AleSmith Barrel Aged Old Numbskull

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

2004 Bottle #129/227 shared with and thanks to drewbeerme! Pours a dark but clear reddish brown with basically no head and light carbonation. Huge oak aroma, coconut, ambrosia, big alcohol, massive barrel. Wow, is this one a sipper. Flavor is huge bourbon, alcohol, mellow in flavor but big in punch, lots of oak, coconut, some cotton-candy, great sweet candied barley taste, not much traces of Numbskull left, just a fantastic bourbon like sipper in its place with very subtle nuances 8.5. Thinner body, flat, no carbonation, perfect for the flavors though, smooth. Wish I had this one again!

Bottle sample courtesy of Dennis from Stone at BCTC 2009. deep maroon chestnut pour. Sweet malt, boozy, bourbony aroma. Taste was big time sweeter malts, bourbon barrel oakiness with light booze burn on the palate. Great beer. Come to NY Alesmith

750ml bottle, 2004 vintage, numbered 159 of 240. Sweet, malty nose, some trace of the bourbon remains but certainly not much, some rich toffee and pleasantly oxidized sherry notes, faint butterscotch, caramel, light fruit and faint oak. Semi-cloudy rosy amber color, very slight, settling head. Flavor profile is likewise very malty and sweet, lots of complexity, with earthiness, sweet toffee, cocoa, faint roast, wood, peppery alcohol, faintly herbal hop and rather minimal bitterness lurking in the background. Smooth, very low in effervescence after this much time, feel is coating but not overly so, shows some warmth. Body is hugely full. Some faint cherry late. Wow! Thanks a ton to herbjones for this.

750 ml bottle generously shared by Indra. 2004 Vintage, Bottle 159 of 240. Pour is hazed orange and ruby brown, smallish tan head. Pretty in the glass. Aroma of woody barrel, some caramel brown sugar, floral earthiness - really complex nose. Taste is big on the barrel, big wood, bit bright alcohol - followed by the brown sugar sweetness. Palate is medium, perhaps a bit thinner than I would have expected. A bit of residual booziness, but warming and not unpleasant. No sign of booze. Thanks for cracking this one open Eric.

gold foil, thats all i remember besides the notes i took .. . pours a murky meddium flat brown .. . chocolate, cherry skin in the nose .. . wow, full and delicous , ... light oak, light whiskey, and lots of chocolate .. . way to fun, and kinda easy to drink.. thanks tom!

Pours a cloudy amber. Nose is sweet malt, booze!, dark fruit, wood. Flavor is vanilla, sweet malt, some bitter hops, nuttiness, warming alcohol, nice amount of oak and bourbon. Full bodied and smooth as hell. Lovely!

bottle. Pours a muddy, dark brown with a thin head which dissipated quickly. Nose of maple syrup, toffee and brown sugar. Taste is of oak, vanilla, toffee with some pine hops and candied fruit. very complex! Mouthfeel is creamy with some alcohol noticeable. Very nice.

Bottle@TheWolf. Deep mahogany coloured with almost no head. Aromas of almonds, caramel, port, vanilla, sweet malt and dried fruit. Flavour of sweet malt, toffee, raisins, warming alcohol and oak.