Allagash Old HLT - Allagash Brewing Company

cfrances33

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle thanks to WhereTheWildBeersGo. Served in a HF tulip.

Pour: Completely hazy burnt orange. Would go so far to say this is murky. Fizzy off-white head that recedes to a rim. Light carbonation bubbles.

Smell: Lots of cherries with a mild funk in the background. Damp hay, but not the extreme barnyard notes you might expect. Light honey and some pear hang around in there but choose to take a serious back seat.

Taste: Malt forward with some caramel. Really interesting because the caramel and funk play around and intertwine to create a flavor profile I've never seen before. Cherries aren't too strong, and provide a nice sweet tartness. Some green apple and pear sneak around in the shadows.

Mouthfeel: Really nice. Can't decide if I want to sip or drink more quickly. Nice carbonation.

Overall: This beer really threw me for a loop. I don't know what to make of it, and I really like it. Even though it has a strange combination of flavors that I can't compare to any sour I've had before, they work great together to make something that's very unique. Overal score is high than the individual scores would lead one to believe because I appreciate this beer's complexity and uniqueness. I would give taste a 4.25 if I could.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 20:58:42 | More by cfrances33

ADTaber

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-23-2013 01:05:17 | More by ADTaber

mrandypandy

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

05-20-2013 13:30:36 | More by mrandypandy

Jd2391

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-20-2013 03:31:35 | More by Jd2391

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.83/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

10 ounce pour - $6.00 at Leon’s Full Service in Decatur, Georgia as part of their Allagash Takeover event.

Appearance: Hazed, amber-esque body with a smallish, ivory-hued head fed by little streams of bubbles.

Smell: A moderate aroma of tartish whole cherries forward of the faintly sweet-scented, toasty malts and thin wafts of phenols.

Taste: Tastes of, well, cherries, as one might imagine. Some toasted bread and muddled caramel maltiness. Lightly sweet, lightly spicy. Brightly tart and with modest lactic touches popping up here and there. Drying, well-carbonated finish with lingering tart cherries accents.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: Old HLT is a likable cherry brew. I was going to liken it to a more lively carbonated Quelque Chose, but, it's been nearly eight long years since I last had it, and, with all the many brain cells I've outright killed since then, perhaps I should leave the comparison alone.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2013 18:57:24 | More by ChainGangGuy

Zbyler

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-11-2013 15:29:01 | More by Zbyler

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-11-2013 13:42:51 | More by DrunkinYogi

campfirebrew

New York

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-11-2013 13:03:16 | More by campfirebrew

ubufan2112

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-11-2013 01:35:17 | More by ubufan2112

imperialking

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-07-2013 19:16:41 | More by imperialking

claspada

New Jersey

3.59/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a hazy, dark orange color with a small effervescent off-white head that recedes to leave a thin ring of foam and little to no lacing.

Aromas begin with a ton of pitted dark cherry flesh and tart cherry skin. The you get some acidic acid, oak and mild barnyard funkiness. There is a touch of sweetness with some caramel malt that emerges as it warms.

The tastes follow the nose but the cherries are much more medicinal and hard to palate. I next get some sweet caramel and pilsner maltiness followed by the oak and barnyard flavors more and more as it warms.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Finish is more malty than I would have suggested but there is still plenty of underlying funk and acidic bite.

Overall for someone who was so in live with Allagashes earlier Wild releases, recently they have been quite dissapointing. Their coolship series was spectacular but this was no where near the quality of those. Too much medicinal cherry flavor and malt to be a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 15:29:51 | More by claspada

thegerm87

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

04-20-2013 03:45:23 | More by thegerm87

gpawned

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2.7%

04-15-2013 22:37:32 | More by gpawned

Gonzoillini

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.7%

04-13-2013 22:27:34 | More by Gonzoillini

Anonymous1

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.7%

03-31-2013 09:09:15 | More by Anonymous1

wedge

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

@ Milltown

Served a clear amber color with a small white head. Tart, airy clean, cherry aroma - only a trace of dry funk. Very interesting having this right after FV-13. It's tart and fruity, but the absence of a wood element is striking at first. Clean, smooth cherry flavor on a simple malt base. Easy-going, extremely drinkable, glossy, and crisp. Not terribly wild or acidic or anything, just pretty refreshing, mellow, and neat.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2013 14:35:26 | More by wedge

wisrarebeer

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Purchased at the brewery.

A: ruddy brown, hazy, poured with a big bubbled one inch head that quickly dissipated
S: mild to medium nose, earthy, some funk and tartness noticeable
T: nice beer, mild malt, cherry tartness
M: medium bodied, well-balanced, tart but malt balanced

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 18:47:39 | More by wisrarebeer

kscaldef

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

03-20-2013 22:50:56 | More by kscaldef

splendidsplinter

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

03-15-2013 19:35:37 | More by splendidsplinter

Trevdawg

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

03-14-2013 16:55:31 | More by Trevdawg

Circleo12

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -2.7%

02-23-2013 01:41:16 | More by Circleo12

Blanco

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -27%

02-19-2013 05:03:48 | More by Blanco

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

02-03-2013 16:04:25 | More by RedneckBeerz

claytong

Vermont

4/5  rDev -2.7%

02-02-2013 02:36:07 | More by claytong

prdstmnky

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

01-26-2013 19:47:23 | More by prdstmnky