Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale (2008 and earlier)

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Old Ale
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

Big bottle. Dark brown color with a light brown around the edges of the glass. The aroma was big, sweet, and fruity mixed in with an earthy tang. Slightly fizzy mouthfeel that left a mild danciness on my tongue and in my mouth long after the beer went down. Big roasted malt taste with a fruity tinge. Good stuff!

(22oz bottle, vintage 2007) Lovely medium beige head that leaves nice lacing, atop light hazed copper body with yeast flecks at the glass bottom. Aroma is moderately sweet, toffee/caramel, some wood, sherry, light cherry. Taste is moderately sweet, toffee/caramel, some cognac, wood, bittersweet chocolate, earthy/grapefruit. Soft and very smooth medium-full body. Excellent sipping beer.

Very nice aroma, caramel, fruits, nutty, with some alcohol in the background. The appearance is a light brown, chestnut color, partially translucent to light, decent off-white head. The The flavor is awesome, dark chocolate right upfront, fruits, caramel, and again the slight alcohol peeking out. The finish is lightly hoppy, but enduring, with the flavor of chocolate and nuts on the palate. Medium, creamy mouthfeel. Smuttynose really knocked one out of the park with this one. This is a style I really enjoy, and this beer represents that style well.

22oz brown glass pry-top. "Bottled Conditioned in 2008." Appearance: Thin bone-white head, spotting on the glass. Deep red mahogany. Cristal-clear. Nose: Alcoholic fruity esters, sweet biscuit (cookie), dried orange peel, malted milk, molasses. Palate: Medium bodied and malt-ball goodness! Seriously, I’m blown away by this...Reminds me of a drier Madeira, from Bual or Malmsey grapes (low of the mountain). Oxidative notes of caramel and nuts, paper glue, cashew, caramelized palm sugar. Long, changing finish with some burn at the back of the throat. Notes: I seriously misjudged this beer the first time I had it (2 or so years ago)! This beer has a lot going on, lots of similarities to oxidized dessert wines (Madeira, tawny/Colheita ports, Oloroso/PX sherries, etc.). I think it’s a little disjointed right now, but that it will fall into place in the next 6 months or so. Seriously good.

THOUGHTS: Wow. Very intense, yet drinkable at first. It soon became a bit cloying. Maybe aging will take care of that. Nice, but it could be way better. So much fruit. Way more fruit in the flavor than in the aroma. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark brownish red that was sort of mahogany. It was bright red in the light with an average to large creamy, khaki head that mostly diminished and left good lacing at first, but soon it was only fair. The aroma was heavy caramel. molasses and tobacco, light to moderate hops, red wine, maple syrup, brown sugar, alcohol, candy, candy sugar, dark fruits, light fruit, lots of fruit, caramel and candy coated fruit, and a light touch of that barley wine-like aroma. The initial flavor was rather sweet and a little acidic; while the finish was very sweet, a little sour and bitter with a long duration. There was caramel, molasses, syrup, dark fruits, slight chocolate, tobacco, port wine, that barley wine taste, some sour fruit, candy sugar, some earthy hops, lots of different fruit, a laundry list of fruit including coconut. Just a smorgasbord of fruit. The medium to full body was quite syrupy with fizzy carbonation and a metallic, lightly astringent, lightly alcoholic and dry finish.

Aroma has that wonderful molassas saturated cake batter,that you occasionly find in these old ales,some hopping comes through as it warms, taste is not as full as the aroma would lead you to believe,but still a hearty cake and chocolate ,combo ,hopping a little harsh,and so reasonably priced , well done

Cloudy, chestnut colored appearance with a medium size, off white head and modest lacing. Rich, fruity, caramel malt aroma. Earthy, chewy, malt laden taste with layers of of toffee, molassas, dark fruits and nuts. Full bodied, affably carbonated mouthfeel leading to a lingering, long lasting finish. Drink at room temperature for enhanced flavors.

Amber colour. Very hazy. Nutty, figgy aroma with deep caramel. Big body. Chewy, with heavy caramel notes and accents of nuts, apple skins. Robust earthy bitterness carries this beer.