AleSmith Old Numbskull 4.03 765

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
765	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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FrancoisMtl (61), Boisbriand, Quebec, Canada

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

Apr 28, 2009
Bottle. I made a comparison between a 2005 & a 2008. This rating is obviously for the 2008 version. Pours clear copper color with tan head. Nice aroma of malt, caramel and American hops. Flavors of malt , caramel with sweetness and candy like fruitiness. Strong bitterness and American hop flavors. Alcohol is a tad too much but overall this is a solid American Barley wine!

Pipper (251), Ohio, USA

3.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.9	9/10	3/5	8/10	3/5	16/20

Dec 7, 2009

Pours a tawny, slightly cloudy brown with very little head. Aroma -- very sweet, almost syrupy with a bit of the tartness you’d expect in a cider left too long in the jug. Flavor is about the same, smooth and malty.

Lyncham (67), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

4.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.2	7/10	5/5	8/10	4/5	18/20

Dec 6, 2009

Nice carmel and roastd maltinss, give a sweet but not overly sweet flavors. The hops are bitter on the backside of the beer with floral notes. The color is flawless (very nice golden brown). The strong alcohol content is balanced well.

tastybeer (105), Washington DC, USA

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

Dec 2, 2009

Tried in Portland, OR. Probably one of the best Barleywines I’ve tried, pours brown with a solid head. Strong caramel/honey flavor with a very alcoholic aftertaste. Would drink again if I could get my hands on it.

mar (1903), Dallas, Texas, USA

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

Nov 25, 2009

bottle thanks to ericandersnavy. deep amber with a cream head. nose is toffee, caramel, dried fruits and light alcohol. nice on the palate with a flavor of dried fruits, caramel, bitter hops and a toffee finish.

madmitch76 (645), , Essex, England

3.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.9	8/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	15/20

Nov 21, 2009

3rd September 2008. Cloudy brown beer. Full on Barleywine. Malty salty start followed by a breif sweet note and then a hoppy finish. Also has an accompanying bready tone. Complex and moorish.

Vas19 (299), Maryland, USA

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

Nov 15, 2009

Pours ruby red with a huge off-white head. Aroma is huge caramel and citrus hops. Flavor is thick malts with caramel, red fruit, and a touch of hops. Excellent balance and mouthfeel. Powerful but controlled. Great beer.

Sigmund (2293), Hafrsfjord, Norway

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

Nov 15, 2009

Bottle, ABV 11%, at RBNAG 2009 in Vatlandsvåg. Orange to amber coloured beer, moderate off-white head. Aroma of oak, fortified wine, American caramel malts and American hops. The flavour has strong notes of bitter American hops throughout, also oak and alcohol.

fata2683 (894), Panama City, Florida, USA

4.4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.4	9/10	5/5	9/10	4/5	17/20

Nov 14, 2009

bottle, pours dark purple/red with a tall frothy tan head. Nice toasted malt and floral hop aroma with light notes of sour prune and peach. Awesome carmel malt and sweet candy sugar with pepper spicing and a sour red fruit lingering in the finish. Some hop notes but they have mellowed nicely in this bottle. This is really good, and almost marries English and American barley wine styles into one. Light carbonation and a creamy mouthfeel. I’m a fan! Would love to try the barrel aged version.

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