Gales Prize Old Ale Special Reserve

Formerly brewed at Gales
Style: Old Ale
Horndean, England

A muddy brown beer with no head. The aroma is oxidized combined with notes of oranges. The flavor is very sweet and very oxidized, combined with notes of metal (from the alcohol) and wood. Sampled August 2006 - and in my opinion definately over the top.

(Bottle 27,5 cl) Pours an unclean, muddy brown with the tiniest, off-white head. Completely flat. Vinous and very alcoholic sherry like nose. Medium-bodied with lots of caramel and oak and overripe fruit. Ends on an alcoholic bitterness. Very subdued bitterness. An experience indeed. 290806

Cask @ Octoberfest tasting, Kolding. Vintage 2001 in cask! :o)
Pours a lightly orange with a thin small white head. The liquid looks stale and a little flat. Aroma is great - there are berries, sherry, lots of oak, apples and caramel. Flat and oily mouthfeel. Powerful taste, lots of toffee, herbs, a little vinious with a good deal of spices. Great!

275ml corked bottle. 2003 Vintage. Tasted side by side with a regular ’02 vintage. Unlike the regular ’02 we opened, this one did not pop and poured rather flat. Poured a medium to deep and cloudy brownish color with virtually no head. Aromas of vanilla, wood, caramel, cherries, and all around vinous. Tastes of cherries, light vanilla, and some caramel. Stronger alcohol in the finish. Almost remined me of cough syrup. Enjoyed the regular one much better.

This is the freshest sample of a Gale’s Old Ale I’ve had, and aguably the best. Pours an absolutely still murky brown. Has a rich, complex nose of brandy, raisins, oak, and mild caramel malt. Body starts with a nice thick viscosity (no carbonation) and toffee sweetness, turning slightly more tart and woody toward a warming finish. Complex flavors of sherry, butterscotch and plums round out this very nice old ale.

Bottled. Slightly hazy amber coloured. Loads of calvados in the aroma. Slightly oxidized flavour with dark fruits, wood and malts. Sweet and soft. Alcoholic apple finish. Pleasant. Low carbonation level.

Bottled. Amber coloured. Unclear. Sweet and fruity aroma with some pruny notes. Alcohol, madeira and calvados comes to mind when drinking this. Is medium bodied. Has a alcoholdense and warming end. Quite good.

Pours brown with no head to speak of. Upfront apple and oak aromas give way to sugar, yeast and some caramel. Tastes of sherry, oak, some appley hints, caramel, toffee. Finishes sweet. Decent.