King Two Fisted Old Ale

Formerly brewed at King Brewing Company
Style: Old Ale
Pontiac, Michigan USA

Picked up a single 12-oz bottle from Three Cellars in St Francis, Wisconsin. Pours a semi-clear dark copper amber brew with a, good lord, the thickest and lumpy off-white head to come out of a 12-oz bottle - even after it being in the fridge for a few days. Reading all the previous reviews, I have been warned. Aroma of toasted dark caramel malt, raisins, vanilla, fruity character with a touch of roasted nuts. Taste is medium to full bodied, well-carbonated with a metallic texture with flavors of roasted caramel malt, raisins, mild brown sugar and a touch of herbal spice. Finish is slightly dry and metallic with a roasted caramel and raisin aftertaste that slowly disappears after the finish.

This old ale is very drinkable, perhaps too much so for this style. It is very roasty, and tastes much like the better porters I’ve had. It is OK, but worth getting too excited about it. Pours a clear red-brown with virtually no head. Aroma is somewhere between coffee and a malt ball. Flavor is very roasted, much like a porter. Mouthfeel is thin, particularly for the old ale style. However, this is a very light old ale, and is highly drinkable...not sure if that’s a good thing or not.

Bottle... Very dark, cloudy, ruby ale with a small, creamy, khaki head and lots of small, white floaties. Decent retention. Gobs of caramel and chocolate in the nose with a whisper of coconut. Well-balanced flavor with mellow notes of caramel and chocolate and soft, smoky phenols. Full-bodied and creamy with tingly carbonation. The finish just kind of fades away into nothingness with no trace of the rich, caramel malt left behind. Still, a quality English style brew!

One dimensional sour apple, earty nose. Virtually no-carbonation with coffee, chocolate mouth. Malty chocolate finish with a low amount of bitterness.

Pours light red with slight head. No significant alcohol nose. Minimal hop bitterness and subtle caramel malty flavors.

Bottle. Deep brown color, chestnut when backlit. No head to speak of. Some lacing. Aroma is malty. Perhaps a hint of leather and smoke. A bit thin on the palate, I was looking for a bit more body. Initially sweet in flavor and then fading to bitter. Nice hopping towards the finish that lingers. Decent, a bit more body and this would be quite good.

Dark brown body, no head to speak of, roasty sweet nose, sweet flavor, slightly roasty and a little spicey, nice hop bitters in the finish, the body is a little light for my palate, but the alcohol is well masked, I’m kind of shocked to see how high it is, nothing too special, but is beer, and I love beer, I think I’ll name this one Roger and raise it as my own

Light brown to umber color. Moderate ecru colored head. Caramel, with just a hint of dark fruit in the nose. Quite simple aromas, but certainly no objections, if any no sign of strength or depth. Pleasantly surprised by the smoothness of this. While light and a touch to "fizzy", it has a real light oily quality that I enjoy. Quite simple flavor with brown sugar and dates. Some woody "qualities" in the linger and finish along with a mild burn. Perhaps an american strong, or double brown ale. Drinkable enough, just not very interesting.