Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale (2009)

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

22oz bomber from The Lighthouse in Manchester, Maine. Pours a translucent copper body with virtually no head. Caramel, chocolate, toffee, and raisins dominate the aroma. Raisin and toffee are strong parts of the flavor, with some caramel, citrus, chocolate, maybe hints of a peat like flavor. Full bodied bordering on viscous with moderate carbonation. Definitely a sipper for sure. Overall, a tasty sipper great for a cold winter night like tonight. Good stuff.

Bottle… Pours a clear ruby with a slight orange tint and a small, creamy, off-white head. Good retention. Earthy, malty, vinous nose – tropical fruit, clean ethanol and touches of caramel and raw sugar. Ultra full-bodied with a high viscosity mouthfeel and mild carbonation. Big, well-balanced flavor – velvety and caramelized with neither the malts nor hops stepping forward to bully the other. Mild notes of red wine. Alcohol is not evident on the palate or in the throat. Finishes much like the flavor, then fades away into the sunset… leaving nothing behind other than a feeling of satisfaction. Flawless and very pleasant to drink, even on a very warm day. Kudos to scraff for providing the bottle!

Brown pour with a thick tan head. The nose is loaded with woody oakiness. Vanilla, bourbon and a touch of sweet nutty malt character. There is a touch of light plumminess in the malts and there is also a little bit of light booziness. As it begins to warm up I get some flavour of dark honey and more peppery alcohol. Oak and figs and a fairly sweet finish. The hops in here are still contributing to the aroma and flavour, but they hide a little bit behind the oak. Lingering cooling finish. Pretty elegant stuff really.

Bomber. Clear, dark amber with a tan head. Big, sweet nose, caramel and fig, lightly nutty with chocolate hints. Very earthy flavors, bitter, nutty and big caramel. Some toffee notes. Full body, rich and almost syrupy slick. A whopper of a beer, and delish!

Rater Notes: Originally posted under "Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale - 7%, 17 Feb. ’09" Many of my thought dealt with my thinking that is was "only" 7%. Very bright ruby tinted copper color with a modest, but stable head of ecru bubbles. Scents of heavy caramel, rich oak, sweet dark chocolate, ripe berries and hint of bourbon vanilla. Not a Strong overpowering aroma, but enough mystery to keep it interesting. The longer it sets the more malty it gets, a plus in my book. There is no mention of barrel aging, but my nose and now my mouth sense some serious oak and booze. Dry caramel, oak and toasted nuts. For 7% this is quite boozy. I’m catching everything from cognac, and kirsch, to bourbon, and sherry. A nice feel, with soft effervescence and light oil. Finish has a light kirsch flavor and the linger is lightly oaky and a decent return of toasted malt. My ears are turning red, so I’m having a hard time believing this is 7%. A nice winter warmer. Too boozy for the heft. Lots of intrigue in this one.

Bottle: Brown/copper with a tan film of head. Big sweet aroma- lots of woody/toasted oak with sweet dark fruits- plummy vanilla and caramel. Slick and warming body. Chewy malt flavor- caramelized with some prune and other dark fruit skin notes- not as sweet as the aroma suggests. Mildly oaky notes dry it out toward the back. Balanced and drinkable despite its boozy qualities.

Bottle from state line liquors in Elkton, MD. Clear brown pour with a thin off white head and spotty lace. I wasn’t expecting much from this beer until I got a whiff of all the subtle complexities. Toffee, toast, coffee, and fruits on the nose. Full bodied with a slick mouth-feel. Brown sugar, oak, espresso, caramel, and raisins. Dry alcoholic finish.

Bottle. Pours deep orange with a thin beige head. The aroma is toasty with some fruity and caramel like sweetness. The flavor is toasty, earthy with some nuttiness and berry or apple skin like sweetness. Very nice.