Lightning Old Tempest Ale

	Percentile
	75
	overall

An Old Ale brewed by
Lightning Brewery
Poway, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
available

Local Distribution
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Ratings Average Score Seasonal ABV Style Pctl Serve in Advanced
48 3.38/5.0 3.36/5.0 Autumn 9% 54.9 English pint, Snifter P Stats

Commercial Description:
Old Tempest Ale is Lightning Brewery’s Winter Seasonal beer. This beer is a classic “Winter Warmer” or a beer that has an alcohol level that causes a “warming” feeling on sipping and drinking. This is an Old Ale or Strong Ale made in the tradition of UK brewers for centuries. We have used strictly “earthy” types of UK malted barley, UK strains of “grassy” flavoring and aroma hops, and our house strain of British Ale yeast in brewing and fermenting this beer. Also note the slight haze we have retained in the beer. That is because we avoid filtration, a process that can remove some of the complex flavors that make a big, malty beer more enjoyable. It is simply settled in the fermentation tank for months and then directly packaged for added flavor. Extensive aging is an investment for the Brewery in terms of tank space and at the same time an added value for enjoyment.

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Schroppfy (1744), Ohio, USA

2.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
2.8	6/10	3/5	5/10	3/5	11/20

Jun 11, 2008
Light colored, sweet all over, with a bit of a grassy hoppy presence. The whole flavor profile was overlaid upon too much honey. Basic beer, not objectionable but not that good. Or I wasn’t in the mood...

GMCC2181 (559), Bear, Delaware, USA

3.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.1	6/10	3/5	5/10	3/5	14/20

Jan 7, 2009

Bottle from swolf30000... Thanks wolf! Sweet aroma of sugar and malts. Dark orange in color. Taste is sugar sweet..... Malty. Not that good or even well balanced..

beerguy101 (3608), Newark, California, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	8/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Dec 20, 2008

Tasted on tap at the Pizza Port Strong Ale Festival 12/6/2008. This old ale pours a medium orange gold color form the tap. Small to medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is fruity and sweet with lots of orange and orange peel. A medium bodied old ale. The malts are fruity and sweet, with touch or orange. The hops are earthy and floral. Nice balance. Good carbonation. Very smooth tasting. Nice slightly sweet finish. The alcohol is nicely hidden. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

jsh12bama (250), Alabama, USA

3.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.1	6/10	3/5	6/10	3/5	13/20

Oct 31, 2008

Pours hazy orange with thick white head. Lots of carbonation. Aroma of fruity sweetness, raisins. Taste is slightly sweet, earthy and malty. They hit the style but not a big fan of it. Just OK.

Hophead22 (459), Redlands, by way of Wisconsin,, California, USA

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	6/10	4/5	6/10	3/5	14/20

Aug 31, 2008

22oz bottle. Poured a nice dark orange with a little yellow as well. Smells like a dark belgian beer, kind of a sweet citrus aroma too it. Kind of a light taste too it for an old ale, but good though, slight bitterness.

Angeloregon (2023), Portland, Oregon, USA

2.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
2.5	5/10	3/5	5/10	2/5	10/20

Aug 29, 2008

Bottle purchased at PizzaPort in Carlsbad, CA--Poured a maniacly carbonic brown-amber. Hugh thick cream colored bubbly head. Perhaps this beer bottle conditioned too long. Very malty sweet. Lacking any bittering of floral bckbone. Caramel, honey, brown sugar, white sugar, alcohol, toffee, and cardboard. A sign this beer was infected. This Ph.D. puts his name on his beer and seems proud, but so far all the Lightning beers I’ve had are poorly made and cellared. Drain pour.

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