AleSmith Old Numbskull - AleSmith Brewing Company

TheBrewo

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We crack the top and explore a 750 mL bottle. We pour into our oversized snifters, finding a tawny, deeply maroon brew. The head stands two fingers tall and shows great retention. This light brown, cakey mess slowly bubbles away, leaving sheets and patterns of lacing all around the glass. Carbonation appears average, and there is a thick haze to it. The aroma shows a deeply rich and sweet malt profile. Notes of caramel, toffee, and bittered raw molasses hit first. These blend with sweetness from overripe red apples, light and cooling banana esters, and a biting, peppery sting of that 11%. With warmth comes faint notes of vinyl and plastics, and a final sweetness of ripe red cherries and fresh cut pine. Our first impression is that while boozy, the blend of flavors is great. As we sip, caramel malts, buttery diacetyls, sugary sweet toffee candy, bittering yeast, and equally as bittering plastic phenols are noted. These warm to the peak, with hot booze, peppery spice, more caramel malts, and the start of a hollow grassy hop quality. The finish shows more of this grassy hop, thick and fusel booze, and more of that same deep malt profile from before, but with a darker, more coffee-bittering vibe. The aftertaste breathes of bittering grassy and piney hops, metallic yeast, caramel and coffee malts, buttery diacetyls, and strong, peppery booze. The body is full and sticky to the lips, while the carbonation is medium. There is soft slurp and smack, with relatively filling froth and cream. The mouth is coated with syrupy stickiness, and eventually lightly puckered and dried. The abv is big and warming, and the beer is an extremely slow sipper.

Overall, what we enjoyed most about this brew was the big malt quality through the nose and flavoring. We were actually surprised to find as much hops as we did on the back there, which really added to the final bitterness amongst darker malts and biting booze. While the booze was certainly prominent, it was one of those cases where it added to the flavoring of the beer, rather than drowning out other flavors. This is a standup barleywine.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 01:41:21 | More by TheBrewo

JimGlonke

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.8%

06-19-2013 21:49:09 | More by JimGlonke

ringwersen

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.8%

06-19-2013 20:23:28 | More by ringwersen

jkane101

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

06-15-2013 20:09:02 | More by jkane101

Absolut

California

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

06-13-2013 23:41:39 | More by Absolut

BingCrosby7

California

3.54/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 3.75

A: A beautiful amber/auburn color, initially the former then it fades into the latter. The finished product a deep auburn, verging on nutty brown. Tan, foamy head with nice retention. About a finger and a half of head for a good while.

S: Lots of yeast and sweet hop to the smell. Semi-sweet, fruit lingers in the glass. A slight tinge of alcohol afterwards.

T: A bitter initial sip, hoppy on the tongue. Definitely some booze as well, but not so much so that it masks anything. Very interesting flavor, but not one that lingers. An elusive complexity, this beer.

M: The carbonation is perfect and the overall finish is very dry. This is probably as good as it gets.

O: I'm not too sure what to think about this beer. It has a very interesting flavor profile and the finish is wonderful. I think this would pair well with a variety of heavy meals. This, however, is not my go-to AleSmith. Definitely worth a try, though. And I would definitely want to age this.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 03:11:53 | More by BingCrosby7

gleemonger

California

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

06-12-2013 20:58:48 | More by gleemonger

POTABLE83

New York

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

06-12-2013 02:16:00 | More by POTABLE83

Matthewpakula

Illinois

4/5  rDev -3.8%

06-11-2013 18:58:38 | More by Matthewpakula

superspak

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750 ml bottle into snifter; no bottle dating, but was purchased in late 2011. Pours hazy deep ruby red color with a small dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lasts. Light soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big caramel, raisin, apple, orange zest, floral, brown sugar, pine, molasses, toast, orange rind, brown bread, and floral earthiness. Damn nice aromas good balance and complexity of dark malt and fruity/earthy hop notes; with good strength. Taste of big caramel, toffee, orange zest, apple, toast, floral, pine, orange rind, brown sugar, brown bread, chocolate, light roast, and floral earthiness. Fair amount of floral/pine bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, toffee, orange zest, orange rind, light fruits, toast, light chocolate, brown bread, brown sugar, floral, pine, light roast, and floral earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic balance and complexity of deep malt and hop flavors; with a nice bitterness/sweetness balance, and hardly any cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and very full bodied with a creamy, slick, and fairly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic well aged barleywine. Fantastic complexity and balance of deep malt and hop flavors; and very smooth to sip on. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 04:36:47 | More by superspak

thegerm87

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -3.8%

06-10-2013 00:08:49 | More by thegerm87

Dave_Treat

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%

06-09-2013 20:31:24 | More by Dave_Treat

Jamison85

Indiana

5/5  rDev +20.2%

06-08-2013 20:36:35 | More by Jamison85

captainbearcat

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +14.2%

06-08-2013 00:54:41 | More by captainbearcat

toneigh

Illinois

5/5  rDev +20.2%

06-08-2013 00:44:04 | More by toneigh

Gonzoillini

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -15.9%

06-06-2013 02:46:32 | More by Gonzoillini

mscudder

Georgia

4/5  rDev -3.8%

06-05-2013 02:20:31 | More by mscudder

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

06-03-2013 15:45:14 | More by stereosforgeeks

sommersb

Tennessee

4.46/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Tasted On: 06-02-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 750ml brown bottle, pry-cap with foil
Glassware: Snifter
Purchased: Received in a trade

Appearance: Murky reddish-brown beer, topped with over 3 fingers of off-white head. Superior retention and lots of lacing on my glass.

Smell: Fantastic aromas start with tropical fruit and piney hops, followed by the sweetness of dark fruits. Other smells include vanilla and oak.

Taste: Big 'wow' factor in the first sip -- a very rich beer comprising both big hops and big malts, for an excellent balance. Also a fairly hefty amount of alcohol warmth.

Mouthfeel: Thick and chewy, with a moderate amount of carbonation. The finish is both bitter from the hops and richly sweet.

Overall: There's nothing small about this barleywine; the hops are big, the malts are big, and the alcohol is big. Kudos to AleSmith for a beer that's bold and powerful yet still balanced.

Thanks to my cousin Brian for this one!

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 04:35:03 | More by sommersb

teeeebs

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -21.9%

05-29-2013 03:24:36 | More by teeeebs

mendvicdog

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-26-2013 14:20:01 | More by mendvicdog

garfscores

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%

05-25-2013 21:14:25 | More by garfscores

PicoPapa

Connecticut

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

750mL bottle. Pours a dark brown murky swamp water color with lots of sediment floating around and an inch of head. Lots of lacing. The aroma is boozey with sweet caramel and bread. Some citrus and spicy hop notes. The taste is the nice alcohol burn with some orange peel and caramel. Some breadiness and piney hops. Warming alcohol at the finish. Pretty well balanced. Creamy mouthfeel with a good deal of carbonation. Overall, this is a well crafted Barleywine. I hope I can grab a bottle to age.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 01:32:09 | More by PicoPapa

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%

05-22-2013 01:24:42 | More by mikeincharleston

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%

05-20-2013 19:55:52 | More by InspectorBob