Capital Vintage Ale

Brewed by Capital Brewery
Style: American Strong Ale
Middleton, Wisconsin USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

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Murky orange-amber with a miniscule white head that is completely diminshing. Rich, figgy & malty aroma, notes of raisins, plums, thick caramelly molasses, some cinnamon spice and the slightest hint of alcohol. Sweet and sticky flavor, chewy malts with loads of toffee, caramel, light roast and cloves. Carbonation is mild-to-moderate, perfect for my tastes. What a pleasantly surprising beer, I really enjoyed it, and I’m happy to score this highly. Big thanks to Narnad for the bottle.

Aroma: Caramel malt, some hop bitterness, perhaps raisin, definite strong alcohol presence. Appearance: Average size, white, frothy head. Head is fully lasting. The body is clear with a reddish amber hue. Flavor: Initial flavor is sweet and finishes with a light to moderate bitterness. The duration of the finish is average to long. Palate: The body is full, the texture is creamy and the carbonation is lively. Finishes with a significant alcoholic presence. Nice, strong, full bodied ale that goes down good all night long.

Pours a perfectly clear deep gold/light copper with a fluffy sticky white head and some relaly nice sticky lacing. Aroma is real sweet, light toasted malts, vienna, syrupy sweet, honey and balanced with lots of herbal and lightly spicy hops. Smooth malty flavor, sweet, light caramel, light alcohol as it warms, floral hops, and a light bitter finish. Smooth as hell. I can see why this isnt rated so hjgh, but this is one that I really like for some wierd reason.

Pours a cloudy orange tinted golden brown with a powerful white head. Nice caramel, raisens, honey, light grassiness, and a hint of alcohol. Very little carbonation and the flavors of honey and toffee assault the palate. A nice warming effect sets in on the mid palate and carries a light piney hop balance to the finish. A nice bready sweet malt follows through on the hops for the finish. A nice beer done very well. I have to disagree with the scores a bit, but to each his own.

Pours a very cloudy orange from the bottle with a white head that fades pretty quick. Medium carbonation but hard to see through its apple cider-like appearance. I could smell this beer forever. The first impression you get, is your drinking a mixed drink. Alcohol is definitely picked up as one of the first scents. Very sweet aroma of melon and citrus with a lesser candy sugar undertone. The alcohol flavor is definitely there through the whole taste. Lots of malt at the start, mostly a caramel with a lesser toffee taste. Middle carries the citrus flavor and bit with a touch of honey sweetness. Beer is pretty smooth for the amount of alcohol and flavors work well together. Good beer to put your day behind you and get you ready for bed.

Pours a hazy cooper color with a tan, mostly disappating, head. Aroma is malt and carmel. Very creamy and pleasing mouthfeel. Taste is loaded with carmel, toffee and honey. Flavor compares to a barleywine with its stronger alcoholic content. Nice sipping beer best served alone or with lightly salted nuts or pretzels.

On tap in the Horse in Plow Kohler, WI Pours clear amber-orange with very little carbonation. Light head that quickly disappears into a haze across the top. Aromas of Caramel, vanilla and dark fruit mask the alcohol very well. Malty structure with a mild hop finish highlighted by caramel and vanilla. Hints of Bourbon appear as it warms. Spicy smooth mouthfeel. Not too much alcohol burn, just right. Very warming. This is a room temp or slightly cooler beer for sure. So much is masked when it is cold. Great cold weather beer. Alcohol can really creep up and kick you in the ass with this one. Another fantastic offering from Capital Brewery.

UPDATED: MAY 31, 2007 Pours a medium clear copper with almost no head. Aroma was sort of weak. A little malt and maybe corn. Flavor was quite nice. Nice malts and some mild hops. Is crisp, tart, malty all in one. A nice 9.5% bite thats warms the belly a little. I realize now that I sampled it too cold. As it warmed the aroma became better. More yeasty.

slightly cloudy orangish color w/ a nice small bubbled off white head w/ some good lacing. Aroma is first a strong carmel and vanilla with hints of toffee candies and hints of alcohol and candied sugars. A very sweet smell. Palate is well coated lightly creamy and leaves a lingering taste in your mouth. The falvor is true to the aroma in that it’s quite sweet... plums and nectorines come out as well as the vanilla, carmel, and toffee. There is a good carbonation that seems to leave a sweet taste on my tongue when held that I can’t quite place. Overall a bit different but I like it.

bottle from buckybeer: pours a murky dark honey colour with a small off white head. aroma is sweet malts and some fresh tropical fruit (star fruit) adn some floral hops that blend in. flavour is rich sweet caramel malts, some fresh fruit and a hop bitter finish that fades into sweet candy finish. nice balance to the sweet and fruit.