Gales Jubilee Ale

Formerly brewed at Gales
Style: Barley Wine
Horndean, England

Tasted 09/05/2006. 250ml bottle from Regional Wines and Spirits, Wellington. Pours still, oily legs, with no head or lacing. Port wine red-gold, bright, with gold and garnet hues. Musty nose of fortified wine, wood, meat and worcester sauce. The mouth reveals more port wine like notes in the malty sweetness, and a very complex background of dry dark wood, astringent caramel malt, fermented strawberries, warming alcohol and a peppery wood-spiced finish. Hints of wine gums join the fold. Uncarbonated, oily, medium weight liquid that slides over the palate and releases the complex flavours slowly. Very different, definitely deserves the barley wine categorisation. A very interesting evening sipper that goes with wood fires and moreporks. Nose just lets it down a little.

Bottle: Dark ruby blood brown color, no head or carbonation or lacing. Nose of sherry and malty fruit, fairly old and oxidized, no dates or anything on the bottle either. The flavor is toasty with biscuit and cardboard notes. Oaky, vinous and tart, sweet berries. Odd and old. For the price you’d think it would be better aged.

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry & Dave B. -- courtesy of HogTownHarry. I’m drinking this despite it being for the Queen. Grumble, grumble. Pours a flat-looking murky amber-orange. Aroma of malt, dark fruit, and alcohol -- somewhat wine-like. The flavour though is sherry-like with lots of alcohol, malt, fruit and some wood. Syrupy mouthfeel with no carbonation at all. It’s pretty...different is the word I guess...for a Barley Wine, but for what it is it’s decent enough.

Bottle (250ml). Shared with blankboy, Dave B, my bottle. Poured murky flat orange. Aroma of alcohol, hardwood resin, orange zest, yeast, sour red wine and figs. Taste is ... let’s say it’s a little past it - very sour, peaty, salty - hints of sour cherry, very much like sour sherry (aged in sherry casks?) - the top pour was clearer and almost harsh, the bottom pour was really cloudy and citrusy, much more balanced - overall okay, smells better. Mouthfeel - flat, harsh, sticky - odd. Glad to have had it, probably wouldn’t again ...

This bottled brew from 2002 sampled in 2006 poured a small sized head of quickly diminishing medium sized clear colored bubbles that fully diminishes real fast. The body was pretty with a nice caramel brown color with a red hue, transparent and uncarbonated. There was no lacing. The aroma was strongly vinous and wine like. The flavor was strongly sweet with caramel in a flat strongly vinous mouth feel that finished with a mild burn. The flavor also contained oak, malts, vinous port like notes and yet was thin.

Absolutely dead body, no carbonation; fig, alcohol, paper, sherry, and cherry aromas over a hazy, dark amber color body; rich caramel flavor with considerable toffee and brown sugar sweetness; some complexity with dark fruits and a bit of apple and pear notes and some mustiness; no hops, but a bit tart in the finish for balance. This shows its’ age, much like the old bitty this was brewed in honor of.

9.3oz bottle. No carbonation as is to be expected from this beer. Pours like a dark Cabarnet. No head of course. Aromas of dark coco, grapes, vinegar, very vinous...earthy(leather) and a bit juicy. Drinks much like a red wine...somewhat acidic, full of ripe grape & old cherry flavors, warming finish. Nice finish, a bit tannic? The aroma put me off at first, but after letting it sit for about 30-40minutes, revisting it every once in a while to smell and sip, I’m really getting into this one. A sipper for sure. It offers a good deal of complexity, but reminds me less of beer and more of wine. I like that though. I think this has faired pretty well. If I were looking for a big barleywine, this wouldn’t be my beer. It offers a little more finese and acid.

Bottle. No head or lacing, transparent, uncarbonated, and a red hue with some brown. Nose was malty, sweet, caramel, sherry, white wine, and some dark fruits. Flavor was sweet, vinuous, dark fruits, and dry tasting. Mouthfeel was smooth and dry.