AleSmith Decadence 2005

Formerly brewed at AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Old Ale
San Diego, California USA

Well I finally released this brew after let in age out some more from my first sample, hoping it has mellowed out at least a tiny bit:

The pour displays a beautiful rustic auburn topped by a fading but lasting frothy head which left good lace on my Stone IRS snifter. The nose has an old ale quality for sure with a cellared oxidition on top of grassy (and just a bit of pine) hops and carmelized maltings. Some nice prune, plum, and vinous notes before a woody cask like vapor dances about, a little Funnel spice as well to be found.

The taste starts slightly twangy with a underdeveloped fruit and bitter qualty over a aged grainy and herbal malt base. It wants to be vinous and rich but still has not the time to achieve the level needed to be great...LET THIS AGE SOME MORE IF YOU GOT ONE LEFT. The alcohol presence is still to much at the forefront to enjoy all the sublime flavors found within. The yeast still has not seem to fully finish to job. You can tell there is another level to this beer yet to come about and when it does this will be classic IMO. Oh, back to the tasting, there is a peppery finish that I like.

Give this another year or more to smooth out, these months has not been enough. My rating is based on the current flavors and not the potential.
Thanks to Foolish_Mortal for the bottle.

Thanks to a great ratebeerian, Jimmack. I have never been disappointed by this brewer. Amber pour, white head, Malts and dark fruit, Hot with %, glad I let it sit a few months. THANKS JIM!

This was the right beer at the right time. I just got back from a deployment and was relaxing having a real nice time when I enjoyed this treat. It was released when I was gone, and I thought it would be long gone by the time I got back. Glad it wasn’t!

Bottle courtesy of Dough77’s amazing Christmas gift. Pours amber with a hint of ruby. Not much head. Very strong malt and yeast aromas, slightly sweet. Flavor is sweet, malty yeasty, alcohol. Not my cup of tea, but I can see that it’s well made.

My 700th rating and what better way to celebrate then with a special beer from my favourite brewery. Bottle shared with HogTownHarry & tupalev -- courtesy of Silphium. Pours a murky ruby-brown with a good size off-white head -- looks great. Hoppy aroma nicely balanced with caramel malt, alcohol and spices -- milder then I expected for some reason but quite nice. Flavour -- Shazam! That’s fuckin’ awesome. Flavour starts with sweet malt, alcohol, dark fruit and spices and finishes nice and bitter -- it tastes way better then I can describe. Full bodied with a syrupy mouthfeel. I should have aged this for a few years as it would have been even better but I just couldn’t wait -- maybe if I get another one. Another awesome AleSmith beer -- these guys NEVER dissapoint. Thanks again Silphium!

Dark reddish appearance, good head formation. Rich malty aroma, dark fruits, berries and prunes, with noticeable alcohol. Rich fruity palate, cranberry and cassis, very port like but alcohol is a little harsh for the style and dominates somewhat. Big bold effort, definitely tastey and drinkable just somewhat over ambitious.

Bottle (750ml). Shared with blankboy and tupalev - blankboy’s bottle. Poured hazy deep ruby with a small off-white head. As usual with Alesmith, this is a well-made, complex beer. Aroma of (in no particular order) alcohol, juicy citrus hops, mild spices, strong fresh roast malt, hardwood resin, and on warming, yeast - drool. Tastes just as it smells - really delivers - very strong alcohol, starts malty sweet, finishes - eventually - bitter. Hard to pin the mouthfeel down - it’s in turns thick, creamy, alcoholic and bitter. This is a very strong beer that seems an amalgam of styles - APA, Belgian Strong, even English Strong - not one for the faint of heart, but ANOTHER solid Alesmith - can they make a bad beer? I want more.

Bottle, graciously shared by blankboy with Hogtown harry and myself (thanks!!!!). Dark ruby red, very small creamy head - looks interesting! Woody malt, some alcohol, dust, spice in complex smell me for an hour aroma. Strong burning alcohol at first sip gives way to an almost Belgian spiciness and some finishing hops. After first sip, you are left with a strong old ale that has a whiskey quality too it, not that dissimilar to a Fullers Vintage. Tasty, warming, this is what drinking and sharing beer is all about. These guys just do not disappoint. Wow.