Old Jubilation - Avery Brewing Company

ElderPuma

Wisconsin

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

Pours a mahogany deep red color with a tan one finger head that does not last. Laces well down the sides with some alcohol legs to boot.

Aroma is a variety of booze like warmth, toffee, vanilla, roasted malts, and hazelnut. It certainly smells like the holidays and makes you envision a cool night around a hot fire.

Taste is bold chocolate up front that quickly mellows to expose the vanilla, toffee, and hazelnut notes that were initially hidden. The roasted flavor leaves a crisp finish to the palate that makes you want to come back for more. A touch of heat exists but is just right for the beer.

Mouthfeel is very middle of the road in that it is not too thick and creamy yet also not light. It is moderately carbonated. In total, it is everything it should be and nothing it shouldn't be but doesn't leave any wow sensation.

Overall this is probably my favorite of the holiday style beers that exist. I'm not a huge fan of the style to start with but this is the one beer I will reliably try to find a 6 pack of for the holiday season.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 03:12:59 | More by ElderPuma

chanokokoro

Illinois

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

12 oz. bottle poured into an Avery Brewing branded snifter

Pours deep, dark amber accented with copper highlights and capped with a fluffy off-white one and a half finger head. Average retention and some light lacing evident. Light cocoa, toffee, malt, and dark fruit on the nose. Fairly complex, caramel, molasses, raisins, plum, some anise, and finishes with a citric note and a note of warming alcohol. Semi-dry, medium bodied, smooth with a hint of syrup. Moderate carbonation. Very enjoyable and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 04:24:06 | More by chanokokoro

horshack7

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: On top is an off white head around a finger thick. Beneath that is a deep amber beer with some light copper hues.

Aroma: Very bready in the nose with a good touch of toffee. Raisins, dark fruit, twinges of citrus in the back.

Taste: Lots of toffee notes sticky mouthfeel. Molasses in the front, notes of licorice, very malty backbone.

Notes: A great malty backbone mixed in with good drinkabilty and quite good for a cold night. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 02:00:01 | More by horshack7

teromous

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Fairly dark shade of brown, allowing some light to show good clarity and carbonation. Thick fluffy white head, with decent lacing.

S: The malt scents definitely come through. I get roasted nuts, a kind-of caramel smell that you get when you bake brownies. Not caramel or chocolate, just that slightly burnt baked desert smell. Lots of malt. No hops smell, or alcohol.

T: There's the predominantly malty taste, with some malt bitterness coming mostly from its roasted character...akin to burnt popcorn. Some of the hops come through, which are slightly resinous and pine-like. The hops take a background to the roasted character of the beer. The roasted character of the beer develops more on the palate the more you drink the beer.

M: It's surprisingly light in the mouth, but I'd say it's about a medium mouthfeel. It's not heavy at all despite the appearance. It is refreshing and wet, with light bitterness. A very easy drinker. Lots of carbonation. It could probably have a much fuller mouthfeel.

O: Seasonal beers can be very interpretative. I would recommend this beer for people who enjoy beers with a more roasted and malty character. A person who enjoys Rauchbiers or Stouts would undoubtedly like this. It would go well with seared meats or sharp cheddar cheeses. I enjoyed the beer, especially because it was a different take on a Christmas beer. I felt that it could have been a little bit thicker on the mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 01:55:27 | More by teromous

Ryan011235

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an Olde Hickory glass on 12/7/12

Stained cherry brown; clear, but rather dark. One finger head thins to a soapy layer of smooth foam. Tight rings of lace. An impressive appearance.

Aromas of toasted dark bread, nuts and terse sugars - molasses and maybe a little brown sugar. Hints of citric hops and an herbal hop twinge, too. Smells like a really good brown ale. The taste is aligned perfectly with the aroma. Lots of toasty dark bread and not sweet sugars. Mild hoppiness across the spectrum; slightly juicy. The finish is very dry. A shade or two above medium body. Carbonation is on the upper cusp of average. Coating finish that somehow seems enjoyable.

I'm pleasantly surprised and impressed. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 21:47:32 | More by Ryan011235

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown but yet opaque enough to see through. Two finger ivory colored head. Solid mouthfeel. Smell is awesome - all malts - rich, dark, some chocolate. Flavor reveals more of the same. I really appreciate this take on a holiday brew - no crazy spices - just a nice, thick, quality beer for warming up with by the fireside.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 21:45:53 | More by Oakenator

SerialHiker

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Notes:
Christmas/Seasonal Ale
12oz Bottle
8.3% ABV

Appearance: Pours a dark reddish auburn…some khaki color head did form, but dissipated rather quickly…though there is some still lingering making it visually pleasing…

Smell: Deep, bready malt aroma…hints of toffee, chocolate and caramel…sweet candy, brown sugar, fig, citrus hops and spices also evident…

Taste: Sweet candy and malt flavor in the beginning…candied cinnamon, clove and nutmeg are delivered by creamy, roasted, caramel malts…it’s sweet without being overly sweet and malty without being overly malty…there are some earthy hops tones as it warms in my hand…

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation…it’s smooth without being watery…little bitterness, some alcohol heat…ends with roasted malt on my tongue, some cherry candy sweetness…

Overall: Very tasty…the dark, bready malts do dominate and are accented by the candy, sugar sweetness…the aroma brings a bit more than the actual taste does, I’m not getting all the toffee or chocolate that my nose picks up…the flavor though is solid and very drinkable, but I think it could be taken a step farther and would really separate itself from the others in this class…the spices do warm my belly and the higher alcohol content (which the flavor does mask) is more evident as I drink more and it gets a bit closer to room temp…great seasonal ale flavor, recommended for your consumption…

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 07:41:00 | More by SerialHiker

barbellsNbeers

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Opened a 2011 vintage on 11-25-12. What a difference a year makes! This is a totally different beer from when I purchased a year ago. The strong coffee and anise flavors meld nicy together into brown sugar and caramel. Do your self a favor and buy a six pack for 2013/2014.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 01:04:43 | More by barbellsNbeers

zac16125

South Carolina

3.15/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle into a small snifter
2012 vintage

A: Pours a dark mahoghany with reddish hues when held to light and just under 1 fingers width of light khaki colored head that leaves a good amount of lacing all the way down the sides of the glass.

S: Some dark fruits, an astrigent anise like aroma, caramel malts, smokey, faint hints of sugary sweetness.

T: Smokey flavor and roasted malts. Some spicy bitterness on the finish. As it warms the spice become a little more prominent and hints of bakers chocolate comes out, but really not much going on here, at all.

M/D: Pretty thin feeling. Carbonation moderate, but on the higher end for the style, ABV is well restrained and drinkability is good. Leaves a weird film coating the palate (and yes the glass is clean).

O: Overall, probably the biggest disappointment of the season so far. Not bad, but not much of an old ale. Mainly just roasted malt with a little bit of hop bitterness on the finish, more of an extra roasty brown ale than an old ale in my book, which is disappointing. Its not bad, but with so many great winter seasonals I dont think this is one I would have again.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 18:28:44 | More by zac16125

spoony

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 12 oz bottle into a tulip.

A-A moderate pour never produced more than a half-finger of light tan head and there was very little carbonation to keep the head around. The beer had a nice, ruby-brown color and was mostly clear.

S-The smell was sweet and slightly spicy with pretty solid whiffs of dark fig and plum fruit. There was caramel-malt background, and little or no bitterness to be found.

T-Taste followed the smell pretty closely with dark fruit, syrupy brown sugar, and caramel flavors being dominant.

M-Feel was medium to heavy with a syrupy texture. Very little carbonation.

O-Not a bad effort. It was a touch sweet and a little more spice would have balanced things out, but the alcohol was well-integrated and the flavors pleasant. All in all, this was a worthy winter-style brew that worked well for dessert.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 20:19:44 | More by spoony

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy dark amber in color with some lighter reddish orange highlights and some light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall beige head that slowly reduces to a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of caramel malt sweetness with some lighter aromas of nuts and earthy hops. There are moderate winter spice aromas as well.

T: Moderate to strong flavors of caramelized malts along with some brown sugar sweetness. Moderate flavors of earthy hops along with some lighter notes of nuts and winter spices (nutmeg in particular stands out). Light notes of oak like the beer had some small amount of barrel aging.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth and creamy.

O: This is an enjoyable and pretty easy to drink winter beer, though I would recommend sipping this beer rather than drinking it more quickly. Nice complexity to the flavors and smells as the beer warms up.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 23:40:02 | More by dbrauneis

tobelerone

New Jersey

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

On draught at Astoria Bier and Cheese.

Dark red-hued brown body with a finger of slowly settling cream colored head and solid lacing. Big malty aromas intermingle with dark fruits and are followed by lesser notes of yeasty spice and alcohol. Flavor follows nose; pleasant but not overtly aggressive warming booziness; good malt character; toasty and full; prune, raisin, cherries and fig; light spiciness from the yeast providing subtle highlights but not overpowering anything. Moderately sweet but not cloying in the finish. Low bitterness; hops barely detectable although they may be contributing to the spice aspect of the flavor and aroma.

Medium-full mouthfeel, smooth carbonation, creamy, pleasing feel overall. Maybe not the heights of depth and complexity for this style but it's quite nice and an apt seasonal selection for a cold evening.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2012 15:15:04 | More by tobelerone

obrike

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought a 6 pack at Round Rock Specs for about 10 bucks.

Appearance is brownish/mahogany...almost looks like a dark iced tea. A fairly small head but the lacing is quite pronounced. Looks good.

Smell is grainy and malty. Almost a mix of adjunct and scotch ale...weird, but not bad.

Taste is malty but not super sweet. I like. Assault of almost peaty malt on the frontside, followed by a unique hop bite on the backend. Finishes just a bit sweet and smokey. Very unusual. I like the smoothness of this one too. Goes down really easy...dangerously drinkable for an old ale/winter warmer style.

This is a good beer...one to drink on a cold winter's night. Nice job as usual Avery.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 23:05:56 | More by obrike

weeheavybutdieting

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter at 62 degrees (really important to note because this beer changes characteristics as the temp changes, I like it warm to bring out the malty, sweet goodness.)

A: A dark mahogany with a nice clingy lacing of the head. It travels well up the glass and looks like an old ale/winter ale should. Shimmer that lace in front of fireplace you will be in a really good place.

S: Roasted malty goodness. Not over the top but all about chocolate notes, none of the burnt smoky aroma. Not complex but if you love chocolate malt like I do it is perfect.

T: A drinkable beer for the specific gravity. It carries the chocolate lightly roasted taste well upfront. It trails off into a nice lighter carmel taste and ends with just a hint of hops (really just barely) on the tip of the tongue and the back of the roof of the mouth.

M: For a big sweet sticky beer this does a great job of making it feel less big and sticky. To the point that you can down a couple of these and your lips won't stick to the bar on the way to the floor.

O: If you are looking for a beer to ruminate about for hours on end about how it is like an onion that you peel and there is another layer then you ain't gonna dig this beer. If you are looking for an Old Ale/Winter Warmer that is all about comfort food like rich, sweet, malty goodness with a cleansing aftertaste then pull up a stool and grab a glass. This puppy is going to warm your tummy on a cold winter's night.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 01:42:29 | More by weeheavybutdieting

UCLABrewN84

California

3.2/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a somewhat murky dark brown with a foamy orange-beige head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Tiny dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, roasted nuts, slight cocoa, and alcohol. Taste is much the same with a high level of roasty bitterness that lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a low level of carbonation with an almost flat and gritty mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty average beer with a nice smell but the flavor is not all that good in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 01:51:42 | More by UCLABrewN84

Beerandboards

New Mexico

3.3/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from 12oz bottle

A - pour into a standard pint glass produces about 1/2-3/4 inch of white cream colored head. Retains a crown throughout, mild lacing. Half dozen strings of medium bubbles rise throughout

S - somewhat flat. Some fresh bread yeasty notes, not really picking up much in the nose here. Not off putting at all, just not real complex.

T - Some roasted nuts, bready malt, nice mild bitterness throughout. Good clean finish, nothing bad, nothing great. I usually look for a little more complexity and agressive flavors from this style. Taste reminds me a lot of a brown (which isn't one of my favorite styles, that may be affecting my opinion here). Improves as the beer warms, a little caramel shows up with some slight floral type hop notes on the finish. Caused me to come back and bump the taste up a half notch.

M - Pretty good. Light medium thickness. Medium carbonation. Nice creamy feel and good finish.

O - An average, not bad not great brew. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. I bought a six pack, I'll drink a couple over the next couple weeks and put 2-3 down for a couple months just to see what happens. Barring some unforeseen improvement with age (given lack of complexity, I do t expect it), I probably won't revisit. Glad to try it, just wanted a little bigger complex brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 01:16:25 | More by Beerandboards

stumac

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at my job. Pours up a mahogany clear coloration with an extremely nice off white head. Stayed with it throughout the entire ride. Good lacing. Reminds me of your mom. Aroma is malts and spices. Taste is the same but bigger, also caramel, some kind of nut, floral and slight citrus hops. Crispy carbo. Medium leaning light bodies. Easy, tasty, ive been a fan of Avery for many years now. I dig this winter brew

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2012 04:32:13 | More by stumac

kojevergas

California

3.4/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a Uinta pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average given the brewery and style. 8.3% ABV confirmed.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a four finger khaki/light tan colour head of nice cream, thickness, and retention. I'd estimate retention time to be about four minutes - pretty impressive at this high an ABV. Body colour is a transparent copper-amber. Not particularly vibrant, but nonetheless appealing. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Heavy toasted malt character, caramel, biscuit malt, some cream, hazelnut, toffee, and minimal hopping. A mild strength, subtle aroma. I'm excited to try it.

T: Heavy toasted malt dominates the climax, with some emergent caramel. It's definitely malt-centric, with minimal hopping coming through. Biscuit malt is certainly present. Well layered and balanced, but lacking multiple dimensions. It comes off simple - especially for the style. Some toffee and hazelnut help lend it needed character, but it still comes off lacking. An evocative and interesting brew that feels held back by its simplicity. No alcohol or yeast comes through.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Nicely thick. Good carbonation. No problems here. Suits the flavours nicely. A bit chewy. Very smack-your-lips luscious.

Dr: Quite drinkable for the well-hidden ABV. It feels like more of an underspiced winter warmer than an old ale. I like it, but it's not great for the style. I'd have it on-draught. I could definitely drink this repeatedly over the course of a night. A solid offering from Avery, but it does need work.

B-

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 04:21:06 | More by kojevergas

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

an american take on an old ale. pours nearly black, not thick, but no light is passing hardly. theres a two inch head lacey and sticky, with good retention. the nose is quite alcoholic. lots of dark roasty malt, that birch syrup flavor is there a little too, akin to sierra nevada life and limb. flavor is curiously dark malts, they are sweet, but dont seem to have any of that bitterness that comes from such dark roasting. also curiously devoid of smoke flavor. the feel is a little thin in body, which lends drinkablility and makes this beer not feel as big as it is. carbonation if mellow but adequate, and the alcohol only really comes out in taste when it warms. this is a beast of a winter beer, perfect for slow fireside sipping, but a 6pack would do you in. one of my favorite avery seasonals.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 20:07:46 | More by StonedTrippin

chugalug06

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

YUM! Mahogany red in color with lots of purples, thin off-white foamy head that lingers. Just missing some lacing...

Very malty!!! Coffee and toffee too. For being a (winter) seasonal brew, it's nice not to be a spice bomb.

Bubbly, smooth, malty, and delicious. Lots of mild coffee and toffee flavors, very nice and smooth. Nice medium carbonation adds to the flavors by easing them into fruition. Medium body and nice smooth (light) sweetness. Absolutely no bitterness.

A great Holiday brew! Highly recommended for any occasion. Avery nailed this one and I look forward to it every year.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 23:29:26 | More by chugalug06

mscudder

Georgia

3.53/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Into a mug.

A - Rich chocolate amber hue with a few finger ivory head. Great retention and fair lacing.

S - Christmas spices, alcohol, dark chocolate and roasted malts.

T - Strong taste like an old ale to start, with a heavy warmth. Some sugary notes follow, mostly caramelized sugars. Soft notes follow which were detected in the nose. Sadly, the alcohol drowns out the better part of those tastes, leaving it as a sweet boozy brew.

M - Medium- body with below average carbonation.

O - I really wanted to love this one and I just couldn't find it in me. It is fairly drinkable for a winter warmer, yet the beer is just to intense for me and overwhelms some of its complexities.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 02:36:22 | More by mscudder

Immortale25

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Saint Somewhere wine-style glass.

A- Pours a medium brown color with an 1/8 inch light tan head then settles at a thin ring that outlines that glass and a moderate amount of surface foam. Extremely resilient spackled lacing.

S- Bold, semi-musty roast with milk chocolate notes. Alcohol makes its way through the aroma bringing a sherry-like characteristic. Caramel sweetness.

T- Roasted malt that's not so heavy and works well with the booze that's also not so heavy which leads to a very comforting flavor in the taste and feeling. Slightly bitter with notes of caramel, milk chocolate and a bit of honey. Tastes almost like a toned down barleywine which I like.

M- Creamy and viscous while providing that thick afterfeel of residue on the tongue. Medium carbonation and a lofty body.

O- I've been seeking this one out for a while and, now that I've found it, the waiting was all worth it. Such a smooth, balanced old ale with complexity and a subtle sweetness that makes this an excellent example of the style for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 02:51:55 | More by Immortale25

riored4v

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

11/6/10 Bottling date - Poured in to a tulip. 1 finger, dense, khaki colored head. Dark brown, transparent body with notes of red.

Aroma was malty, sweet and caramely. Some bready notes and earthy hop notes. Dark fruit.

Flavor was very nice. Chocolate and dark fruit notes upfront. Good caramel and malt presence. Light toffee and roast. Somewhat earthy hop presence. Mild bitterness in the finish.

Medium body, low carb. Fairly dense, chewy body but did finish fair crisp.

Overall this was a nice beer. The aging rounding it off nicely, although the fresh version is almost equally as good.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 23:42:24 | More by riored4v

UnderPressure

South Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown 1.5 finger head.

Subtle roasted malt aroma. Some caramel.

Complex malty flavor. Lots of sweetness. Reminiscent of a Heath bar. Decent hop flavor.

Really heavy mouthfeel. Chewy and thick.

This is a decent representation of a strong ale with lots of complexity.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 16:28:29 | More by UnderPressure

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review from 3/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a dark orange amber, nice thick head and some lacing. Mild to medium dark fruits and light malt start with hoppy middle and finish. Hops dominate finish. Somewhat like a mild barley wine. Medium mouth feel, creamy. Avery nice winter warmer.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 19:45:55 | More by LiquidAmber