Gold Stock Ale - New England Brewing Co.

Durge

Connecticut

4.4/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a couple growlers of this seldom available brew. It's been a couple years since my last and first taste of Gold Stock at a local brew fest. It shows a generally clear orange amber that hints at a little haziness. The off-white head borders on a light oatmeal color, big and foamy it dies down to a thin but tenacious cap with tremendous lacing. The aroma brings a fairly unique barnyard hop, slightly pine, with a moderately grassy highlight and a suggestion of earthy nut malt. Very pleasant though not what you expect from the average strong ale. The flavor gives you a bright grass/malt bite with a neat piny hop overtone. I do see the strong ale quality, it's just on the mild side, but like the aroma, it is probably not what you would guess. Just the same, I really like this stuff. It has a somewhat pungent quality with some nutty kicks here and there. I find this to be subtly complex, even some citrus ideas maybe. A bit hoppy for sure but not a typical IPA. And it feels so smooth going down even though it holds a crisp bright note at each mouthful. I would call it medium bodied and wonderfully drinkable. It's really a unique brew. It may not wow everyone but I think this is a pure winner, something you could enjoy any time of year. Refreshing, satisfying, tasty, not too heavy with little signs of alcohol presence. While it may not be a true strong ale, it is a welcome addition to that or any other category and one everyone should give it a try. I also find the hop flavors build as you work your way through a pint or two. This was worth waiting for and really needs to be available more often. The rest of the world just needs to discover it!

Serving type: growler

03-02-2010 04:17:38 | More by Durge

Brez07

Maine

4.18/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Split a growler into several pint glasses

A: Pours a hazy copper/amber color. Leaves a one finger head with lots of soft lacing

S: Nice pine scent with subtle amount of citrus in the background. Also a little bit of malt present

T: Not overly complex, but great tasting. Pine and lemongrass flavors

M: Medium bodied. Slight bitterness in the finish

D: Pretty sure this beer is in the wrong category. Tastes like a cross between a pale and a pilsner. This makes sense as the brewer said it would be a German IPA if such a category existed. Very easy drinking. The growler went a lot quicker then I thought it would

Serving type: growler

03-01-2010 23:17:16 | More by Brez07

Stoneman78

California

3.55/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at Delaney's Tap Room on a recent trip to New Haven
A- Pours a murky golden orange hue, head is white and creamy foam that dissipates, thick swaths of lacing
S- Subtle pine hops, grassy tones, crisp biscuit malts, subtle hints of funky mildew
T- Initial taste is grassy, almost musty/funky, hops, very earthy, opens up to pale malts, finishes dry and bitter
M- Medium-bodied, watery texture, amped up carbonation
D- A nice balance of malts and earthy hops, low alcohol presence, but the musty mildew essence detracts from drinkability

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2008 10:27:45 | More by Stoneman78

wyllder

Massachusetts

4.7/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at Delaney's.

Some friends and I made the trip to Delaney's specifically to try the Goldstock.

Pours a clear, deep gold with a slight hint of amber. Leaves about 3/4 of bumpy white head that leaves its mark in sticky lacing as you go.

Nose is surprisingly subdued, but still has plenty of hoppy floral notes.

Taste is wonderful, with lots of hops playing about, but never getting too out of control. Bitterness is wonderfully balanced with an almost candied malt backing, making it very refreshing.

I ended up drinking two of these during my session, as nothing else on tap seemed as inviting as the memory of the goldstock.

If only the brewers could kill themselves and make this more regularly.

Eric-

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2007 20:26:22 | More by wyllder

sraimondi

Connecticut

4.93/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

As Hautacam has correctly reported, he turned me on to this one at the Litchfield Brew Fest on 6/23. Many thanks again to him.

I cannot add much to his review, other than to concur that this is one of the best brews I have had this year. Maybe the great weather, fine music, food and just a great overall vibe at the Fest helped; but this one is a high quality beer. I remember when they used to brew this one regularly at NEB in Norwalk. At that time, it was sold in bottles as well as draft. I hope Rob brings this one back to a wider distribution, perhaps in cans.

As Hautacam said, if you see this one, definitely wet your beak.

Steve

Serving type: cask

06-29-2007 18:37:16 | More by sraimondi

Hautacam

Connecticut

4.78/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

What a treat this was ! It was served on cask at the Litchfield Brewfest in CT on 6-23-07...absolutely the best , most interesting tasting brew there, IMHO....and there were lots of good beers.
I had wandered over to the New England Brewing setup for a draft Sea Hag and saw the beer engine with a sign that read " Gold Stock Ale"...I had to try it.
It came out very cloudy dark amber...almost brown with a lively off white head.
The smell was amazing....the hops so fresh and piney...like an IPA.
The taste was fantastic...sweet caramel malts, honey with lots of hints of various subtle fruits....then that wonderful piney hop kicked in and it all melded so well...it was a "Holy Shit " moment.
The body was medium/heavy ...really nice...perfect cask micro carbonation...velvet. My description just doesn't do it justice.
Drinkable ..?? I think they got tired of seeing me show up again and again at their table for another taste.
One of the best beers I have tasted this year.
I asked 'Barley Wino' if he had tried it and he held up a pint glass half done and smiled. I told 'Sraimondi' about it and he thanked me after tasting it.
I understand that the only place this will probably be available will be Delaney's in New Haven. If you see it , get it !!

Serving type: cask

06-25-2007 22:48:48 | More by Hautacam

beerman599

Connecticut

4.08/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

rob and pete built a beauty with the gold stock ale. full malty with a balance of noble hops. fresh hint of hops in the aroma backed up with a bitter finish with enough malt for balance, and a lingering noble hop aftertaste that made me go for another

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2004 22:37:00 | More by beerman599

Gusler

Arizona

4.3/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a beauteous clear gold, large and impressive white creamy head and some thick sheets of lace to seal off the glass. POW! hops right in the schnozzle, sweet malt under pinning, citrus crisp, a real treat, the start is sweet, the top is middling. Finish is “Big Time Hops, moderately acidic, dry and lightly bitter aftertaste, a damn good beer and one I hope to see again, as I’m sure the beer God’s won’t let me down.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2003 23:36:12 | More by Gusler

far333

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Mmmm. Never had this one before NEB went away, and now they're back and it's great. A honey copper color with a low off-white head. Aroma is very faint, but I smell some hops. Mouthfeel is crisp and tingly, very fresh. Flavor is floral hops, with a distinct grassy taste throughout. The chewy hops flavor lingers long. This is a very nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2003 01:58:47 | More by far333

UnionMade

Colorado

4.88/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Very similar to the casked version, but the hops are slightly less pronounced in the aroma, yet come through a little heavier in the finish. I think the dry hopping in the cask brought a more potent hop aroma. The same solid beefy malting, but with a more active carbonation. Still an incredible beer, just a bit less hoppy in the aroma.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2003 02:41:01 | More by UnionMade