Really Old Brown Dog Ale
Smuttynose Brewing Company

Really Old Brown Dog AleReally Old Brown Dog Ale
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From:
Smuttynose Brewing Company
 
New Hampshire, United States
Style:
Old Ale
ABV:
11.1%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.91 | pDev: 10.49%
Reviews:
405
Ratings:
913
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 14, 2023
Added:
Mar 03, 2007
Wants:
  61
Gots:
  138
Olive, iconic mascot & spirit guide of our brewery, first appeared on our Old Brown Dog label in 1994 & returned, thirteen years later, to pose for our Really Old Brown Dog, a luscious, malt-rich, full bodied “old ale” featuring deep notes of complex fruit. Much like our beloved Olive, this beer will mellow & age gracefully.

Formerly part of the Big Beer Series.

20 IBU

2007 - 7.0%
2008 - 9.3%
2010 - 10.9%
2012 - 10.1$
2014 - 11.1%
2023 - 9.0%
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by olradetbalder:
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Rated by olradetbalder from Sweden

4/5  rDev +2.3%

Nov 21, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by seakayak from Massachusetts

Nov 14, 2023
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.8/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
355 ml bottle, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.6%. Reddish brown colour, small off-white head. Aroma of malts, oak, dark dried fruits, caramel, vinous notes. The medium sweet flavour has the same elements as the aroma. Slightly warming mouthfeel. Good stuff.
Mar 20, 2021
Photo of Peach63
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York

3.87/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours dark amber with a 1/4 inch tan head, which dissipates. A bit hazy. Moderate lacing.

Aroma is spicy, malty, sweet.

Taste is malty, nutty, sweet, caramel, a bit of roast malt.

Medium bodied, lively carbonation. Semi-sweet finish.

A rich, flavorful brown ale. Not too sweet, not too bitter.
Jan 27, 2020
Photo of LarryV
Reviewed by LarryV from Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bottled in June 2019. Pours a dark amber color with a minimal, short lived head. Aroma of brown sugar, dark fruits, a hint of black pepper. Label on the bottle reflects the new direction that Smuttynose has taken in eliminating all the classic SN labels, however Olive the dog is still there. Taste is big malt flavor, raisins, figs, a hint of coffee. A bit sweet and a bit hot- ABV is not listed on the bottle. I can see where this would really benefit from some additional aging, but it is delicious regardless.
Oct 05, 2019
 
Rated: 4.46 by Dougwillhike from New Jersey

Jun 02, 2019
 
Rated: 4.01 by liquorpig from Massachusetts

Mar 17, 2019
 
Rated: 3.82 by Jsalz21 from New Jersey

Dec 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by prisdefer from New York

Nov 22, 2018
Photo of DanO1066
Reviewed by DanO1066 from Maryland

3.84/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25
Draught 8oz snifter at the Brass Tap here in Baltimore. NOT sure where the line is between Belgian dubbel/dark, Scotch/wee heavy, and English Old Ale, but willing to keep drinking until I can figure out.
Nov 21, 2018
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Reviewed by Boto from Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Draught @ Hayseed: This one pours a dark brown color with a thin tan head. Minimal lacing. Good nose. Caramel malts, dark fruits, a hint of vanilla. The taste is very good also. Malty, plums, vanilla, other dark fruits.
Nov 04, 2018
Photo of Smakawhat
Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland

3.82/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from the bottle into a snifter glass.

Khaki colored, and creamy rich filling head. Two fingers tall with a yellow vanilla ice cream like top, sitting on a opaque copper brown body. Lathery top with a hint of reddish bottom.

Real nice notes of toffee and cream on the nose. Sticky caramel and lots of vanilla touches, for a real state fair candy vendor like smell. Slight touches of clove and herbal spice round out for a good additional character. Very nice.

Palate is a but unexpected. Very wet bodied, and touches with a large amount of hop quality. Herbal to dried out pine needle like flavor, with a particularly dry tannic tea bitterness on the finish. More of the taffy and caramel action is quite muted but the flavor does manage to perk up once in awhile. Lots of tea leaf leftover flavors.

For an old ale, this comes out more of an large hopped tea brew. Good, but misses a lot of the caramel and sweet richness of the style.
Aug 31, 2018
Photo of brureview
Reviewed by brureview from Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look: cloudy chocolate color with a 4F head in a Mikasa tulip with a 4F head.
Good head retention.

Excellent aroma:Chocolate, dates, vanilla.

MF: very malty for the style. Smooth drinking and deceiving, especially at 11%. Most old ales are lighter bodied.

Taste- good but not as complex and pronounced as the aroma.: chocolate, date, prune.

Finish: not bitter, and smooth for the style.

Overall: excellent approach to an Old Ale. Smooth, far less bitterness than most Old Ales. Lots of flavor.
Jul 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.88 by Wheels2532 from Pennsylvania

Jun 26, 2018
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Reviewed by VAFolks14 from Virginia

4.34/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
This is one of my personal favorites. Pours a very beautiful dark brown, true to the style of beer. Sweet malts are evident, especially late in the flavor profile. This beer isn't overly sweet but the ABV is hidden very well within the malty profile. The beer has a nice smooth and clean feel and feels very refreshing through the end. I highly recommend this beer to all dark ale drinking fans.
Jun 15, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by irate_alien from Virginia

Mar 04, 2018
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Reviewed by ChickenHeadCandy from Arizona

4.15/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a 12oz bottle at fridge temp into a chilled pint glass. Bottle date 4/27/17.

Appearance: Dark hazy honey brown, no floaties, with a small creamy head leaving a little light lacing.

Smell: Bananas, raisins, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, rum. Very pleasant and sweet.

Taste: Banana bread, prunes, fruitcake (in a good way...), caramel and molasses. Light bitterness. Became sweeter as it warmed, nuttier, slightly floral, and a little more bitterness came through at the finish. Taste was enjoyable straight from the fridge to the last hour-warmed sip. The taste seems just right, so I don't know if cellaring would really improve it much.

Mouthfeel: Medium soft silky body, a little sweet but not cloying at all, medium finish towards the dry. Carbonation is just right. Expected some heat due to the 9.8% ABV but experienced none.

Overall: A very enjoyable old brown brew. Not as complex a taste profile or malt-sweet-fruity-bold as other Old Ales I've tried. But that's not to say it lacks any character by any means. And sometimes it's better to not be beat over the head with what a brew is supposed to be. Smuttynose reliably delivers delicious brews, and Really Old Brown Dog doesn't disappoint. The ABV is hidden very well, which is a good thing... or could be a bad thing... because this really old dog wants you to keep coming back and give it some more attention, but she'll bite ya if you don't respect,
Mar 01, 2018
 
Rated: 4.2 by abalipadi from Connecticut

Feb 03, 2018
 
Rated: 3.84 by Bogdawg from Massachusetts

Jan 30, 2018
 
Rated: 3.98 by Devonking from Massachusetts

Jan 30, 2018
Really Old Brown Dog Ale from Smuttynose Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 913 ratings