OHanlons Thomas Hardys Ale (vintage 2003 and later)

2003 # 015846 Edition. Pours with very little carbonation. The color is a majestic ebony with accents of magenta. The thin layer off creamy head diminishes quickly into a ring, then disappears entirely. The nose is astonishing. Raisins, figs and red apples covered with caramel. Wow. Cinnamon, plums and sherry up front. More dark fruit comes later followed by caramel and toffee. Molasses and honey on the finish. Dry but juicy. Odd. Unbelieveably smooth. Unbelieveable drinkable (I want 4 more). Unbelieveable mouthfeel. Rerate, after many sampling in 2008 and prior. The 2003 and 2004 vintages are really amazing right now. I believe Ohanlons is doing an excellent job recreating this brew. I think they’ll even get better, hopefully as well as Eldridge Popes versions.

2004 bottle. Poured a huge glass full of dense foam, took several minutes until there was enough ruby-black liquit to taste. This was the most incredible head I’ve ever seen on a beer. When it finally did recede it left intricate lace to the top of the 8-inch tall glass. The aroma was an intense melange of sweet malty caramel, raisins, dates, fruit esters, oranges, and alcohol. There were a few notes of diacytel. The flavor -- OMG -- although strikingly bitter and well hopped, this ale is a love poem to malt. It is intensely imbued with dark sweet fruit, brown sugar and molasses, toffee and espresso, cream and alcohol. Its a sticky wicket, mouth-wise, viscuous and chewy. The malt fiesta goes on and on, stuck to the tongue until it fades into hoppy oblivion. This is an intense, full-bodied, creamy malt experience. Definitely a must try!

Thomas Hardy’s Ale 2003 Vintage pours to a very bright, deep caramel color with no head and no carbonation. The nose on this beer is incredible with huge aromas of sweet malt, caramel, toffee, and peppery alcohol. The palate is fat and heavy on the tongue with a very sick and oily mouth feel. Big rich flavors of sweet malt, caramel, and toffee lay heavy on the tongue. The cloying richness and sweetness of this beer could be overpowering for the novice, but is relaxing and comforting to a lover of barleywine. Thomas Hardy’s Ale 2003 finishes with more of the big sweet malty and caramel flavors, then ends sweet and malty with a warming alcohol burn. Awesome, but cloying. But that is to be expected. Again, this beer is suppose to age for 25 years or more. In that time the cloying flavors will develop and become more complex. I enjoy it young, but clearly this beer needs at least 5 more years of age before it is really ready. If you can find this beer in your market, I suggest you stock up, cellar it, and enjoy it 5 to 10 years from now. As the old saying goes, "good things come to those who wait."

2003 Edition. Bottle number 014965. The bottle has a gold foil, sealed cap, with a small round tag proclaiming which beer this is. I'll probably regret doing this, since I believe it's a crime to drink any beer before it's time. Oh well, I suppose it's for the greater good of beer drinkers and raters everywhere. The famous Thomas Hardy's Ale. Well, well, well. I've been waiting 4 years to see you again, my old friend. It's about time you made it back to town. 8.5 oz. pony, or nip bottle. 11.7 % ABV. It sure hides it well, but that's getting ahead of myself. Satisfying pfffttt when opened. Aromas leap out of the bottle before I could even get the cap off. Pours out a deep mahogany color, with a tan / creme colored head. Aromas are exquisite, and varied. Malts are what I noticed first, along with lots of caramel notes, fruitiness, some alcohol, vanilla, oak barrel, wet leather, cherry pipe tobacco, and slightly vinous, even at this young age. The aromas change as the beer warms up, and new smells emerge to replace the old ones. Tastes better than I could have ever expected. The rich, creamy mouthfeel coats your tongue with malty goodness, filling every pore with exotic flavors of grain. Slightly sweet, it coats the tongue with a syrup like consistency, but it is not cloying in any manner. The tastes emerge when you let it sit on your tongue, and let it warm up. Strong maltiness, followed by a brief affair with the hops, which are more of a tease than anything. Alcoholic notes, and caramel tastes round out the flavors. The almost floral tastes cover any alcohol tastes very well. In fact, you have to actually search out the alcohol in this beer, because it is so well blended into the tastes and textures of it. Very warming, however. I wish I could have had this last winter, when it was supposed to be released. It would definitely keep you warm on a bitter cold night. It finished sweet, but perfectly balanced. I can only hope they continue to produce this fine nectar. Truly one of the best beers I've ever had, bar none. You owe it to yourself to seek this beer out and try it for yourself at all costs.

2003. #07043. Somehow I manged to hang onto this in the ol’ closet for nearly 2 years. Dark mahogany with crimson edges, slim toasted tan head. Intense aromatics, big prune, sour cherries, bright, shining burgundy, leather, wood...a complex collection of flavors. Peppers meet raisins. Very port-like. Immense in the mouth, rich, thick, juicy and wet. Floods the mouth with dark fruitiness, well-conditioned. Intensely flavorful. Tangy and tangible, a wonderful thing on the palate, coating goodness with every drop. Amazing. Astounding. And very mellow, compared to the new bottles. I’ve got to exhibit such patience more often. (Hear it’s a virtue.) Full-bodied, long, sweet, languid finish. Smooth and relaxing, luxurious. Well worth the asking price. And finally, if there’s a finer wine than this ale, I want to know. (Doubt it.)