Greene King Strong Suffolk (Olde Suffolk)

Brewed by Greene King
Style: Old Ale
Bury St. Edmunds, England

THOUGHTS: Obviously, rather British, but it didn’t beat me over the head with its Britishness. I was expecting something a little more sour, but it was still very good. It was a little subtle at first and then all of these layers of flavor and aroma started to appear. The wood really made this interesting. It was like a way more intense Double Barrel Ale from Firestone. I’d love to try a cask conditioned version of this. It just kept getting better and better as it warmed. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a clear, very dark reddish amber that was bright reddish amber in the light. There was a large,, off-white head that slowly diminished and left fair lacing. The aroma was moderate to heavy Bread, cookie, toasted malt, caramel, light to moderate herbal hops, prune, apple, cherry, toffee, a little sour fruit and maybe some fig. The initial flavor was sweet, acidic and sour; while the finish was very sweet, acidic, slightly sour and a little bitter with an average duration. It was fruity, there was caramel malt, wood, toffee, herbal hops, apple, some sour grape that was almost wine-like at the end. Also a little yeasty. The light to medium body was very dry with lightly fizzy carbonation and a slightly metallic, moderately astringent and dry finish.

Dark brown with orange tints and a thin, creamy tan head. Rather robust caramel aroma; slightly winy, port-like. Just slightly. Rich grainy malts. Thick cereal malt flavor, cookies, chocolate and caramel figs and raisins. Sweet, but with sour notes, roasted flavors, hops, and alcohol to balance. Dry, bitter finish. Very enjoyable with a good, interesting balance.

Bottle 50cl. Pours a nice red-brown brew with small white head. Dark dried fruits, slightly sour. A bit of alcoholic burning. Chocolate, buttertoffee. An elegant mixture of tastes, easy to sip. Interesting brew.

Bottle. Poured a medium to dark brown with slight reddish tint, thin bubbly head. Unfortunately does have a slight hint of metal but it’s still a decent enough brew. Slight burnt roast quality with caramel, toffee, slight mild chocolate type flavours in. Light dark fruit hints too with a little spice, hints of vanilla too. Not bad, little complexity in there, would drink again.

500ml bottle-pours a big tan head and deep red color. Aroma is wood, fruit-tart cherry, medium malt, some spice hops. Taste is confusing. Fruit-tart cherry/vinegar, medium malt-toffee/chocolate, wood, some herb hops, some roasty. Cask-like bock. The sharp/vinegar character is a detractor that I just couldn’t get around. Thanks to deepsouth for trade with Joe-jwc215 and me.

Bottle. Pours a medium chestnust brown. Thin off white bubble head. Nose is stale malt, like a cheap beer. Flavors are brown sugar, caramely malts. I did not dig this too much.

[bottle] Potent aroma of spicy caramel and floral, UK hops; notes of sweet cream, walnuts and red wine. Dark garnet and clear, with a lasting, beige foam on top. Flavour is complex; bittersweet toffee with significant floral hops and notes of liquorice and biscuits. Also a refreshing sour tang that helps to offset the almost perceptible ethanol. Medium body, medium carbonation, slightly bitter finish.

Pours dark brown with a small head. Aroma has brown sugar sweetness, wood, and ripe dark fruit. Flavor is intensely sweet and peaty at first, revealing vanilla and bourbon sweetness. Towards the finish a roasted flavor creeps in, followed by a bit of sourness. An interesting and complex brew.