Sweetwater Dank Tank The Gimp - SweetWater Brewing Company

BeerDawgs

Georgia

4.1/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - A rich dark amber color, with 1 finger of head and some nice sticky lace left on the top of the beer and glass

S - Toffee and caramel, lots of malts. Brown Sugar. Sweet, maybe some nectarine. No hop aroma, but an Old Ale, so not expected

T - Sweet, marmelade. Not very much hops, but big on the barleywine/old ale front. Brown sugar again.

M - Full bodied, well carbonated

O - An excellent Old Ale. Tasty just a few months old. I will cellar my other one for a a few years. I think this one will grow with age..

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 04:52:07 | More by BeerDawgs

Vonerichs

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown body that does allow some passing light. Tall off white to tan head. No lacing.

Smells of walnut, russet potato, and neutral spirits (ie vodka.)

Real nutty flavor with some earthy hops and wet leaves. Slightly hot, as expected.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with sufficient carbonation.

It's an ok beer, but nothing that stands out. There's really no depth and its bland. It tasted more like a big brown ale than anything else.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 00:14:11 | More by Vonerichs

Dope

Massachusetts

3.96/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

No bottling date that I can discern.

A: A nice mahogany pour with a big, frothy tan head. Head fades at a decent pace, leaving pretty decent fluffy lines of lacing behind. Good head retention.

S: Significant toffee with decent caramel backing it up. Kind've has a dark breadiness to it too. Very malty in general. No real sign of hops, maybe a little onion/garlic seeping through.

T: Again, loaded with toffee and caramel. Has a spicy element to it, like spicy rye bread or something along those lines. Again, malty from beginning to end. A little bit of onion/garlic in the finish - or is that the spices? Hard to tell.

M: Fairly heavy, smooth.

O: A nice old ale. Interesting complexity and variety of flavors. Not fruity like a lot of old ales. Reminds me more of a barleywine, a slightly hoppy barleywine in fact. Actually, it reminds me of a mellowed out, lighter Bolt Cutter (which I enjoyed). Unique, I enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 05:16:53 | More by Dope

kylehay2004

Florida

3.54/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Single finger thick off white head with nice lacing in a murky brown body. Aroma of sour malt, caramel, some dark fruit mostly plum and raisin, some wood notes. The aroma is a little off putting. Flavor of semisweet caramel, raisin, breads, yeast, nuts and resins. Medium to thick body which coats the palate with moderate carbonation. The booze is well hidden. It's fairly drinkable and I just don't really think its memorable except for the aroma which is sour and almost smells infected.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 23:53:35 | More by kylehay2004

mntlover

Tennessee

3.61/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep mahogany color with a nice two finger tan head that leaves some lace behind.

Aroma is lots of chewy caramel mingled with some toffee along with good dark fruit notes plums raisins. Some light pine notes for the hops not a huge nose but pleasant.

Taste is close to the nose deep rich caramel notes dominating not much toffee in the taste as the nose. This one is close to cloying loads of caramel even appear in the finish but the pine notes barely keep it from being to sweet.

Mouthfeel is good a heavy medium with medium carbonation level.

Overall good brew just not as good as I was expecting especially from SweetWater as they brew some good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 02:12:14 | More by mntlover

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

3.51/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass

A- pours a dark brown with a one finger light tan head. About what I expected, nothing too crazy

S- light resinous hops, tons of sweet-smelling malt

T- slightly bitter, very sweet overall. Lingering alcohol comes through as well. Tastes almost leathery as well

M- medium bodied on the thick side

O- not really in love with this....just seems pretty bland overall and not sure of what it wants to be

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 00:37:35 | More by bigfnjoe

ksimons

New York

3.99/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-a slightly hazy amber brown color with about a fingers worth of cream head that

S-lots of malt in this one, raisins, caramel, light dark fruit, and a bit boozey

T-similar to the smell in that it is a malt heavy beer with some spices, but there is also a fair amount of hops in it as well so its not super sweet. Finishes with some peppery alcohol.

M-medium body, medium carbonation, a spicy finish

Overall I agree this probably would be better with age, but it is still drinkable now. Interesting spices and lots of malt make this a good winter beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 22:36:03 | More by ksimons

babaracas

Florida

3.76/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a mostly clear reddish dark brown, one finger thick khaki colored head that quickly fades to a thin ring, with spotty lacing. Smell: dark brown sugar, date bread.. sugary with dark fruit and mild breadiness with a very mild earthy + spicy hopping. Taste: caramel, date, toasty nutty and vinous notes, with enough spicy hopping to keep this sugar bomb from being too sweet. Not very interesting, but definitely enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 05:01:57 | More by babaracas

chinchill

South Carolina

2.95/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22 oz. bottle to glass, just a few miles from the brewery.
Light tan head over a dark, more-or-less clear, red-amber body.

Aroma: rich with traces of yeast, hints of caramel and faint booze, somehow giving the impression of a literally old ale.

Taste: definitely does NOT "follow the nose". It is interesting but, to me, unappealing and hard to describe. It is lightly spicy and somewhat bitter, with some off-tastes including too much charcoal.

Mouthfeel is good, with a medium+ body and medium carbonation.

O: Not worthy of recommendation, but maybe with some age? Bear in mind that I've never had an unspiced old ale a liked a lot.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 18:53:51 | More by chinchill

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.18/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

22 ounce bottle - $5.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours out a very dark, russet-toned body with a medium-small, brief, off-white head. Near nil lacing.

Smell: Lightly nutty caramel and brown sugar with a edge of burnt grain. Pinch of spiciness. Low fruitiness. Slight leafy hop scent. Punchy booze in the nose.

Taste: Dark caramel, a bit nutty, and brown sugar, not nutty, with a decent amount of sweetness. For me, there's certainly a roasty element present. Just as I'm left wanting some more malt depth, then, in comes some leafy hop character and bitterness along with some peppery alcohol. Noted spicy character. Slight dark fruitiness, but it's a tad obscured by the spicy alcoholic qualities. Spicy, charred nutty finish with a good amount of alcoholic warmth to it.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: Frankly, it didn't strike me as an Old Ale, though, perhaps it could benefit from some aging.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 00:28:08 | More by ChainGangGuy

watsonmd

Georgia

3.76/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a snifter glass. Had a brown, slightly hazy color. There was a small amount of head, left slight ring around glass as I finished it.

S: Boozy, fruity, slight hoppy.

T: Tasted of malt, stone fruitiness, and some spiciness. Full flavor, but very boozy feel.

M: Sharp carbonation with a harsh alcohol finish.

O: Good beer, but definitely needs some aging. I need to get another one for cellaring.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 15:58:46 | More by watsonmd

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.54/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at Summit's Wayside Tavern January 4, 2013. Reviewed from notes.

(Appearance) Foamy cream white head over a mahogany brown body. Nice retention. 3.75

(Smell) Fruity bready yeast character, some mild hoppy bitterness. Medium caramel and faint booze. Potency is mild. 3.5

(Taste) Bitter citrusy fruit with a fruity bread malt profile and a smooth spiced caramel finish. Balance swings a notch bitter and a slightly bolder malt body or some aging could remedy that. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) Slick and chewy with a mild airiness on the finish. Body is medium for the style, medium-heavy overall. Alcohol presence is low. 3.75

(Overall) An enjoyable old ale, although I think some age on this one may develop the flavors even more and make it an even more enjoyable beer. I have picked up a handful of bottles for this exact purpose. 3.5

SweetWater Brewing Company's
Dank Tank The Gimp
3.54/5.00

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2013 17:03:17 | More by Jadjunk

pcguitarwzrd

Florida

3.55/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap in a 9-oz goblet.

A: dark brown, not much head but good lacing on the glass. Relatively unassuming.

S: fruity/spicy, a little booze. Fairly enticing.

T: dark fruit is dominant--plum/raisin and maybe some spices, dark malt is present in the aftertaste but not in great abundance. Not much in the way of hops but a little warmth at the end.

M: fairly heavy and satisfying, but with surprisingly fine carbonation.

O: I like old ales to have a little more malt character, but other than that a nice-tasting beer. Nothing to write home about, but I'd drink it again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2013 01:05:36 | More by pcguitarwzrd

avalon07

South Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a brown color and a clear consistency. There was a small amount of foamy head that quickly dissipated. Sparse lacing.

S: A decent, but not spectacular, aroma of malt, spices, and a little hops.

T: Tasted of malt, light hops, a light fruitiness, and some spices (cinnamon, e.g.). Definitely a very boozy beer. Not the most focused flavor. A little overdone.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a harsh finish. Full-bodied.

O: Certainly not a session beer. This is a big, powerful beer. It's also very uneven. Not undrinkable, but I doubt I'd try it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 14:24:53 | More by avalon07

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.49/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

On tap at engine 15. Dark brown with a little floating head. Lacey. Mild hop aroma. Brown style, licorice taste muddled flavours. A little cloying, well more than a little. Assertive carbonation. Not a strong example of what an old ale can be. More like a strong brown ale.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2013 04:17:04 | More by northyorksammy

tdm168

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Wine 101 in Wake Forest

A - dark amber with a thick, brownish head that has great retention

S - cinnamon, caramel, candy sugar

T - cinnamon, nutmeg, candy sugar, bread, sweet, faintly bitter finish

M - medium bodied, well carbonated, warm

This is an intriguing beer. It's complex and is definitely a nice stray from the typical winter warmer type beer. There are some spices that come through, but there is also an Old Ale/Barleywine-like sugary sweetness to the malt character that is actually very nice. The sugar could have been cloying, but the spices actually balance it out. This is definitely a beer that you should try if you're looking for something beyond the mundane this winter.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2013 22:53:32 | More by tdm168

PorterLambic

Florida

2.96/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Arrives a clear chestnut brown with red throughout. A light tan head with good retention and decent lace for the style.
Smell is very weak with just a little sweetness and malt to be found after a lot of searching.
Taste is malty with spice, juniper and a medicinal aftertaste.
Full body, fairly smooth and lightly effervescent. Slight drying. Good but just barely.

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2013 03:44:31 | More by PorterLambic

superdedooperboy

Georgia

3.65/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22-ounce brown glass bottle poured into an oversized snifter glass. Served at approximately 45 degrees F and allowed to warm as consumed.

Pours a deep mahogany hue with an excellent clarity. A thin beige head shows itself for a brief moment before falling away back into the dark recesses from whence it appeared. There's a fairly significant body underneath, as some thick legs peek out of the folds as the beer is swirled in the glass.

Rum-soaked fruitcake shows through heavily on the nose, with a big whiff of dark dried fruits and a slight bit of boozy alcohol. Figs, raisins, and dates are evident, along with a bit of caramelized brown sugar and some faint vinous notes.

The body is indeed full and rich, with just a mild-to-moderate hit of carbonation to wipe the slate clean between sips.

On the palate, things begin sweet up front, with notes reminiscent of those in the nose. The gimp begins to show himself in the middle, where richer dark fruit notes are intertwined with harsher viniferous notes and a bit of herbaceous hoppiness which melds into a dry, slightly astringent bitterness on the back of the palate. Around the edges the sweet malts seem to dance and linger before it all heads into a rather bittersweet finish, with dark fruit and burnt sugar notes that seem to linger on for an eternity.

Overall, this is one of the more straightforward beers to appear in the Dank Tank series, and is really a showcase of malt rather than hops -- something rather surprising coming out of the kettles of SweetWater. This could certainly do with some age to soften it up a bit, but right now it is still a good winter sipper and one that will likely remain so for a few years to come. Grab a few bottles, drink one or two and sit the rest in the cellar for just those right occasions to unleash The Gimp.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 04:47:27 | More by superdedooperboy

oberon

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Sticks and Stones here in G-boro.Poured into a standard pint glass a deep amber/brown with a thinner off white head atop.Aromas of sweet dark fruit,brown sugar,and a smattering of leafy hops.The hops are a little more assertive on the palate but the big cakey and fruity malt base is the main component,there is a leathery element to the flavor profile that is very true to form,the hops give a big drying leafy sharpness in the finish.I had no idea the ABV was so big while drinking this,a damn good old ale with a bigger hop profile compared to most.

Serving type: on-tap

01-04-2013 01:36:02 | More by oberon

Kromes

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

I know this should be cellared, but I'm going to open it anyway. At $6 a bottle, I'll try one now and cellar the rest. Poured into a snifter. A hazy dark brown with a thin tan colored head. Spots of lacing remain on the glass.

Toffee, caramel malt, lots of herbal hop, and grape seed.

Tons of caramel malt. Very sweet with l large dose of bittering hop thrown in. There is also a very vinuous, grape seed like flavor to the beer. This one is very green and like it says on the label, it is bred to be stashed in a dank dark cellar.

Full body, smooth feel to it. Burn in the finish.

Obviously it is way too strong right out of the gun. Still it does stand up on it's own as is. Looking forward to trying this after a good cellaring.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 23:52:27 | More by Kromes