Old Jubilation - Avery Brewing Company

accordselux

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 2011 vintage bottle into a small tulip glass. A really nice mahogany color that is very appealing. Not much in the way of a head or lacing on the glass.

Smells like toffee, caramel, a little nuttiness and spice.

Taste was similar. A little bit of floral/medicinal hop notes on the end.

Mouthfeel was good- there was ample carbonation throughout the glass.

Overall- decent. I am not pressured to buy more and see how aging the recommended period affects the beer- perhaps because I have good beers I have to get through already.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 19:03:46 | More by accordselux

PrAndo

Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I got this bottle as part of a "mystery" six-pack from the local store. I've got to say that it's a fine surprise.

A - nice thick off white head and a deep orange/medium brown, clear, body.

S - sweet malt.

T - sweet malt with a beautiful bitter hop finish.

M - a little watery and full of flavor yet not heavey.

D - solid. Perfect for three or four pints on a fall evening.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2009 02:06:11 | More by PrAndo

morayeel

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This one should be among one of the best BIG Daddy Ales. Pours a very dark amber color with a very frothy thick head over the ale.

You receive a nice hint of the malts in your nose with a sugar and spice accent

Very nice sweet smooth taste up front with the spice flavoring hitting you at the end. I thought this ale might have been to sweet at first but after further review its perfectly balanced.

The mouth feel is very nice medium to full with a very little hit of dryness at the end.

Over all this is one of the more perfectly balanced ales, the balance of malts and sweetness keeps you coming back for more. The brewing was very well done you could not ask for anything better. This is the perfect ale for the holiday season. I would recommend this to everyone.

Ale style: Strong English Ale
Hop Varity: Bullion
Malt Varity: Two row barley, special roast, black, chocolate, vistory
OG: 1.074
Alcohol by Volume: 8%
IBU’s: 30
Color: Very dark Amber

Serving type: on-tap

11-29-2006 10:30:59 | More by morayeel

exparte

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Moderately sweet and earthy aroma of licorice, caramel and wood. Gorgeous deep reddish brown color with a thick, rocky head that lasts beyond the final drop. Substantial lacing. Medium sweetness with hints of nuts. Substantial alcohol warmth. Full body with a hefty mouthfeel. Lively carbonation with a lasting sweet malt finish. This is a big winner. Highly recommended for those cold winter nights, or anytime, really.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 07:28:45 | More by exparte

hopluva1

Washington

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

Enjoyed in a snifter @ 45* from a 2011 bottle

Appearance is reddish brown/mahogany with a one finger off white head.

Smell is grain/malt not sweet, and definitely some peated malts in there. Resembles a scotch ale.

Taste is malty but not sweet, I'm sticking with my peated malt, bit of hops. It has good flavor.

Overall it is good. Winter Warmer is a very vague catagory, similair to barley wine the range is broad. This is very malty without being sweet. It has a smokiness to it that resembles a scotch ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 01:29:36 | More by hopluva1

baldycmu

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I drink this first straight out of the bottle and really enjoyed it. The next day I was at home and was able to pour it in a glass. Poors an interesting amber brown color with a small bit of tanish white head. Has some sediment floating around the glass. The color is much lighter than I had anticipated. Has a nice mildly spicey taste with a nice caramel note and a hint of hops. Nice smooth mouthfeel and you cannot taste the 8% ABV. I would even consider this a session beer, but at 8% I better be careful.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2008 01:43:47 | More by baldycmu

Dave412

Missouri

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Came as part of a mix 12 pack that I got for Christmas.

A. Simple brown color, average head
S. Slight chocolate, more like mocha, raisin.
T. Same comes through on taste. Sweet w/ long finish, dry bitter aftertaste. Alcohol taste.
D. Packs an alcohol punch. Good taste but a tad on the harsh side and wouldn't go looking to down two or more of these. However, I thought this was a good winter warmer and increased my appreciation for this style.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2010 02:20:59 | More by Dave412

KevBrews

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: reddish-brown; fairly opaque. Can only see through it if you hold it up to the light. Light tan head.

S: Some hops in the nose. Not as much as I would have expected, given how hoppy the taste is.

T: Spicy hop flavors dominate, with malty backdrop rounding it out. Bitter. Some roast and caramel tucked below hop flavor. (I seem to be the only reviewer knocked out by the hop flavors, but I truly belive that hops lead the flavor, not the malt.)

M: Full mouthfeel.

D: Nice seasonal beer. No spices, just a dark, malty backdrop for a hop explosion. Strong beer, but the alcohol sneaks up on you.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2006 02:12:50 | More by KevBrews

beerinmorning

Michigan

3.23/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The pour is nice and clean, leaves good lacing.

There is a lot of alcohol at the front of this beer. The middle has notes of cherry and chocolate, with a fairly dry finish. The smell is full-on cherry, which make the alcohol hit at the front muy tolerable. Still, with an 8.3% ABV, you gotta expect to get some alcohol.

The color is a really rich amber, reminiscent of some other English ales I have had, but without the fullness of body. It's a mixed blessing, because I like a certain amount of body (think stout), but the lighter body goes down really nicely.

I would recommend this one as something different to try later in the evening. The taste and the ABV are a little too much to start the night with.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 03:06:54 | More by beerinmorning

spoots

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I wanted so much to like this beer, especially at the (high) price I paid for a sixer. But ultimately, this is a one dimensional beer--malt, malt, malt--and I felt it did not meet the level of excellence its premium price implied.

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass--a one-finger head which dissolved quickly to a vague foam. No lacing to speak of.

This is a good looking beer, full of promise. On the basis of appearance alone, a terrific beer...but...

There isn't a lot to stimulate the olfactory sense. I wanted this beer to explode with a malty fog, but it just sat there in the glass and stared back at me. Very disappointing.

The flavor was all malt, with malt notes moving up and down the scale. If you like malty beer, this is a fine example. But I desperately wanted some balance to make this a little more palatable. The malt is so predominant that I can't imagine having more than one of these in a sitting--which is usually my benchmark for a great beer.

Mouthfeel was average.

This is as much a niche beer as Hop Wallop, Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner, Duvel, or anu other category leader--with the caveat that it doesn't compel me to have another one.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2006 04:26:35 | More by spoots

wajacobs

California

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Old Jubilation is one of my favorite holday seasonal and the 2010 while a little more roasty than previous years doesn't dissapoint.
It pours a deep brown with nice amber highlights when held up to the light. The aroma is dominated with rich toffee and molasses notes that are lifted into you nostrils on a cloud of ethanol vapors.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2011 03:31:57 | More by wajacobs

AngusOg

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a couple of these on discount, as i guess like many places they were trying to get rid of winter and holiday seasonals. But the bottle says this one can be aged for up to two years, so i put one away until maybe next year around this time. Poured a deep brown, into a chalice glass. Smells malty and bready. The taste is rich of toffee and even some slight chocolate notes with some nice alcohol warmth in the finish. I could see drinking this on a cold night around the holidays. Overall it's a decent brew, i enjoyed it, but curious to see what some cellaring time will do for it.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2011 22:08:52 | More by AngusOg

leighton

New York

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a dark, reddish-brown with a firm, lingering tan head. Considerable lacing as the level receded.

Aroma: Nicely balanced between sweet, caramel notes and bitter hops.

Flavor: Flavor is at first sweet and malty, then quickly turns happily bitter with some nice, piney hop flavor. On the swallow, the bitterness prevails, leaving the mouth with a pleasantly bitter, sticky aftertaste. Some notes of toffee and burnt malts, adding to the bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-big in body. Light and fine carbonation. Slightly warming going down.

Overall Impression: Overall I was very impressed. A beautifully struck balance between malt sweetness and hop bite.

Comments: Bottle pour.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2010 02:15:06 | More by leighton

theruckus33

Kansas

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Serving type - Bottle poured into pint glass

A: Pours a chestnut brown color. 1/2 inch head quickly dissipates and, slight lacing around the edge of glass.

S: Disappointing. Slight mustiness from the hops with a faint smell of toasted malt. Nothing to coomplex

T: Heavy alcohol taste right off the bat. Followed by a dry hops flavor - no citrus overtones, just that classic bittering hops flavor. Concluded with a toasted toffee malt flavor. Overall taste not that bad.

M: Thick, heavy, subtle carbonation.

O: Not a bad beer, just average. I am not sure I would buy this beer again but I wouldn't discourage the purchase.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 02:39:30 | More by theruckus33

Cheers

Kansas

3.7/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark copper/amber with a white head that quickly dissipates to some decent lacing.

S - Smells predominately of hops with malty undertones.

T - A semi-sweet malty ale with strong hop notes and faint taste of prunes followed by a slight burnt alcohol flavor.

M - A thick ale that coats the mouth. A bit heavy on the carbonation for my liking.

D - For a winter warmer this is a pretty sessionable ale that is not weighed down with a large amount of spices.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2009 23:06:35 | More by Cheers

weeheavybutdieting

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +11.9%
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

2ndstage

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a deep dark ruby brown color with a light tannish head. Keeps a fairly tight but small head throughout the glass. Initial smell was a burst of floral hops but on second investigation nice malty tones abound. Alcohol presence is definately there but does not rear its head nearly as much as most of Avery's stronger brews. Actually it fits in quite well with this one. Slightly sweet malt flavor with a few raison and currant notes. Drinkability is much too high for this beer. It just goes down way too easy. A very nice warmer from Avery not over the top with sweetness and spices that many winter warmers seem to go overboard on.

Definately a beer to grab if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2005 22:15:59 | More by 2ndstage

cancino45

California

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great mahogany color with very little head. Taste was good with a bit of a hoppy finish but a straight forward approach to the general style. Lacks a bit of alcohol to truly fulfill my expectations of a warmer. The added advantage is that its one of the few brews offered in a 12 oz with so much punch/flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2009 06:12:01 | More by cancino45

MusicalBeers

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Nothing wrong with a Winter Warmer in July, hey, it's Winter somewhere! Pours from the bottle a deep caramel, ruby brown with a thick dark tan head which quickly dissipates with minimal lace. Aroma is noticably sweet and alchoholic, strong with roasted malts and chesnut with hints of spice and herbs to come.

Taste is malty but not immediately heavy, with hoppy spiciness felt later at the back of the tongue and a dark fruitiness not hinted at by the aroma. I wouldn't call it complex really with the malts as the dominant component, but flavors of raisins and figs, maybe prunes and a hint of coriander offset the malts and combine as one of my favorite examples of the style. Goes down smooth and creamy with little hint of the high-ish ABV.

Something else unfortunately common in the Avery beers I have tried is a is a strong sweet aftertaste which doesn't suit me well. The aftertaste is a reiteration of the aroma, sweet and heavy in alcohol which was well concealed by the taste itself. This probably won't put me off picking this up again, but it keeps me reserved in my praise.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2006 04:22:08 | More by MusicalBeers

brewcast6

Nebraska

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Snifter

Aroma:Sweet malty aroma, with underlying fruity esters, slight caramel aroma, very subtle hop aroma

Appearance: Dark brown with a creamy tan head with some retention, a little bit cloudy

Flavor: highly complex malt flavor with undertones of lightly roasted malt , chocolate, slight hop flavor, slightly dry finish

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with some alcohol warmth, low carbonation,

Overall impression: very complex and well rounded beer with a great alcohol warmth very enjoyable on a cold night!!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2010 07:17:42 | More by brewcast6

jlmorgan4

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Coppery body with a fleeting white head. Some lacing that disappears (except at the very top of the glass).

Malty aroma, with a malty, nutty, and sweet flavor that improves as the beer warms up. Definitely better at cellar or room temp. Hides the alcohol very nicely--quite drinkable for 8+%. Medium body, very pleasant, but not astounding.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 01:58:43 | More by jlmorgan4

stephiehefe

Washington

4.13/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great beer in my opinion. On a lazy day, I'm drinking it from the bottle...no glassware=no glass-washing. :) Honestly, I can say that the first sip is the best...full of robust chocolatey, malty yum-ness...but that flavor regresses a bit as I nursed the beer over an hour or so. Yeah, I know...who nurses a beer of such immediate yum-ness (again...too lazy to search for a good descriptive word!)...for an entire hour? Well, that's how I roll...especially while cooking delicious blend of roasted zucchini, bell pepper and red onion to go with my grilled chicken breast...for one.
Hey why not? The bf is out of town, and after work, it's a perfect way to "ho ho whoa" myself to sleep...to quote the Old Jub bottle itself :)...
so overall review? The beer is worth checking out...and I'm interested to see how it progresses over the next 1-3 years. A tiny gem among the Avery jewel chest.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2010 04:44:37 | More by stephiehefe

bcray

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

When I started keeping notes several years ago this was the first beer I reviewed. It was also the first Winter Warmer I had ever tried. As an introduction to the style I'm sure I made the wrong choice. I graded this an F and found it "horribly undrinkable". Oh how the palate has changed! This example is a bit more hoppy than many of the winter warmers I've had since and is a very big beer. With that being said I'm a fan. You definitely taste every bit of the 8.0% alcohol but its balanced out by some beautiful toffee and caramel notes with just the right amount of spice present in the background. Still a "once in awhile" beer but a darn nice occasional sipper.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2009 21:55:34 | More by bcray

barbellsNbeers

Texas

4.65/5  rDev +20.2%
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

tkail

4.45/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Dark carmel color with thick foam. Nice lacing that hung on. Scents of chocolate, caramel, and some slight grassy citrus aroma. Taste hits you right away. Extremely smooth, medium chocolate flavors with toasted barleys. Really smooth - could knock back several of these. High alcohol content makes 3-4 just perfect.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 00:34:37 | More by tkail