Theakston Old Peculier (Bottle)

[750-20071010] 500mL. Faint floral malt aroma with hints of something darker, like chocolate or coffee notes. Clear, dark dark red body with a long-lasting foamy light tan head. Musty woodsy pine notes and something earthy in the flavour. Medium body is thinner than expected. Yes, it is "subtle and heart-warming" as promised, interesting to try.

Pours dark mahogany, lets just a bit of light through with brilliant amber highlights, big thick tan head fades slower than most, leaves significant lacing.Smells boozy, malty, sort of old mustiness, apple cider, tastes very with more apple cider, caramel, winey tartness, malt vinegar - this beer isn’t sour in terms of overall acidity but has flavors that remind me of a sour. Faint hint of espresso. Has an odd mouthfeel, lacking the roundness or richness that one might expect in a beer this malty. Good food beer, pairs pretty well with this pork pate I’m eating. Also has a little spiciness, like a milder version of what you usually get with a wheat dopple bock. My first old ale, good eneough to make me interested in trying more of the style.

Sort of classic this brew. Poured a dark reddish brown with off-white head and moderate lacing. Nose of sweet malts and some chocolate. Nice rich mouthfeel, and good smooth flavors with a mild bitterness. Not complicated but very nice to drink

A classic old ale style with fruity tastes, molasses and a bit of chocolate. Be sure to NOT drink this too cold - much of the flavor is lost.

What a nice, drinkable old ale, with a complexity that reminded me of a Belgian double, with maltiness, dark fruit overtones, and some funky mustiness. Restrained bitterness, slight sour tone, and vinous character. And all this from a bottle sitting on the shelf in the local grocery store. What I wouldn’t give for a pint of this fresh from the tap in an English pub.

(bottle) Pours brown with a fizzy off-white head. Aroma is very vinous, like a dry white wine, but there’s some hints of sweet caramel in there too. Taste is fairly malty at first with caramel, but the finish is lightly bitter and somewhat dry, not bad though.

[Bottle] Pours reddish-brown with a small white head that quickly disappears. Aroma is definitely sweet, with banana, malt and a bit of white wine. Taste is also malty, with very subdued fruitiness and a decent finish. Medium-mouthfeel, very smooth. Flavors don’t jump out, but isn’t completely one dimensional and is extremely drinkable.

Maybe my favorite English bottled beer. Yeasty aroma and fruity flavors topped with a fair bit of hops. A classic that defies classification.