Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale (2008 and earlier)

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

22 oz bottle, 2007 Vintage, via Cletus. Pours a clear dark amber body with a one finger fizzy beige head that fell top a thin film. Heavy toffee and caramel malt nose with maybe a touch of oxidation creeping in. Some light cocoa notes as well. It almost tastes like a bit of a thinner version of Thomas Hardys. Lots of toffee maltiness, some dark fruits, with just a little bitterness on the back end. Light oxidation in the flavor as well. Seems like there’s a bit more alcohol than 7% here. Finishes a little short due to the thinner body. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a good bit of fizzy spritzy carbonation. I’d like this a bit more ith there were a bit more heft and thickness to the body. Overall it was pretty decent though.

Bottle. Poured a medium brown body with thin head. Aroma is light toffee, cocoa and malty. Flavor has a sweet toffee taste, butterscotch and caramel.

Bottle. Had this on draft in Trenton back in 06-07ish, thanks to Stasko for bringing me out for it. Pours a dark amber body with a tan head. Almond and chewy caramel body with a lighter floral citrus hop character. Sweet and salty with a malty backbone and a modest warming. Good stuff.

Bottle from MtGoat. Thanks! Pours reddish and clear with beige head. Smell is malty and metallic with nail polish remover. Taste is alcoholic and sharp. Malty and bittersweet, but really strong on the alcohol. Not very drinkable. Medium body/carb. eh...

Brown bottle, 1 pint 6 ounces, via Philippe Boutin, savoured on June 14 2009; eye: bronze, clear, slight effervescence, creamy beige head, light lacing; nose: scotch, lots of malt, light hops, alcohol, light smoke; mouth: scotch, lots of malt, alcohol, dusty, molasses, light smoke, finale in alcohol, not much carbonation, mildly sweet, medium-full body, liqueur-like texture; overall: quite good FRANÇAIS Bouteille brune, 1 pinte 6 onces, via Philippe Boutin, savourée le 14 juin 2009; œil : bronze, claire, très légère effervescence, mousse beige crémeuse, légère dentelle; nez : scotch, beaucoup de malt, léger houblon, alcool, léger fumé; bouche : scotch, beaucoup de malt, alcool, poussière, mélasse, léger fumé, finale en alcool, peu carbonatée, moyennement sucrée, corps moyen-corsé, texture liquoreuse; en résumé : bien bon

22oz bottle. Pours copper in color with a brown head. Aroma roasted malt and light hops. Taste roasted malt and molassas with bitter finish.

I am a big fan of the Smuttynose brand, but for me this beer misses the mark. Its aroma is all alcohol. Its looks very good, but this look is deceiving. palate is so overpowered by a strong alcohol flavor that its lost. At first taste I thought this was an oak barrel aged beer, but the description says otherwise. As for drinkability.....none. This is a slow, very slow sipping beer by a fire, on a very, very cold night....arctic cold. skip this one

Aroma has that wonderful molassas saturated cake batter,that you occasionly find in these old ales,some hopping comes through as it warms, taste is not as full as the aroma would lead you to believe,but still a hearty cake and chocolate ,combo ,hopping a little harsh,and so reasonably priced , well done