Bass No 1

Appearance: Pours a clear, dark reddish-brown body marked by a few stray bubbles here and there. Smell: Aroma of dark caramel, aromatic tobacco, a glass of sherry garnished with golden raisins, and bread left in a toaster oven for a bit too long. Taste: Rich maltiness tasting of sweet dark caramel with a slight breadiness in the background. Maybe a touch nutty, too. Resonant vinous fruitiness throughout. Pinch of tobacco. Hints of a tannic woody component. Earthy, medium bitterness cleans the palate of all those rampant, pesky sugars and clears the way for a drying, bitterish finish. The alcohol presence is noticeable, but not quite overbearing. Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. No carbonation, but that only helps to facilitate a smooth, port-like mouthfeel. Drinkability: I’m happy to have had the rare opportunity to try this. There’s some roughness to it, but, overall, it’s a fine, flavorful English barleywine.

Handbottle @ [ Tasting by Maria ].
Clear medium brown color with a virtually none off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, roasted, caramel, dark berry’s - raisin, prune, date, licorice, alcohol. Flavor is moderate to light heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a long duration, finish feel is salty. Flavor is very rich ;o)) Body is medium to full, texture is oily - syrupy, carbonation is flat, finish feel is light alcoholic. Very nice ;o)) (170608)

Thx to Magic_dave6 I also got a chance to try the 1902 Kings Ale. That’s 104 years of cellaring. Thx a whole f...ing lot mate. I was lucky to get the first or second pour, and my beer tasted really good. The later pours seemed to taste more and more sourish and vinegarish. Mine had a madeira-like aroma, with a little sour and quite oxidized touch, evident alcohol and caramel maltyness. It was a murky brown beer without head, actually looking very nice. Except for those few chunks of cork floating in it. There were some sourness and a good oxidation in the flavor too, with caramel maltyness, a little nutty touch and a surprising bitterness. Full-bodied and sweet, slightly warming. The sourness were most evident in the long finish, where it also had company of alcohol and some caramel. Would have rated it 8-4-7-4-16-4. Maybe it’s getting extra points for the age, but that doesn’t matter, it’s not that sample I’m rating. Once again, thx a lot Tom, it was a great experience. (060826)

Bottle at Kulminator. As Kings Ale, 1981 vintage, 8% ABV. Served in Kings Ale glass! A dark copper beer with a small beige head. Vinous, nutty, caramel, beef-stock aroma with obvious signs of oxidation, but not in an unpleasant way at all. Very mellow, and no aromas really stand out. The flavor continues in the more or less the same way, with caramel, some roasted malt, a little piney hops, some slightly warming notes of alcohol and a mild oxidation. Quite thin body, and with a touch of sourness in the finish, which is also surprisingly hoppy. It’s a privilege to taste a 25 year old beer of this quality. (080714)

(Draught from mini-keg) Pours dark reddish brown. The aroma is medium to heavily malty and vinous with tones of caramel, fudge, bread and dried fruits/raisins/plums. Undertones of earthy and herbal hops. Some alcohol warmth. The flavour is fat malty and vinous with notes of caramel, fudge, dried fruits and fiery alcohol. Medium hop bitter, medium sticky sweet and rather salty. The mouthfeel is syrupy, chewy and light spicy. The finish is dry and tart. Near full-bodied.

Name: Bass No. 1
Date: 06/21/2008
Mode: Hand Bottled
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

Appearance: clear dark brown, scant head,
Aroma: sweet dark caramel aroma with dark fruits and light alcohol,
Body: big body with a stickyness,
Flavor: rich dark caramel candy flavor, emerging fruit, touch of chocolate, light balancing earthyness grows almost into distraction, alcohol adds a bit of heat to the caramel, long bitter finish,
Overall: needs a bit more time for the earthyness to fade and let the fruity character develop,

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: ***/4