AleSmith Barrel Aged Speedway Stout

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
San Diego, California USA

[2002 vintage sampled July 25th 2004 - bottle 113/115] A black beer with a fine though disappearing head with hue close to chocolate brown. The aroma is powerful; sweet malty with notes of chocolate, coffee, and alcohol (no wonder with an ABV of 12%). The flavor has loads of alcohol burning the tongue, but it is still very well rounded because it contains strong notes of roasted bread, coffee, and chocolate. It has a magnificent body. A great beer - I was positively surprised of this one. I have to pay my tribute to Oakes for getting his hands on this beer (out of the brewmasters cellar) for the European Summer Party and hauling it all the way to Stockholm - thanks Josh!

(Bottle 75 cl) Vintage 2004 - bottle # 104/228, Pours completely black and opaque with a dense, light brown head. Distinct bourbon aroma with lots of roasted malt. Very solid body with an extremely complex flavour pattern: burned malts, dried fruits, coffee and oaky bourbon. Quite a bitter finish. A grand Oaked Imperial Stout, but I’ve had them even better. 291206 and 070907

Bottled, #113. Black, small head. Aroma of chocolate and whiskey, Roasty with very rich maltiness. There’s some molassess and coffee there, still it feels dry. Flavours are really intensive, and still they’ve managed to get good balance among all the huge flavours. Salty licorice and bourbon in the finish.

Blind tasting at sk8vikings porter / stout tasting, beer no 6. Pours deep brown to black with a lacing brown head. Thick chocolate and liqourice aroma. Thick and smooth mouthfeel. Liqourice and chocolate flavour. Clear alcohol presence. Warming with with slight bitter note and chocolate note.

<b>Bottle 75cl. @ home.</b>
<i>[ Trade by Dunk ].</i> [Batch #211/235 ]. Clear dark brown black color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, beige to light brown head. Aroma is heavy malty, milk chocolate, bourbon - whisky, cask wood notes, alcohol. english licorice notes. Flavor is moderate heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration. Bitterness is both hop and malt bitter. Body is medium to full, texture is oily - creamy, carbonation is soft - flat. Very nice beer to celebrate that Nicky did win his third world championchip in speedway. [20081020]

2004-edition, bottle #104/228, thanks to René for sharing. Black coloured with a medium sized lacing beige head. Roasted aroma of chocolate, wood and vanilla. Roasted flavour of chocolate, wood, vanilla, hops and liquorice. Very balanced.

Date: 08/02/2006
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

Appearance: black, whispy tan head, nice lace, lots of chocolate, roasted, and coffee aroma with a hint of bourbon,
Body: very creamy body,
Flavor: lots of rich chocolate flavor, great coffee character, the bourbon adds a nice extra element of complexity without being overbearing, nice light bitterness in the finish to bring nice balance, aged character to mellow it out a bit
-------- /> Date: 02/01/2008
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting
Vintage: 2004
Score: 4.2 to 4.3

Appearance: black, scant head, wispy lace,
Aroma: sweet chocolate and bourbon aroma,
Flavor: rich chocolate and bourbon flavor, low bitterness,
Overall: aging very well

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 10/10; Overall: 18/20
Rating: 4.3/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***4

Very dark brown; a little bit of whisky, coffee, toast, roasted malt in the aroma. Palate is sweet, with whisky, lots of lasting maltiness, toffee, vanilla. Complex, interesting beer.