Gales Conquest Ale Masterbrew

Caramel cider colored with vitrually lifeless, uncarbonated body. Nose of aged wood, sherry, light marsala, malt and toffee and hint of farmhouse/manure. August flavors of aged wood, mild marsala and cream sherry, malt, understated toffee and caramel with a hint of Brett. Thin, oxidated finish.

2001 vintage. An anemic brown ale with almost no head. In aroma, oxidized malt with a bit of soy sauce, dark fruits, not bad. In mouth, a rather lifeless and oxidized ale with notes of madera, licorice, and light molasses, very thin and tired. Tasted Nov. 5 2009 with GRM and Mike H.

330. Corked and foiled. Well, geez. I have certainly had worse. Pours a murky medium amber with tottfee highlights and no head or lace. Rich, vinous, tangy cherry and doughy malt nose. Creamy medium body that goes a bit watery in places. Flattish. Fruity, vinous, bready mid-palate. Mild finish. Not disgusting, by any means, but can’t possibly be what the brewer had hoped.

Very small head, red in color, and clear. The smell is ok with maple, tofee, fruits, and wine like. Very strong aroma. The taste is sort of nasty however with dirt, booze, watery, and oxidation.

Also a 2001 vintage. Flat sticky caramel looks, completely opaque. Very diminished aromas consisting of madeira, caramel and white grapes. Terribly oxidized in mouth. I don’t understand how people can still be enjoying that. Virtually lifeless both in its flabby, oily body and in its stale tartish apple vinegar notions. Caramel crawls underneath, but is completely slaughtered by cardboard, old wood and wet leaves oxidation notes. The lack of aftertaste was a liberation. Bottles are still available quite broadly, but even with optimal storage, I can’t really imagine this still being any good.

Bottle 27,5 cl. Slightly hazy amber golden with a tiny, rough, off-white head. Aroma of fruit and caramel with a tart edge. Medium body, completely flat, notes of white wine and a whiff of Brett and perhaps a little wood. Warming alcohol in the finish, slightly leathery but no bitterness as such. Very interesting - and classic Gales. 120709

27.5 cL bottle bought at Hollingshead, CA. Pours hazy dark orange with a small white head. Aroma is solid phenolic and light acetone aroma. Dry wooden and phenolic flavoured. Acidic to citric dry flavoured finish. Very old and above the prime I assume.

Aroma is not very strong - chardonnay, white grapes and a little peach. Color is a cloudy dark orange, absolutely no head. Flavor is remarkably like chardonnay - some honey, some citrus, a little tart, and some alcohol burn on the end. Interesting brew.