Anniversary Ale XV - Real Ale Brewing Company

beesy

Ohio

4/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle in a Duvel snifter. Thanks to Tommyhock for sending this in a trade.

A - pours a very dark brown with some deep mahogany hues at the edges. A 3/4 finger medium-dark tan head forms and dissipates fairly quickly. A slim margin of foam resides along the edges.

S - lots of chocolate upfront that blends into large amounts of dark roasted malts and dark roasted coffee. A slight scrid note from the heavy roasted malts. Once I homed in on the dark roast coffee, it became very apparent - reminds me of fresh ground espresso from Stauf's. I roused the glass and the aroma sweetened with more chocolate and maybe some dark fruits present.

T - Lots of flavor. Chocolate, coffee and roast all mixed together well. A very slight touch of caramel sweetness on the back of the palate. The thing that stands out most is the massive hop bitterness that comes out of no where. Slight citrus/pine hints in the bitterness. Long lasting bitterness suggests a bittering hop such as Columbus or Chinook. I didnt detect much in the way of hops in the aroma. I might have liked to age this a few months to take the edge off the bitterness. Maybe a slight note of alcohol detected, but covered well by hop bitterness.

M - medium bodied. I might have wanted a tad more body to hold up to the bitterness. However, once aged and the hop bitterness resided a bit, it would be a good fit.

D - low for me. The hop bitterness put it too out of balance to kick back too many.

Overall, a fine brew that could benefit from a bit of aging.

Update for 11/17/12 bottle:
Bitterness is still very firm and hasnt seemed to relax much. Notes of alcohol have reduced and maybe a little fading of the coffee profiles as it seems more chocolately with a slighly chalky profile now.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 04:12:54 | More by beesy

RealAleBlanco

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +13.9%

06-15-2013 05:21:14 | More by RealAleBlanco

dbc5

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

06-13-2013 02:11:11 | More by dbc5

thebouch01

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.3%

06-12-2013 01:53:20 | More by thebouch01

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.3%

05-22-2013 03:18:40 | More by SmellsofMahagony

mactrail

California

3.95/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown with a golden glint. Nice beige foam doesn't stick around too long, but leaves plenty of lacing and a sprightly mouthfeel. Poured from the 12 oz bottle bought at Texas Wine Cellars in Fredericksburg, TX.

Sugary sweet to start. Brown sugar and burnt sugar. The hops come on suddenly in a rush of bitterness. This is quite a complex and interesting interplay of flavors. A touch of sourness from the burnt malt. Warm caramel flavors with a winey character. Sort of a Vermouth taste of sweetness and bitterness. Hot and spicy on the tongue. Quite pleasant sipping and conveys a lot of flavor as well as power.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 04:23:27 | More by mactrail

csfcmitchell

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.3%

05-13-2013 15:43:05 | More by csfcmitchell

kellypodz

Texas

5/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Real Ale 15th Russian Imperial Stout has taken the throne as my favorite beer OF ALL TIME. It's not black as night, but it's close. Mocha head starts thick but dissipates to a ring of bubbles. Lots of chocolate in the aroma. The beer doesn't report to be wood-aged; but I'm getting oak on the nose as well. More chocolate on the tongue with some coffee notes, and a mild citrus hop on the finish. I wish this wasn't a one-time only brew. I have five left I will be rationing cautiously.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 01:19:47 | More by kellypodz

BackRowBaptist

Texas

5/5  rDev +26.6%

03-19-2013 01:28:03 | More by BackRowBaptist

smonice

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

03-11-2013 00:03:48 | More by smonice

JeffSuttonTX

Texas

5/5  rDev +26.6%

03-10-2013 20:52:04 | More by JeffSuttonTX

HardTarget

Texas

4.04/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Opaque black glass refused to allow even strong back lighting to show anything more than a thin slightly ruby edge. Long lasting tan foam clings to the edge of the glass leaving distinct, widely spaced tide marks.

Smell:Black strap molasses mingles with dark roasted barley. Sweet, burnt, under attenuated , this is a tough neighborhood more than a refined fireside sipper.

Taste: Sugary malt cut with West coast citric hops save the day! The charred blackened nose runs as a ribbon through the candy base giving a complex, satisfying and easy drinking beer (for close to 10% abv.).

Mouthfeel: Body is a tough thin but that helps lighten the beer. Carbonation is almost cask, a bit low in my view, but it doesn't hurt the package much.

Overall: A great celebration beer for a great Texan brewery. Looking forward to many more, and hope this one shows up on a seasonal rotation!

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 04:43:28 | More by HardTarget

madtowndmb1

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

02-17-2013 00:28:16 | More by madtowndmb1

JAHMUR

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

02-12-2013 15:52:46 | More by JAHMUR

brentk56

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: The liquid is an inky brown but, with even a hard pour, very little head could be raised; lacks lacing, too

Smell: Dark fruit (blueberry, black cherry and prune) with roasty undertones of chocolate and molasses

Taste: Roasty, with chocolate and dark fruit joining through mid-palate; after the swallow, the molasses adds earthy sweetness but the roasty elements dominate the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low carbonation

Overall: A cut above the other beers I have sampled from this brewery but still a middle of the road example for the style

Thanks, Phoenix2443, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 23:34:42 | More by brentk56

phishbone23

New York

3.75/5  rDev -5.1%

01-25-2013 13:56:20 | More by phishbone23

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4/5  rDev +1.3%

01-11-2013 14:01:35 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

Duff27

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -17.7%

01-09-2013 03:45:46 | More by Duff27

ilikebeer03

Texas

5/5  rDev +26.6%

01-07-2013 04:21:37 | More by ilikebeer03

ZombiesAteMyDog

Indiana

4/5  rDev +1.3%

01-02-2013 21:03:58 | More by ZombiesAteMyDog

Morey

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.3%

12-29-2012 23:04:20 | More by Morey

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.9/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz, 2011?
Foothills stout snifter

A: Pours pretty dark brown, leaning to almost completely black. About a quarter finger of tight bubbles tan head. Faded quickly into a ring around the edges.

S: Really deep dark chocolate. That blueberry strange fruity sweetness. Roast malts. Coffee. Although the coffee is certainly secondary.

T: Tip of the tongue, it's all dark chocolate bitterness. Deep rich cocoa. Lingers. Then you get that touch of blueberry sweetness or fruitiness. Roasted malts. Slight dark coffee. Finish is long and lingering with that dark cocoa flavor. Sticks on the palate.

M: it's full bodied but nicely carbonated. Could here the bubbly carbonation during sip.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 14:38:13 | More by inlimbo77

Renegrenade

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +7.6%

12-22-2012 16:11:16 | More by Renegrenade

t0rin0

California

3.5/5  rDev -11.4%

12-17-2012 01:19:16 | More by t0rin0

MoonpieCCSD

Texas

4/5  rDev +1.3%

12-15-2012 17:28:51 | More by MoonpieCCSD