaware

3.45/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes:

appearance: dark amber brown with a 1 finger head

smell: malts, caramel,

taste: malts, caramel,

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium body,

overall: definitely not a pale ale probably more like a brown. intereresting and glad I got to try it

Cheers,
The cpj

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 16:32:52 | More by THECPJ

dhartogs

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark amber, little head
S: Malty sweetness, a hint of carmel
T: Smooth, malty, tasty
M: easy

O: This to me is a go to summer beer when in DE, it's dark yet easy to drink, malty. Very rare to find a dark full flavored beer that is as drinkable as this one. I've had it out of the can, growler and on tap, all three are worth pursing. The end of the beer gets a little too sweet when very warm, best served a bit on the cold side.

Serving type: growler

05-11-2011 15:57:30 | More by dhartogs

BuxMontBeerLover

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received all three of 16 Miles offerings for Christmas. Just getting around to reviewing the final bottle.

Enjoyed in a DFH Signature Glass.

A - Pours a dark copper color and rather translucent. One finger, foamy beige head upon the initial pour. Nice lacing left on the side of the glass.

A - A rather tangy, malty smell.

T - A nice tasting ale. Lots of malty goodness with a nice sweet background. Slighlt tangy on the end. The alcohol is barely noticeable. The ABV is not listed but this seems to me a beer you could easily spend a night drinking.

M - Good amount of carbonation gives a nice bite to eat sip.

O - Of all three of the 16 Miles brews, this is my favorite. I finished the 22oz. aluminum bottle rather quickly it was that good. Nice job on this one 16 Mile. Another hit from a Delaware brewery. Recommended.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 01:10:08 | More by BuxMontBeerLover