McNeills Old Ringworm

Brewed by McNeills Brewery
Style: Old Ale
Brattleboro, Vermont USA

An immense tan head capped this deep reddish-brown brew. Raisiny and leathery notes in nose hinted at the full malty, earthy flavor of this fantastic brew. Bitterness is subdued, but rises towards the end. The aftertaste is sweet and spicy. Out of this world!

Incredible (let it warm up a little bit).

On draft in VT: Ruby-amber hue. Aromas of wood, vanilla, dark fruit. Sweetness is very enjoyable, full bodied, chewy, toffee, maple, yeast is awesome. The best part is the hops which balance this beer incredibly. Alcohol is hidden, and this brew is trememndously quaffable despite its high alcohol. This is one of my favorites.

This is a fine barley beer with a darkened quality I like, not too heavy, and a good sweet flavor that lingers after the swallow. If I had to guess what flavors that come to mind, I’d guess molasses, butterscotch, and malt, with a touch of citrus to contain the flavors and give it a more mild taste, not overpowering, but complex, and plenty to feel good about.

Pours a cloudy amber with a small head. Smells of caramel, citrus and figs. Taste is robust with raisins and prunes present. Very interesting brew.

Rerate 11/2/06 bottle that has been cellared for a year: Pours more clear with a small but present head. Smells of caramel, tea hops and figs. Taste is semi sweet with nice earthy hops and much more blended than I remember it. Definitely worth the revisit.

Enjoyed a pint of this one, on a cold afteroon at the brewery/brewpub in the quaint and funky little town of Brattleboro, VT. This beer is an excellent Old Ale, with lots of good malt character and flavor. Old Ringworm pours to a hazy, caramel color, with a slight white head, and a soft carbonation. The nose on this beer is very nice, with aromas of sweet malt, toffee, and estery fruit. The palate is soft and full on the tongue, with lots of good sweet, biscuit malt, and toffee flavors. Hints of estery fruit play against the cloying malt chracter and balance the over all sweet nature of this beer. This beer finishes with more good sweet, biscuit, toffee, and fruit up front, then ends slightly cloying, and warming. Really a great pint to sip and savor, and makes a great winter warmer. Mc Neill’s is such a cozy and inviting little place, a must visit if you find yourself in Southern Vermont.

1996 bottle, from Ray McNeil. Deep red brown ale with wonderful floating creatures. Vinous aroma with cinnamon overtones, complex and ever changing as beer warms up. Notes of rose water and candy sugar. Oily onctous body. Blended taste of malts, hops, lingering smooth bitterness, alcohol being camouflaged by all the ingredients. Wonderful, Thanks Ray. May 2004. Enjoyed with Capflu.

Raisins, figs, muted plums and prunes in the aroma with some dark malt, almost roasty character. Becomes vastly more expressive as it warms. Opaque, dark amber-brown with shy, large-bubbled, but lasting, tan head that covers. Plenty of suspended yeast that takes it’s own sweet time to settle back down. Gorgeous and intricate lacing. Very complex and fascinating flavour. Has roasty notes as well as mild acetic sourness, big caramel sweetness, lots of dark fruit esters and some herbal/grassy/pine-like hops. Fair balancing bitterness. As with most of McNeill’s beers, this one is very strongly hopped, but unlike a lot of the others, it’s really not that noticeable in this one. Medium-full body, creamy, smooth, somewhat still mouthfeel. Alcohol never apparent. Bottle (aged 9 months)... and you have to love that label...