Craftsman Oak Aged Edgars Ale

Brewed by Craftsman Brewing Co.
Style: American Strong Ale
Pasadena, California USA

On tap at Stone and another great and under-rated beer from Craftsman. Black with a creamy tan head. Aroma of oak, tobacco, and leather. Dark chocolate, oak, and a nice aged musky taste with a smooth, creamy velvet mouthfeel, and a pleasantly bitter finsih.

Date: 11/29/2006
Mode: Draft
Source: Father’s Office

black, wispy tan head, strong chocolate malt aroma, creamy body, rich chocolate flavor, nice balanced roasted malts, hint of sweetness, great drinkable chocolate porter with a lager yeast

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 14/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Sampled on tap at Lucky Baldwin’s, June 2007
I was so pissed that I missed this by one person at a beer festival in 2004, I am quite happy to get another chance to try this beer.

The beer has a dark, creamed chocolate brown colored head that starts out a fat-finger in thickness and is fairly frothy. The head sits atop a dark, deeply brown, almost black colored beer. The aroma is an interesting melange. It is not as roasted as I was expecting and it has some burnt fruit notes that are quite nice and rounded. Notes of burnt figs, blackened raisins and even something akin to cherry are noticeable. The aromatic finish has some spicy, woody notes to it. There is a dark malt character here and it leans towards notes of dark chocolate and lightly roasted coffee.

The beer is thick and creamy tasting. It picks up some chocolate & malt sweetness towards the middle and this lingers on into the finish. The finish is offset by a spicy oak character that leans towards rye-whiskey type flavors in some way. This beer has some really nice flavors going on. Notes of roast malt mix in with spicy, whiskey like flavors, ample chocolate notes, plus some hints of roasted prunes. Dusty cocoa powder notes are noticeable in the finish as the beer warms up a bit. This is a really nice beer; it is certainly a sipping beer and it is nicely contemplative.

On tap at Father’s Office on 11/30/06: Pours an opaque black with dark brown edges and a frothy, well-lacing dark tan head. Sweet dark caramel and fresh piny hoppy aroma has nice roasted coffee notes. Body starts thick and sweet with a good fresh earthy resinous hop balance and a ton of dark chocolate flavor and some espresso bean roast. A nice, enjoyable, dark strong ale that could practically be an imperial stout.

On tap poured deep brown color with a nice tan head. Aroma was roast, chocolate and some oak as it warms. Taste was full bodied withnice balance of chocolate, roast, hops, caramel, and again some oak as it warmed. Another great brew from todd and mark.

Sampled with Mark @ the brewery: Very dark brown color with a large tan head. The aroma had big chocolate notes with a nice fruity ester base. Very large chocolate flavor started the taste off. Followed by a light roast and some fruity notes. The finish was dry with a nice bitterness and warmth. Medium bodied.

Tap: Dark brown, tan head, light lacing. Nose of bright roast, lots of caramel and char, nice sweet dark chocolate flavor and a creamy sweet hop roast finish. Nice roasty dry stoutish beer with a pleasing finish. Whatever blend we’re looking at here, I liked it at the time.

Draught at Lucky Baldwins, Pasadena. From notes dated Oct. 2004
Color of pitch with a dense tan head. Smell of roast and coffee. Looks to be more of a stout. Has a slight thin quality to the body and mouthfeel.