AleSmith Barrel Aged Old Numbskull

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

2004 Thanks Pailhead. Pours a dark ruby brown with a off white bubly head. Aroma’s of oak whiskey and carmel malt dominate. Flavor has figs, hops sweet boubon notes. The barrel aging lets off some nice sweet flavors. Malty and sweet pretty much sums up the finish.

Thanks Dark Elf.....Pours out a ruby brownish color with a fading white head. Interesting aroma of oak and sweet whiskey nose a little. Taste is very complex and very smooth. Malts with some notes of caramel and maybe a lingering fruit here or there. Finishes with a buttery oak flavor. Sweeter than other barrel aged stuff I’ve had. Truly a world class beer, and me giving a barley wine this high of a rating says something.

2004 bottle from Zug4Abby. Thanks Abby! Pours a brownish color with a thick white head. Nose is light bourbon, sweet caramel malt, some light spiciness like peppermint or spearmint. Taste is a very thick, caramel malt, lightly sweet, some more alcohol tinges here but nothing overpowering. Still has that great old numbskull malt flavor, nice caramel, some light bread notes, and a subtle alcohol warming in the finishes. I beleive this edges out the non BA version slightly with the flavors a little toned down and brought together more as a package. wonderful.

Thanks to dark elf for this sample. Pours dark brown with a fine off white head. Smells of hops of all kinds, oak, cognac, toffee and some sweet figs. Taste is very complex with a distinguished hop profile and more woody elements. Buttery and cognac qualities make this one extremely enjoyable. Wish I had more bottles of it.

Black dark color with a frothy head. Warming caramel malty aroma, light scents of hops. Sweet malt and tangy fruit flavors engulf the palate. Not an overwhelming wood character, smooth to mild finishes this fine beer. It leaves a rich full bodied taste that is hard to beat. On tap at the great Papago brewing.

Bottle - sampled at the RBESP 2005
Bottom of bottle - murky brown creamy head. Honeyish oaky and oaky notes.Perfumed, grassy, slightly fishy - too perfumed wooden for my taste. Medium body, slick mouthfeel. Nutty aftertaste.

Bottle 32 of 240 thanks to Sprinkle at the Indy gathering. Light tan small head that was mostly lasting, fine-small bubbles, sparse lacing, transparent, no visible carbonation, and an orange hue. Sweet, caramel and alcohol nose. Flavor was malty sweet, hoppy and vinuous. Vinuous palate. Medium-full body.

Well made barleywine, very similar to the regular, but some of the barrel aging is apparent. While I’m at it Thanks Herbjones, you have made many of great trades with me, but more than that you have been a good friend. Orange color, small off white head, Aroma is woody, by that musty, slightly bourbonish, fruity(peaches and apples) and malt, like a medium pale or munich malt. Flavor is balance bourbon doesn’t knock you over, but it there, malts are sweet but not overly, hops are pretty much absent, but for a big beer(especially those that aren’t supposed to be hoppy) that is pretty much to be expected. Syrupy sweet finish.