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AleSmith Old Numbskull 4.03 766

AleSmith Old Numbskull

Percentile
100
overall

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
7664.04/5.04.03/5.010%98Snifter
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.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Petrucci914 (590), Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/58/104/517/20

Oct 9, 2009  
Pours a cloudy amber color with a medium off-white head. Aroma is intense earthy hops, citrus, caramel malts, mild alcohol, and some peat. Taste is much the same. I expected a overly-hopped California BW but it was actually quite balanced between the stereo-typical regional tastes. Top-Knotch.

 EricE (467), Fairfax, Virginia, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/514/20
Dec 21, 2009  
Bottle of indeterminate age obtained on clearance in Boston. Pours a clear red-brown with almost no carbonation. Astringent malty aroma. Nutty caramel malt flavor. Bitter and completely flat. Perhaps a newer bottle would be better.


 Pipper (256), Ohio, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/103/58/103/516/20
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
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/58/104/519/20
Dec 6, 2009    Updated: Dec 18, 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 (124), Washington DC, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
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 (1916), Dallas, Texas, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
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
8/104/58/104/515/20
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
8/104/58/104/518/20
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 (2295), Hafrsfjord, Norway
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/57/104/515/20
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.



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