Southampton 10th Anniversary Old Ale

Formerly brewed at Southampton Publick House
Style: Old Ale
Southampton, New York USA

Bottled in 2006, from a caged corked 750 ml. bottle, stored at cellar temperature and allowed to warm up a bit before sampling in a stein glass. Poured a reddish orangey amber with a frothy, foamy tan head, good retention, small amount of laced sticking. A vinous nose with caramel and sticky caramelized toffee, raisins and berries, spicy, earthy, nutty and herbal. Good airy moderate carbonation and a crisp, dry, slick, creamy smooth medium-light bodied mouthfeel. Smooth sipping Old Ale taste, raisins, plums and tart berries, a delicious taste of hard caramelized toffee, pepper spicy and earthy, a touch of herbs and green wood, a subtle port-like alcohol that provides a low warmth in the palate, and a dry vinous, sweet malty finish.

Sampled at a gathering of TN Ratebeerians a couple months ago; thanks to Beer Hawk for bringing it. Fluffy and delicate white-bread toast head is somewhat rocky. Smells toasty, buttery and warm. Sweet and warm in the mouth, dark malty flavors establish themselves as the baseline (burnt caramel and lightly portish notes). The finish is spicy, with corriander predominant. Some French farmhouse character in the soft finish and the soft maltiness on the diffident body. A good solid beer without any one overriding characteristic. I thought it was a bit fizzy, but overall, well-crafted.

750 ml bottle purchased at SPH. Pours a hazy reddish brown with a massive off-white head that is fed by lots of tiny carbonation bubbles in the beer. Pleasant aroma of malt, caramel and brown sugar. These same qualities exist in the flavor as well, but are stronger. Slightly sweet. Nice full mouthfeel that coats the tongue but is not syrupy. The alcohol is very well hidden, although as the beer warms a bit there is a bit of a burn. Very good stuff.

750 ml bottle. Poured a murky reddish brown with an almond colored frothy head. Aroma primarily of Heath bars-- i.e. dark chocolate covered toffee--with some warming alcohol and underlying coffee, dark toasted biscuit, and bourbony vanilla/caramel notes. Sweet but roasty chocolate and coffee malt flavors, with some dried dark fruit--raisin, fig, dried cherry -- and a pleasing underlying spiciness. Some warmth on the finish initially, though flavor candies up after a while in the glass. Fairly full bodied but not too sticky or syrupy, with a trace of fine carbonation. Very nice cold rainy day sipper.

Nose of sweet fruits and chocolate. Dark and hazy reddish brown body, small light brown head, vanishes leaving almost no lacing. Taste of sweet milk chocolate with strong acidic sourness ... almost like a milk chocolate yoghurt or a milk chocolate lambic! Nicely warming, slightly buzzing. Interesting that it only comes out to a 3.7 when I rate it; I agree with each of the component ratings, but I thought the overall would be higher.

Robe acajou très claire surmontée d’une mousse beige épaisse crémeuse en dentelle qui persiste. Arômes de caramel et de torréfié. Saveurs de torréfié, de caramel, de malt, d’alcool et de fruits rouges.

750mL bottle, courtesy of Schutzenliesel. Thanks, Tom! Pours a hazy, reddish, cherry-cola appearance. Maple syrup and red fruits, hints of milk chocolate in the aroma. Chewy, sweet cherry and candy sugar mouthfeel; slightly raw and sticky sweet; alcoholic and butterscotch notes. Long, candy sugar and wet malt finish.

Deep dark coppery orange, light fizzy tan head. Rich nose of toasted toffee brittle, cherry, and booze, with softer notes of milk chocolate, butterscotch, and maple. Boozey dark fruit and caramel flavors kick it off, but in comes a soft balancing act of citrus and butterscotch candy (Brach’s yellow wrappers if ya dig) thats round this out. Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, lightly sweet finish. Very nice now, but more age will continue to develop this I’m sure. Thanks for sharing Schutzenliesel...