AleSmith Barrel Aged Old Numbskull

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
San Diego, California USA

02 BA Old Numbskull-750ml bottle #134/225 @Noogfest4.0-thanks TBC and JohnC for the vertical–pours a few off white bubbles for a head and cloudy orange/brown color. Aroma is oak, sweet medium malt, bourbon. Taste is smooth, oak, sweet medium malt-caramel, bourbon. Slick mouth feel.

Vintage 2005, #199 of 223. 750ml bottle. Pours hazy brown with burgundy highlights, no head, no bubbles. Smells dark and malty sweet. Lots of vanilla on the nose as well with a little wood and a good bit of bourbon to back it up. Tastes malty and sweet, with lots of wood and booze and a little alcohol burn as well. Quite a bit of alcohol burn actually. Very potent as far as alcohol flavor, but the other flavors, especially the vanilla mask it well. Full body, surprisingly the lack of carbonation does not detract from the mouthfeel whatsoever. Love it, wish I had more to save, oh well.

Vertical at Noogfest, with many thanks going out to TheBeerCellar and one more- JohnC?

2002- Pours amber orange with some haze and a off white/pale yellow head. Aroma is stellar, which is full of sugary malts and super fruity. This starts off with a rich and sweet caramel maltiness and transitions to a spicy bitterness mid palate. Finish is slightly hot and semi-dry with some of the wood coming out. Some peppery notes linger on the palate. 9-3-8-4-16.

2004- Believe it or not, the aroma is a tad less aggressive than the 2002, with a little less fruitiness and more cognac- esque. I found this one a little more boozy than the 02, with some vodka like fusels on the finish. 8-3-7-4-15.

2005- This was similar to the 2004, but I found this to have more butterscotch notes and a slightly thinner finish. 7-3-7-4-16.

2006- Aroma is similar to the 2002, but with less fruity esters and more brown sugar. This had the most residual sweetness of the vertical, however I found this to be a little green as well. Boozy like the 04. I think this one needs more time in the bottle to let the flavors meld and complexities come out. My least favorite of the vertical. 7-3-6-3-14.

There was a regular Old Numbskull that went unopened at the tasting. Perhaps we should have thrown that into the mix. I am posting the rating of the 2002, since that was my favorite.

Vertical at Noogfest Four-O, including 2002, ’04, ’05, and ’06. Pours hazy orange with small cream head, except the ’06, which is noticeably darker. The aroma is toffee, alcohol, peanut butter (mild in most, but stronger in ’04), and oak (strongest in ’06, weaker with age). The flavor is toffee, chocolate, bourbon (stronger in ’06). The newer vintages have a nice residual sweetness that apparently dries out with age. The ’02 had a very nice mellow mintiness.

2005 750 ml bottle (139/223) - My notes are a little vague, so this will be short and sweet. Pours a hazy light brown color with no head or lacing. Aroma is mostly sweet malt, light esters, and some light oak/bourbon. Flavor is much of the same with some vanilla in there. Medium to full body. Very smooth drinking. Alcohol was slightly noticeable. Of the three BA Alesmith beers I’ve had so far, BA Decadence & BA Wee Heavy being the others, I like this one the best. It doesn’t have that overbearing oak/bourbon flavor and aroma. This is a fine beer. Looking forward to trying the ’04 & ’06 I have hiding.

Noogfest Four-O

Several vintages from TheBeerCellar and JohnC. 2002 bottle. Cloudy caramel pour, with plenty of lacing and a nice white head. Very strong aromas of bourbon and caramel, vivid molasses. Deep and engulfing notes of caramel in the flavor, flowing perfectly with bourbon and a perfect chocolatey finish. Extremely smooth, so rich and full of flavor. Incredibly well-balanced.

Enjoyed a vertical of 4 years of this beer, and found the ’02 to be the best.

2004 vintage. Bottle #61. Appearance: Pours a clearish, deep copper-hued body that’s completely still. Smell: Heavy bourbon scent that’s a real treat to get a snootful. Gobs of vanilla and caramel eliciting memories of caramel-coated vanilla cheesecake or maybe a good crusty creme brulee. Plus, some crushed up citrus-flavored cookies. Taste: Luscious, sweet-tasting vanilla bean and caramel. Taste of oven-baked sugar cookies. Toasty wood character. Drop of orange oil. Hint of dried dark fruitiness. Slightly oxidized malts. Freshly shaved coconut. Sweet, warming finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Still but pretty sticky and creamy. Drinkability: In a line-up of various BA Old Numbskull vintages, I greatly favored the 2004 bottling. Powerfully delicious and almost cripplingly good!

Vertical at Noogfest: ’02 Pours a hazy copper color with almost no head. Aroma is fruity, nutty, bourbon, vanilla, oak, and some alcohol. Flavor is malty, caramel, nutty, toast, oak, vanilla, and a sweet alcoholic finish. 7 3 7 3 16 ’04 Pours a crystal clear copper color with no head. Aroma is vanilla, bourbon, oak, caramel, prune, slightly toasty, and alcohol. Flavor is malty, caramel, prune, a hint of oxidation, toast, oak, bourbon, and vanilla. 7 4 7 3 16 ’05 Pours an amber color with no head. Aroma is oak, vanilla, bourbon, caramel, prune, fig, and alcohol. Flavor is malty, caramel, oak, bourbon, vanilla, toast, prune, with a sweet bourbon finish. 7 4 7 3 18 ’06 Pours a deep amber color with no head. Aroma is diacetyl, caramel, fruit, and vanilla, Flavor is caramel, oak, bourbon, vanilla, and a sweet bourbon finish. 5 3 6 3 15