Olde Burnside Father Christmas Highland Ale

Brewed by Olde Burnside Brewing Co.
Style: Scotch Ale
East Hartford, Connecticut USA

Pours with a one-finger brown head that fades quickly leaving a little lace. Deep cloudy amber color. Light carbonation and medium bodied. Nose is like an oak barrel. Flavor is a roasted coffee, smooth finish, quite different - not as heavy - from any scotch ales I have had; the high ABV ྫ.5%- [from brewer]) is totally unnoticeable. $8.55 for a 1 liter bottle [nice split with a drinking partner] from Colonial Spirits Acton, MA. For mysterious reasons this beer is not the same as Ten Penny Ale Reserve but is classified as such. My thoughts for Ten Penny - Pours a four finger cream head that fades slowly but leaves no lace. Cloudy dark brown color. Sour apple nose. Light-medium carbonation and medium-heavy bodied. Flavor fortunately much better than nose - sweet, burnt caramel, higher ABV is hidden. Clean finish. I think I’ll get one for 10-10-10 at 10% ABV it should mellow well. $8.25 for a flip top 1 pint bottle from Tully’s Beer & Wine Wells, Me.

From the Jug at the GABF Colorado Convention Center, Denver 11/10/2008 Fruit and hop aromas. Mid brown coloured a little rich on the palate strong in alcohol and sweet. A little dryness and bitterness in a crisp malt finish.

Pours out a transluscent burgundy colour with a short-lived tan head. Minimal lacing. The nose is not reminiscent of a scotch ale. Peanut butter and other astringent, vegatables come to mind. The flavour, I shit you not, is most similar to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, why? I don’t know. Tastes like a terrible combo of too many malts and some super-stressed yeast are to blame. The body is thin and the finish is nearly non-existence. Blah.

I have to admit this is the first time I saw this one in the refrigerated section of a beer store so I grabbed it. Swing top bottle poured into a pint glass produced a finger worth of tan head that didn’t last long. The body of the brew was a dark brown color. Aromas of caramel malts and a slight roastedness appear in this brew. The flavor is toward the sweet side no alcohol present in this at all for an 11% brew. Some earthiness comes out as it warms in the flavors as well as the nose It had a medium feel in the mouth with light carbonation Not the in my tops for the style but good enough to drink again I guess

Ten Penny Reserve brown glass swing-top bottle. No date. Appearance: Late forming, crisp tan head comes up about 1.5 inches. Color is similar to that of coca-cola, brown with some deep red showing through. Nose: Smells malty sweet, molasses, burnt sugar, new rubber. Palate: Medium-bodied and surprisingly bitter. Wasn’t expecting the bitterness, but they don’t contain the sweetness either. A little prickly on the roof of the mouth. Flavors match aromas plus some pine cone earthiness. Notes: Not a hugely impressive beer at this point. It might improve with some ageing though. Seems a little simple and focused, but shows signs of potential. Balance might be achieved with age.

Ten Penny Reserve bottle. Dark brownish red color not much head. Aroma has some sweet caramel malt and some odd spice, carboard and a hint of sour. Taste is sa bit astringent and not pleasing to drink. Some earthy spices and cardboard. Not good.

.5 liter shared by Yobdoog under the name ten penny ale reserve. 11.8% wtf? Didn’t seem like it was nearly that strong. Pours a deep dark amber-brown with a thin lasting off white head. Aroma is metallic- and penny actually, cardboard, sharp salty molasses, and soy sauce, with some big caramel malts and fruity esters. Leathery, earth, and toffee in the flavor with more metallic hints, toasted malts, some caramel, and some roast- nuts. Slightly slick and prickly metallic mouthfeel at the end. Had to dump about half of my sample I think.

Jim Mack’s Pre-Beer Wars Gathering. Thank you Trever for this most metallic brew, hehe. Pours a amber brune body with a tan head. Copper aroma iron and some light malt character. A hint of woodiness and etoh but its just so dam metallic to really specify anything further.