Fish Tale Old Woody English Old Ale

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

2002 Vintage.nice creamy tan head that hangs around for a long time.Slightly opaque dark amber color.Fruity,wine like aroma that also has a malty nose to it.sweet malty taste with a definate alcohol hit at the beginning but it fades to a sweet malty,fruitiness the fruit being some raisin,possibly dried plum or is that prune,ah who cares i don't eat either one,but i know the smell,and would imagine the taste being the same as the smell.It has kind of a medium feel in the mouth kind of thick at first but it smooth's out at the end just before it goes down.The alcohol isn't real pronounced except at the very beginning and that warm feeling you get as it goes down.you can just make out some hops in the tail end of the tasting and it's there in the after taste,but only lightly hopped.I think this brew is a little under rated and should be higher then what it is.It's very drinkable,full of flavor and the alcohol isn't over powering.All in all a very smooth brew a bit pricey,but what the hell you only live once,and if i only get one time around then this is a brew i want to have more often.

Bottle/Vintage 1999 gift from Crayne... drank 2006. This is such a treat, from the first year of production and well aged! Pours a translucent orange, with very little head. It has certainly oxidized but still has a strong malt nose. The flavor of this beer is a true testimate to aging your barley wines... such an amazing blend of butterscotch and a stick of butter... soooo smooth and intigrated!! This is exceptional!! I want more... alas, to wait 7 more years... If you have the patience...

old ale my ass, this is almost a very huge barley wine! dark rusty red, small head. Aroma is hoppy, full of citrus, malts, raisins, farm house, spring flowers, very complex aroma. Taste is heavy but very drinkable. Trying to take this as a slow sipper but it is so incredibly good! Sticky palate, some plums, huge sweetness!! candy, malts with loads of sugar. This is one complex ale and very good. Thanks Tim!

Bottle. 2003. Sweet molasses aroma. Beautiful dark, ruby red with an off-white head. Although tough to see through the body, particalia is visible as is small bubble carbonation. Very nice, sweet, rich alcohol flavor. Undercarbonated, which may be as a result of it sitting in the bottle for so long. Wow, is this stuff good! Instantly warming. I am a little surprised this isn’t more highly rated, although 93rd percentile is pretty darn high. Perhaps other vintages weren’t as good? Or perhaps it improves with age? And no, I am not biased because of the name. And no, I am not drunk, although I might be after this bottle. Plums, oak, alcohol. This is the 2nd Fish Tale brew I have had, the 2nd one courtesy of Slikwily that is, and the 2nd Fish Tale beer I have rated over a 4.5. I know it’s tough to judge a brewer on two beers, but let’s just say I like what I see so far! It’s a shame there beers aren’t available in the San Francisco Bay Area where I will be visiting soon.

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.

2005 12 oz. bottle big thanks to matta. Mruky brown pour with smallish head. Wonderful aromas of prune raisin, other dark fruit, molassas, caramel, roasty chocolate. Barleywinish flavor with more molassas, caramel, and dried fruit. Malty all around. Wonderful hop finish that takes the fruit from dark and dried plum to bight and bitter grapefruit. Wonderful beer.

This was exquisite! That fresh out of the oven aroma that I love, just like mom used to make! The aroma just lingers once the bottle is popped. Lots of fruits, light and dark, running the gamut from apricots and oranges to cherries, figs and prunes. A very nice hop presence, that cuts through the malt like a hot knife through butter. There is also alot of great earthy character here too, oak and pine needles, with some peaty mossy tastes in the finish. The alchohol is very present but never makes it over the top, just enough to satisfy. This was great, thanks Buck_Dich!

This old ale pours a very dark, ruby red color with an off-white head that lingers a while before completely dissipating. The aroma is strong and malty with touches of alcohol, vanilla, and rum. It has a very smooth palate with a medium body and soft carbonation. The flavor is wonderfully fruity and strangely spicy, with hints of vanilla, nutmeg, orange, and a mild alcohol burn in the finish. I don't know where I get the spice flavors from, must be the yeast. Overall, this is an excellent ale that has a marvelous flavor and is wonderfully complex.