Fish Tale Old Woody English Old Ale

Brewed by Fish Brewing Company/Leavenworth Beers
Style: Old Ale
Olympia, Washington USA

Seems like a theme, but many more thanks to Larry Pitonka for this beer. Deep dark red, seems brown almost black color with a thin head on top. Aroma is sticky with scent, wood, barley, dark fruits, and murky earth tones. Tasting this thing, whew, lots off stuff going on here. It’s like a heavy barley wine, mixed with a biere de garde. Very very tastey mix of strong sweet malt and strong wood, worn leather and dusty attics.

2003 vintage. Nice mahogany body with a silky, off-white head. Deep malty, molasses and brown sugar aroma and flavor. Nice caramel and toffee character. Light woody notes. Gives a considerably sweet and sugary impression but still solid and drinkable.

bottle-2003-pours a deep red/amber hue with a small off-white head. aroma has good notes of wood, earthy english hops and malts with a carmely undertone. well balanced for what it is. tastes like an english barleywine mostly-caramel, wood, earthy hops. The cask aging comes up in the finish shortly, but not as over the top as the old leviathan or poseideons.

2003 bottle (12oz). Virtually no head. Body is medium brown. Aroma is moderately malty (molasses, caramel), with notes of wood, cardboard, smoke, alcohol. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, watery texture, lively carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Kind of unexciting.

2003. Dark ruby/garnet with a layer of fine bubbles.Nose is very much laden with toffee and dark fruits.The undertones are or seem to be Oak and Port.Wow,the taste is totally different than the aroma.Much more oak with takes away from some of the fruitiness.Still a very good brew.

Bottle (750 ml) 2002 vintage... This beer rocks!... Clear, mahogany ale with a large, frothy, khaki head. Great retention. The nose is pungent and earthy with notes of cherries, oak, bourbon, lemon, chianti and apricot. The flavor is malty-sweet up front. The hops and alcohol kick in on the backside for balance. Sour cherries and oak with some port in the rich flavor. Full-bodied and chewy with medium carbonation. Lengthy, alcoholic, grassy finish. Terrific brew! Big time props to growler for generously sharing this bottle with me.

12 oz 2003 vintage. Dark cloudy amber color with a small head. Rich aromas of dark chocolates, malt and cherries (?). Nice and malty, this went down way too smoothly. Sweet and complex, there are flavors of toffee and caramel throughout. Excellent. Bring back the 750’s DAMNIT.

Vintage 2003.
Hazy dark brown colored with a thin tan head. Nice and full sweet malty and hoppy aroma with fruit notes and some alcohol. Roasted and hoppy flavor. Very full and heavy with a good bitterness and tones of prunes and raisins. Nice and warming and really really tasty!!