AleSmith Old Numbskull

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
San Diego, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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UPDATED: JAN 17, 2005 Re-rate (16-Jan-05 - 8-3-7-3-14=3.5): Sweet, round, heavy, dark and pendulous malt aroma with some hoppiness. Opaque, dark brown with large-bubbled, thin, tan head that recedes to cover. Heavy malt flavour seems dry and over-attenuated. Dry and very bitter in the finish. Quite roasty. Overbalanced towards the bitterness. Mild fruitiness and light phenols are overwhelmed by the hops. Definite strong alcohol flavour and warming. Very dry, somewhat puckering. Low carbonation. Bottle (2004) enjoyed back-to-back with the barrel aged version with asheft, beerbuzzmontreal, MartinT, muzzlehatch, Rastacouere and Yowie.
Original rating (3/21/04 - 9-5-8-3-14=3.9): 2003 edition. Citrusy grapefruit (cascade hops?) clean refreshing nose with a biscuity malt aroma and lots of fruity esters - banana, peach, apricot, plum - maybe a bit of bubblegum. Glowing orange colour with decent white head that recedes with good lacing. Big hop flavour with excellent supporting malt base - toasty, biscuity. Hops are citrusy with a vegetal undertone. Nice and complex. Some yeast flavours noted as well. Mouthfeel is incredible - thick, chewy, smooth. Big body. Some sherry sweetness. Just a bit sticky with a dry finish. Hops build and become a bit much by the end of the drink. Seems like an Imperial IPA. Green bottle.

(Bottle, 0.75 l, at Gallows Bird, 20120523) The beer poured mahogany coloured and clear. Its head was small and white. Aroma had malts, hops and sweetness. Palate was full bodied and warming with medium carbonation. Flavours were malts, fruitiness, tangerine, hops, mild sweetness and medium bitterness. Aftertaste was malty, hoppy and bitter. Low sweetness was really nice as were the fruity hops. Bit harsh.

75 cl bottle thanks to Rasmusott. The last beer at the tasting on 5/5/12, and I’m transcribing directly, and take notice of the regularity of the word "stuff". Hazy amber red pour, nice consistent off white head. Aroma has buckets of American hops, citrusy and piney - but aged! Nice caramel and raisins, lovely malt profile, sherry, tiramisu, a hint of ripe pineapple. The taste is just what an American barley wine should be - love malt profile - caramel, raisins, lovely malty stuff and a good deal of hoppiness - citrusy and piney (centennial and stuff) - lovely stuff!

Shared 750 ml bottle @ Cosmic Comic Cafe. Pours a a deep, dark, reddish amber with a medium, yellowish-brown head that leaves quite a nice lacing. Aroma is quite sweet with caramel, resin, molasses, some pith and pine, a hint of ethanol and dried fruit as well. Taste begins stingy pith and caramel with caramel and resin taking more space in the middle, grapefruit on the finish with some dried, dark fruits as well. Quite sweet though not too much. Palate is full, quite oily, a bit sticky.

Pours clear deep red with a beige head. Aroma is nice fruity hops, peach, plums, pine, darker malts, caramel, thick orange, weak resin and overall pretty american barley winish. Taste is ripe fruits, hops, pine, reish dryish bitterness, syrup, caramel, peach, thick orange and an overall fresh feeling to it! Drinkability is top notch!

Bottle from secret santa, pours a deep ruby/brown with a large khaki head. Aroma is doughy, figs, caramel, honey. Taste similar to aroma but sharp, with toffee and bitter hops on the finish. Very nice!

Pours cloudy golden brown color with an off-white head. Caramel and hoppy aroma. Flavor is smooth and dense hoppy and medium sweet caramel malty flavour. Fruity hops and mild spiced finish. Good stuff!

Reddish brown appearance with a big, tan head. Very nice, floral hoppy, toasty toffee, fairly sweet caramel malty aroma. Somewhat floral hoppy bitter, sweet, toffee, dark sweet flavor. Balanced and very nice.

Pours a reddish brown color with a tan head. Aroma apples, grapefruit and caramel malts. Taste is sweet with dark fruits and caramel/toffee. Very low carbonation and smooth. Medium to full mouthfeel.

Poured from the bottle. Poured light, with a nice white head, and thick lacing. Aroma is dark fruit, some ethanol. Flavor also has the dark fruity flavors, some heat with the alcohol. The beer is thick and oily.. Doesn’t finish as dry as I would expect, leaves some sweetness. But it is good. I do notice some bitterness from the hops. I am thinking citrusy hops.

Bottle @ home. Aroma is very rich malt, big hops and caramel. Flavour is sweet and malty, caramel, hops, spice. Awesome. Lazy rate great beer.