AleSmith Decadence 2006

Formerly brewed at AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
San Diego, California USA

Bottle thanks to dirtymartini, thanks Larry. Poured a deep red copper color with a moderate beige head that slowly receded to a ring. Aroma of caramel and light citrus hops with a hint of earthiness. Lightly bitter entry leads to a light caramel malt sweetness leading into a moderate citrus, bitter hop finish. Nice, full palate with a crisp hop hit that came out quite nicely as the beer warmed. As a whole, it got much better as I drank it and it evolved. Thanks again Larry.

750 Bottle. Pours a nice deep red with a off white 1 finger head that recedes quickly leaving a nice sticky lacing. Smell is caramel, fig, piney hops and biscuit. Taste is the same as the nose. As some people point out you can taste a slight chocolate in the flavor and a little burnt ashy malt. Mouthfeel is thick and chewy and alcohol has no presence. This should age nicely buy the hops really hold this together.

Poured from a large bottle that had been in the cellar since early last summer. Deep auburn reddish brown with a modest tan head. Aromas are thick of sweet maltiness. Smooth on the palate and then flavors of toffee, yeast, caramel maltinesss, and some low key hops. The finish is log and delectable. Yum. Perfect description is indeed decadence. Outrageously good.

Wow, what a fantastic creation! Pours a deep, dark, cloudy muave color. A frothy tan head leaves spots and flares of lacing behind. The aroma is indescribably full, with rich caramel and toffee malts, huge nougat, massive pine hops, sweet biscuit, and heavy cream flooding the nose. The flavor lives up to the enormity of the aroma, as copious malts and smooth cream are balanced perfectly with huge pine hops. This one tastes like a hoppy milkshake! There’s even an unexpected chocolate malt component that adds to the richness. Just shy of full bodied, the only downfall to this brew is a slight alcoholic heat that burns a little on the way down. Still, it is smooth and well carbonated, and the richness and balance are too great to knock it down for the alcoholic heat. Part barleywine, part IIPA, and part malt bomb, this is just a huge, masterfully blended concoction that refuses to be pigeonholed into a particular classification. Simply awesome. AlesSmith rules!

Bottled (thanks omhper!). Deep amber colour, mediumsized creamy head. Aroma is fruits, some yeast, caramel malts, spices and raisins. Some mild roasted notes also. Flavour is caramel malts, toffee, some breadyness, fruity and flowery notes along with raisins and mild notes of alcohol.

Big thanks to omhper to give me the opportunity to sample my very first beer from Alesmith! This beauty pours out in a slightly hazy reddish brown colour with rich firm lasting beige foam. Big but very well-composed aroma of figs, caramel, toffee, pine-needles, cherries, dates, mild floral hops with a fresh whiff of citric fruit. Full, compact and elegant flavour without being overly bold of dried fruit, caramel, sweet licorice, floral hop, over-riped cherries and mild dose of alcohol. Chewy candy like body. Long caramely finish dates, caramel, black cherries, flowery hops and milky chocolate. Incredible. I’m off to San Diego tomorrow! (In my dreams....)

Bottled. Dark mahogany colour, creamy head. Aroma of burnt caramel. Sweet and full bodied with velvetty softness. Roasty and very malty with spun sugar and lots of toffee. Warming and vast in character.

750 ml bottle. Pours auburn with a tall dense beige head that laces down. This nose makes me grab my notebook quick to jot down the complexities. Toffee and caramelized malts are the foremost. Cherries, apples, brown sugar, doughy, and butterscotch. The sum of the fruits and touch of alchol in the nose is very reminiscent of brandy. Toffee and carmelized malts again in the flavor. Light sweetness. Dough, brown sugar, cherries, cherry pits, apples, apple brandy. The alcohol, toffee, dough and light spice finish this out in balance with a long creamy and syruppy finish. This reminded me of an old ale, specifically Adam. But all in all, wow this a great beer.