AleSmith Old Numbskull

	Percentile
	100
	overall

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

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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Ratings	Average	Score	ABV	Style Pctl	Serve in
762	4.04/5.0	4.03/5.0	10%	98	Snifter

Commercial Description:
Bottle conditioned.
Old Numbskull is AleSmith’s first barley wine offering. You may find the name "Old Numbskull" curious. Barley wine has its origins in England and tradition is to begin the name with "Old": Old Nick, Old Sampson, Old Jock, etc. Tongue-in-cheek is often the spirit in naming a barley wine. After drinking a glass or two, you may agree that Old Numbskull feels like a fitting description. It also reminds us of the Three Stooges, one of the greatest comedy teams of all time, so it's meant to bring a smile even before the first taste. Exotic fruit aromas, along with clean ethanol, caramel, honey and toasty notes are present in the nose. At five months of age, the Numbskull flavor begins malty and the hops become more evident from the middle to the finish and linger nicely in the aftertaste. The aroma notes also show themselves in the flavor.

1999 - waxed cap
2000 - dated as such. Pictured at left
2002 - Silver foil with electric blue design and NO filling in the anvil spaces
2003 - Silver foil with electric blue design and blue filling in the anvil spaces
2004 - same as 2003 but with "Alesmith" below the logo in white lettering.

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SamGamgee (1434), Santa Cruz (La Selva), California, USA

3.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.8	7/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	15/20

Mar 28, 2008

Draught at The Red in Santa Cruz. Deep amber with a lasting, creamy head. Candied fruit and butterscotch aroma. The flavor is really malty with caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, and some berries. The alcohol flavor is clean and smooth, but present. Hops balance nicely and never distract too much from the rich malts. Very nicely balanced and drinkable overall, quite smooth and full, but missing excitement for me.

gottalottaibu (243), charlotte, North Carolina, USA

4.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.1	7/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	18/20

Mar 26, 2008

golden brown pour with a nice head. some nice lacing of the glass. sweet aroma, malty and inviting. flavor was smooth and sweet. malty rich with a nice complimen of hops. alcohol was greatly hidden. warming yet not overpowering.

inkubus27 (248), Highland, Indiana, USA

4.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.2	8/10	3/5	9/10	4/5	18/20

Mar 22, 2008

Aside from the sediment floating in this one, I absolutely loved it! Aroma is of faint citrus hops and the taste is very clean with minimal astringency. Palate is great because of the lack of an alcoholic astringency, and it feels sort of light for how potent it is. Very impressed.

SledgeJr (2960), Omaha, Nebraska, USA

4.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.7	9/10	5/5	9/10	5/5	19/20

Mar 22, 2008

2007 vintage in the bottle. Thanks to Bill B. for the beer. This pours a remarkably light golden amber for its gravity. A medium off-white head had a durable retention. The aroma jumps out of the glass at you far before it gets anywhere near your nose. Caramel and hop citrus. An absolute delight to drink with the intense blasts of malt and hops competing in harmony, in synchrony. I wish that I could make a homebrew BW this light in color, yet with this much punch. Maybe a new favorite BW for me?

dkachur (2358), Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

3.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.8	7/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	16/20

Mar 17, 2008

Bottle. Pours a muddy light brown color with small head and light lacing. Deep, rich malty aroma of brown sugar and dark fruits. Very light and fruity taste, with toffee, figs, lemon, pine and raisins. Some small bitterness at the end. Nice, but it doesn’t blow me away in the way that other Alesmiths have.

Jvittorio4187 (255), Boardman, Ohio, USA

4.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.1	9/10	4/5	8/10	3/5	17/20

Mar 16, 2008

Pours a deep redish copper with a fluffy white head. Massive hops on the nose with sweet malt and fruit. Heavy on the palate. Taste of lots of hops, grapefruit, sweet malt and spice. Finish is very hoppy.

Snojerk321 (1955), San Diego, California, USA

4.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.2	9/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	17/20

Mar 15, 2008

750ml bottle from BevMo Mission Valley. Slightly hazy amber with a nice tan head that leaves a thin film. aroma nicely balanced rich malty dried fruit and piney hops. warm alcohol and dried berries as well. bittersweet spicy flavor. caramel and dried fruit with a nice hop presence. spicy bitter dry finish. warm alcohol. creamy carbonation. fairly thick. very good barley wine.

Juancho (225), Clearwater Beach, Georgia, USA

4.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.3	7/10	5/5	9/10	4/5	18/20

Mar 14, 2008

At Gingerman. Had this in between a Double Bastard and a Speedway Stout. It was so smooth it was hard to remember that I drank it. Aboslutely great winter bear. Pours dark copper almost brown with a persistent and thick head. Full bodied, completely hiding the alcohol kick. Alesmith can do no wrong. If this beer was thicker and more substantial it would be perfect....

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