Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale (2008 and earlier)

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Old Ale
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

Bouteille de 22 oz partagée lors d’une dégustation Ratebeer Montréal chez Cathschlag. Arôme: Odeur de caramel fruité avec une pointe chocolatée. Apparence: La couleur est brune voilée. Présence d’un mince col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de caramel fruité et de noix grillées. Courte durée de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps et la texture sont mince. Faible effervescence en bouche. Légère présence de caramel en arrière goût. (Rating #1655)

20070303 Bomber. I know I have taken notes on this sometime since March 07, but this was my first impression. There should be a re-rate to follow at some point...and I’ve got another bottle around here somewhere. Familiar Smuttynose yeast character is a bit sweet like fresh bread. Smooth full bodied stuff, sticky. Toffee notes and plum. Long finish.

A- Pours an auburn hue with a small head which sinks to nothingness. S- Old Ale’s are quickly becoming my favorite style because I just love to stick my nose in them. Full malty aroma leaning toward the caramel side of the spectrum with a subtle sweetness. It seems like it might be a little too light from the smell but we will see. T- Taste is full and starts off sweet and caramely with touchs of raisin and that leads into a barage of hops at the end. I think after a year when the hops die down a bit this will be drinking extremely well but even now it is delicious. M- Lots of carbonation and fairly thick. D- I think the drinkability is about on par with the abv, a bit less than a session beer but it’s nice to enjoy and I could definitely drink multiple glasses.

Just rubbed me the wrong way. I usually really like their offerings, but this was passable at best. It looks great in a glass with a rich lasting mannila (?)folder head. Yes there are plenty of "dark fruits", but to me there was too much alcohol. Seemed like more than the 7% listed. Otherwise, not bad, wet hay malting and plenty of compex mouthfeel, but well short of what I had hoped for.

Bottle 07 Vintage. Poured dark brown with no head. Smell is dark fruit, chocolate, light coffee, yeast, bread and a earthy woody character. Decent taste with a light coffee, fruit, sweet candy sugar, toffee and light hop note. Thin mouthfeel with low carbonation. unfocused and just not put together well. Would not see this aging well. (notes on this were hard to read. had to guess at a few of the descriptions)

Bottle: Muddy copper, light head and lacing. Nose of toast and biscuit, sweet raspberry, sherry and oak. The flavor is smooth, a touch of alcohol, but a full malty biscuity mouthfeel. Light roast and fig, nice full bodied malty character. Good! Thanks Jake!

July 2007 - Caramel brown pour with smallish head no lacing. Musty caramel flavor with dark raisin and roast. Leathery mouthfeel. Lots of hop bitterness from a grassy pilsner like hop. Sort of defies style characterization. Very unique beer...worth a try.

Bottle: Cloudy brown with an off-white head. Aroma of malt and alcohol. Sweet flavors of malts with an almost watery feel. Pretty good stuff. Thanks Jake65!