AleSmith Barrel Aged Old Numbskull

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

Sampled @ Aofoxxy’s Labor Day Gathering ’06. Nose of flowers, cereal, and caramel. Pours copper with a mostly diminishing off white head. The start is malt with low acidity. The finish is long but very well balanced. The medium body is soft and creamy.

#88 of 227. Generous off white head. Great retention slowly leaves behind grand lacing. The body is a devilish looking blood red, very exciting to gaze upon. Aroma starts with fresh oak and mild cedar. As it opens up whisky starts to pour through. Very lovely. Far more complexity than the standard Numbskull offering. Pineapple, apple, some juniper and plenty of spice. This aroma is near perfect and certainly worthy of a ten, so exciting. Reminds me of being in a big closet. Flavor is a real stunner as well. Vanilla and wood are towering, embracing. Caramel malt is of a perfect consistency and quantity. Touches of cocoa and marshmallow sneak in and out. Hops are shy but still noticeable, near the original dosing. A backnote of cinnamon and paprika round out this superbly flavored beer. Finishes spicy. Semi-dry with great bitterness brings me quickly back for more. Palate is thick, alcohol very warming. Big power and expression here, well done Alesmith.

Bottle #88 courtesy of boboski. Light copper color with dark tints. Wispy soapy head. Aromas reminiscent of whisky/bourbon and also tannic oak and alcohol. Aromas of dark spice and musk mix in. Thick syrupy palate. The taste begins with a hop stab, but there’s a bourbon character throughout that’s not overwhelming. Dark pit fruit and raisin in there as well. An excellent brew. Dark, musky, I felt like I should have been wearing a smoking jacket while drinking this.

Courtesy Boboski. Bottle # 88 of 227. Pours a lovely ruby maroon color, with not much head. Very powerful nose. Sweet malts are massive. Alcohol is present. Slight hints of whiskey, caramel, and vanilla as well. Starts off kind of light at the front, alot of caramle malts and burnt hickory wood. Sweetness is light but there, nice smooth finish. This one is very nicely done. It is very nicely balanced and the alcohol is present but not overpowering.

2004, 89 of 240, 750 courtesy of DarkElf, thanks Stephen! Poured a brilliant copper with thin off white head. Nose of bourbon, caramel malt and light fruits. Flavor follows with a medium palate. Nothing too complex but very nicely done.

C&C 750. 2004 edition, numbered 89 of 240. Big thanks to gputty for sharing! Burnt orange with a light tan head. Boozy fruit nose, oranges, vanilla, plus all the othee ON scents. This is a care where the barrel aging really works well, as the wood imparts a bit of vanilla and oak, plus knocks the mildly rough heges off, creating one of the most refined barleywines I’ve tasted. Excellent.

2004 bottle #81/227, courtesy of gears81. Thanks, Jake!! Pours a clear, oily, reddish-amber appearance; minimal head formation, leaving a trail of off-white bubbles at the perimeter. Generous, sweet-bourbon nose: very boozy, with hints of raisins and brown sugar, along with a minimal sour-mash tartness. Layer upon layer of flavor: bourbon, hints of wood and oak, maple syrup and vanilla; like the most gentle, warming bourbon one could hope for. It’s almost hard to recognize the regular Old Numbskull underneath this, but i hardly miss it here. Lengthy, layered, vanilla bourbon finish: sweet and toasty.

Reddish brown colour with a nice head. Nice aroma of heavy burned caramel also much aroma of American hops. Very alcoholic with flavour of bourbon, malt oaks and caramel.