AleSmith Decadence 2006

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

luckily no one finished this off and i got half the bottle to myself the day after the holiday tasting.

this poured a very dark auburn brown. it’s hazy and is topped by a fairly large orange tinted sugar cookie dough colored head. lots of spotty lacing along with some random drips. lots of brown sugar butterscotch in the nose joins with caramel, vanilla, orange, grass, wood, perfumey flowers and drying/parching notes of pine, specifically rosemary. there’s a slight oxidation in the grains but not off putting. rather, it lends another dimension of complexity and depth. it’s a touch sweet on the palate but there is a nice rich payoff... brown sugar, orange, grass, toffee, toasted nuts, faint mild chocolate, dry earthy spices and a piney hop finish. a light bitterness keeps the medium to full body and slick creamy mouth feel in check. 8/5/8/4/18/4.3

<b>1/07/2009</b>: AleSmith Decadense Anniversay Ale (Imperial Evil Dead Red Ale) pours a deep, roasted caramel color with a dark beige head. The aroma (without even putting it to my nose yet) is sweet, roasty, and well-caramelized. The aroma has aged, citrus hops (sweet orangy candy-like) paired with a hefty toffee/caramel maltiness. The flavor is intesely malty (think English-style barley wine) with lots of caramel and sugar flavor without being too sugary-like. There is also a really nice aged citrus hoppiness in the flavor. This beer is beautifully balanced and full of flavor. It has a medium-full body and is really smooth on the palate that gets more sticky as it warms. This is an awesome beer and is probably one of their best.

<i>750 ml capped bottle from illinismitty. Thanks Sean! Rating #286 for this beer.</i>

Bottle. Poured a clear dark garnet color with a khaki head. Spicy malt, plum, caramel, molasses, and alcohol smells. There was also a whiff of pine. Medium bodied and semi-sweet. I tasted dried fruits, molasses, alcohol, and pineapple. Solid.

Bottle courtesy of inkubus27, thanks for the pour TIm! Pours hazy brown with fluffy off-white head. Caramel is present in aroma and throughout. This reminds me a lot of Horny Devil. Very good brew throughout, feels great in mouth with a smooth molasses finish.

Sample courtesy of hellbilly at the hellbilly holiday tasting. Deep ruby color pour with a frothy tan head. Sweet caramel and molasses aroma. Nice roasty caramel malt, dark fruit, vanilla and spicy hops in the flavor. Smooth, creamy and nicely carbonated. Absolutely delicious! Thanks much Joshua!

Bottles courtesy of WeeHeavySD and dave12285 poured into a snifter. This is a beautiful looking beer which pours a dark brownish ruby color with a big rocky tan head that lingers as a cap for the duration with tons of lacing. Aroma is massive and complex, though Im not sure what I expected from an imperial red. The hops have certainly faded a bit with maybe a hint of pine up front. However, its the caramel malts that dominate the nose with a big sugary sweetness that reminds me of a big American barleywine. The taste is certainly closer to a barleywine than anything else with tons of caramel malt sweetness with a healthy dose of brown sugar. Dark fruits, plums and raisins especially, are present in the taste as well as hints of orange zest. Mouthfeel is creamy with strong carbonation that seems to mellow as the beer warms a bit. Sticky sweet throughout the finish. Given my experience with Alesmith, I guess I shouldnt be surprised that this is a great beer. Its a big beer that does a solid job of hiding the alcohol and is just plain enjoyable.

Sample courtesy of hellbilly at his holiday tasting. Pours a deep maroon with a minimal off white head. Nose is brown sugar, molasses and caramel. Taste is toasted caramel, toffee, sweet malt and vanilla. Medium mouth feel. Nice. Thanks Josh!

<b>Bottle 75cl. @ TFODRBSG 2008, Ulfborg, Denmark</b>
Light unclear medium to dark red amber color with a average to large, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, light beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, caramel, heavy hoppy, grass, orange. Flavor is moderate to heavey sweet and bitter with a long to average duration. Body is medium to full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. Very nice ;0)) (230808)