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Barrel Aged Olde Ale
Saugatuck Brewing Company
- From:
- Saugatuck Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- Old Ale
- ABV:
- 12%
- Score:
- 91
- Avg:
- 4.16 | pDev: 8.41%
- Reviews:
- 7
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Mar 17, 2020
- Added:
- Dec 21, 2013
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 2
The love on this hand branded label only slightly reflects the love that went into this beer. We started with a rich grain bed, full of specialty malts to make the flavor as big as possible. Then we added a beautiful mixture of hops, combining to bring the perfect balance before barrel aging in oak bourbon barrels for over four months. We read to it every day, kissed it goodnight, and now we're entrusting it to you. Don't make us regret it.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Jeffo:
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands
4.35/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.35/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Got this brew from Masterski this past summer. Cheers man!
From a bomber into a snifter
Vintage: 2013
APPEARANCE: Pours a two finger, medium looking, off-white or cream colored head with good retention. Clear maroon red or burgundy in color with no carbonation evident. Head fades to a thin wisp and coats the sides of the glass. A splotchy wisp remains until the end leaving some decent lacing down the glass. Solid looking brew.
SMELL: Oak, caramel, toffee, red fruit with some light spices and alcohol on the nose. Plenty forthcoming.
TASTE: Caramel, toffee, with some spicy alcohol up front. Sweet malt flavors run into a big and boozy finish with bourbon, oak, toffee, some sweet red fruits and a touch of vanilla as well. Some alcohol spices linger on the palate. Flavorful with some very nice sweet malts and barrel elements here.
PALATE: Medium-fuller body with medium levels of carbonation. Creamy and smooth on the palate, goes down a bit hot with a burn and finishes sticky. Some heat lingers. Good, full feel.
OVERALL: This is really good. Big nose and flavor with a top notch look and feel to package it all. Lots of sweetness from the base beer works with the oak and bourbon elements very nicely. Quality, quality brew for sure. Thanks again Masterski. Recommended.
Nov 09, 2014From a bomber into a snifter
Vintage: 2013
APPEARANCE: Pours a two finger, medium looking, off-white or cream colored head with good retention. Clear maroon red or burgundy in color with no carbonation evident. Head fades to a thin wisp and coats the sides of the glass. A splotchy wisp remains until the end leaving some decent lacing down the glass. Solid looking brew.
SMELL: Oak, caramel, toffee, red fruit with some light spices and alcohol on the nose. Plenty forthcoming.
TASTE: Caramel, toffee, with some spicy alcohol up front. Sweet malt flavors run into a big and boozy finish with bourbon, oak, toffee, some sweet red fruits and a touch of vanilla as well. Some alcohol spices linger on the palate. Flavorful with some very nice sweet malts and barrel elements here.
PALATE: Medium-fuller body with medium levels of carbonation. Creamy and smooth on the palate, goes down a bit hot with a burn and finishes sticky. Some heat lingers. Good, full feel.
OVERALL: This is really good. Big nose and flavor with a top notch look and feel to package it all. Lots of sweetness from the base beer works with the oak and bourbon elements very nicely. Quality, quality brew for sure. Thanks again Masterski. Recommended.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois
4.14/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.14/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle into a tulip snifter. Believe it’s a 2018 edition, had 4/10/19.
Pours a medium brown/amber, somewhat opaque, with a quarter inch foamy head and a few specks of foamy cling. Aromas of bourbon, caramel, figs, plums, toffee, dates, malt, light oak and char, light tobacco. The flavor is slightly more focused- bourbon, caramel, malt, plums, dates, toffee, some oak, light tobacco. Mostly smooth, a good medium body, well carbonated.
The barrels stand out, great aroma and flavor, best flavor fully warmed. Focused, but good.
Mar 17, 2020Pours a medium brown/amber, somewhat opaque, with a quarter inch foamy head and a few specks of foamy cling. Aromas of bourbon, caramel, figs, plums, toffee, dates, malt, light oak and char, light tobacco. The flavor is slightly more focused- bourbon, caramel, malt, plums, dates, toffee, some oak, light tobacco. Mostly smooth, a good medium body, well carbonated.
The barrels stand out, great aroma and flavor, best flavor fully warmed. Focused, but good.
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a murky brown with a few fingernails widths of khaki fizz. Aroma is toffee, caramel, molasses and toasty, nutty, caramely, earthy malts. Barrel character comes through at the finish, adding a little heat. Flavor profile is toffee, raisins, dark fruits, caramel, molasses and burnt sugar. Outside of the lengthy list of sugary notes, toasty, nutty, earthy, caramely malts and barrel add addition depth and complexity. While it starts sweet, the heat and barrel at the finish transforms the profile from start to stop. Mouth feel is medium-thick with a still, molasses-like texture. Overall, big yin-yang dynamic here, with initial sweetness smoothly transitioning into barrel and heat. Lovely dynamic.
Served in a 15.5oz Spiegalau tulip from a 12oz bottle.
Jun 22, 2019Served in a 15.5oz Spiegalau tulip from a 12oz bottle.
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.44/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Man where is the love on this one! Criminally underrated. This old ale is smooth as a liquor yet packs delicious boozy punch. Sure is the body a little thin? Sure, but still good. The taste and smell are wonderful, taking the drinker on an adventure with booze, wood, raisin, molasses, toffee and slight hops. Give it some love people!
Apr 20, 2018Reviewed by spacecake9 from Illinois
4/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2016 version, 10.5 abv
A - Pours a clear, dark reddish brown with a small head that disappears quickly.
S - Aromas of caramel, vanilla, oak and bourbon barrel.
T - Flavor follows the nose with a lots of booziness.
M - Very thick mouth feel, low carbonation.
O - Saugatuck did a fine job with this one. Definitely a fine sipper.
Feb 07, 2017A - Pours a clear, dark reddish brown with a small head that disappears quickly.
S - Aromas of caramel, vanilla, oak and bourbon barrel.
T - Flavor follows the nose with a lots of booziness.
M - Very thick mouth feel, low carbonation.
O - Saugatuck did a fine job with this one. Definitely a fine sipper.
Reviewed by mfnmbvp from Illinois
4.35/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.35/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz. bottle, no bottled on date or vintage date present, but this was released around Spring 2016. I believe this is the second batch of this stuff? Either way, the label mentions that this beer was aged in oak bourbon barrels for over fifteen months, with a 10.50% abv. Awesome job on the label; looks like it's made out of actual wood.
Poured into a Big Eddy snifter glass.
A - Dark garnet reddish-brown body, kind of a syrupy caramelized ruby color, with less than a finger of creamy khaki head that fades quickly, yet lingers as a ring. No real lacing to speak of. Appears nicely carbonated, per the style. Looks very nice.
S - Big sweetened aromas of caramelized sugars, brown sugar, vanilla, marshmallow, oak wood, bourbon, with soft notes of mustiness / licorice / anise like spiciness. Some minor alcohol fumes are obvious, but not harsh nor distracting. Smells nice, but it's not oozing with the gooey sticky caramel / toffee or vanilla that would propel it to a 4.5.
T - The taste kicks it up a few more notches, however - big notes of caramel, vanilla, toffee, cream, burnt brown sugar, toasted marshmallow fluff, fudge, oak wood, bourbon. Again, very mild but pleasant alcohol warmth, with subtle licorice / anise like spiciness in the finish.
M - Feel is very smooth & creamy. Lots of sticky caramel on the finish, well carbonated for the style. Very easy to drink for the high abv, but definitely a slow-sipper.
Overall, very delicious and complex stuff. Like other reviewers have said, this is truly some world-class stuff from Saugatuck, and considering i paid $4.99 for this bottle, i will be on the look out to pick up multiples next year, as this seems like it would be a prime candidate for some serious aging. Delicious.
Saugatuck Brewing Barrel Aged Olde Ale -----4.5/5
Jun 17, 2016Poured into a Big Eddy snifter glass.
A - Dark garnet reddish-brown body, kind of a syrupy caramelized ruby color, with less than a finger of creamy khaki head that fades quickly, yet lingers as a ring. No real lacing to speak of. Appears nicely carbonated, per the style. Looks very nice.
S - Big sweetened aromas of caramelized sugars, brown sugar, vanilla, marshmallow, oak wood, bourbon, with soft notes of mustiness / licorice / anise like spiciness. Some minor alcohol fumes are obvious, but not harsh nor distracting. Smells nice, but it's not oozing with the gooey sticky caramel / toffee or vanilla that would propel it to a 4.5.
T - The taste kicks it up a few more notches, however - big notes of caramel, vanilla, toffee, cream, burnt brown sugar, toasted marshmallow fluff, fudge, oak wood, bourbon. Again, very mild but pleasant alcohol warmth, with subtle licorice / anise like spiciness in the finish.
M - Feel is very smooth & creamy. Lots of sticky caramel on the finish, well carbonated for the style. Very easy to drink for the high abv, but definitely a slow-sipper.
Overall, very delicious and complex stuff. Like other reviewers have said, this is truly some world-class stuff from Saugatuck, and considering i paid $4.99 for this bottle, i will be on the look out to pick up multiples next year, as this seems like it would be a prime candidate for some serious aging. Delicious.
Saugatuck Brewing Barrel Aged Olde Ale -----4.5/5
Reviewed by SerialTicker from Michigan
4.59/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.59/5 rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Served at Frankenmuth's World Expo of Beer 2016.
I nursed the shit out of this at the WEoB ... it was so damn good. One of, if not THEE, best old ales I've had. The bourbon is ever-present, but the vanilla and oak flavors with the dark fruit and the perfect amount of alcohol heat and flavor with a wonderful mouthfeel... total heaven. Never thought TOO much of Saugatuck before, but this is most definitely world class stuff.
May 24, 2016I nursed the shit out of this at the WEoB ... it was so damn good. One of, if not THEE, best old ales I've had. The bourbon is ever-present, but the vanilla and oak flavors with the dark fruit and the perfect amount of alcohol heat and flavor with a wonderful mouthfeel... total heaven. Never thought TOO much of Saugatuck before, but this is most definitely world class stuff.
Barrel Aged Olde Ale from Saugatuck Brewing Company
Beer rating:
91 out of
100 with
19 ratings
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