AleSmith Old Numbskull
Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2005 2:19 am
750 ml. green champagne bottle. Capped, but not corked. 2000 batch. No freshness date seen or noticed. Poured out a cloudy, orangish - caramel colored beer. It had a thin head, but it left more than a decent lacing around the edges of my tulip glass. I've been waiting a long time to try this beer, so let's begin. Aromas are of caramel, slightly smoky malts, and candi sugar. Sweet aromas overpower the hops, which struggle to maintain a presence in all the malts. Slight aromas of alcohol, way off in the background. Tastes are incredible. Chewy caramel, roasted oatmeal, slight fruitiness, and strong English malts. I'll wager this beer is made with English grains. Maybe some Marris Otter or something along those lines. Thick, viscous mouthfeel, but not syrupy. Not cloying at all. More along the lines of a well aged Samichlaus. Finishes dry, and with a biscuit taste as well. An incredible take on the style of beer. Much more an English Barleywine than an American version.