Gale's Prize Old Ale
George Gale & Company Ltd

Gale's Prize Old AleGale's Prize Old Ale
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From:
George Gale & Company Ltd
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
Old Ale
Ranked #50
ABV:
9%
Score:
79
Ranked #26,474
Avg:
3.48 | pDev: 23.28%
Reviews:
332
Ratings:
434
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 03, 2023
Added:
Dec 31, 2001
Wants:
  18
Gots:
  26
No description / notes.
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Ratings by csustar001:
Photo of csustar001
Rated by csustar001 from New York

2.5/5  rDev -28.2%

Nov 17, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of SABERG
Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

3.84/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 1997 bottle into the test glass.
A - Opened with a small pop, so encouraging, poured gently, some geriatric carbonation, worked to a small island and congregated. Within minutes, still. Tawny brown color, nice clarity.
S - Madiera wine, comes to mind. Sugary, fig, leather, dark aged grape must, caramel, and the obligatory hint of umani, and kiss of soy.
T - Fruit forward, dark fruit, dried plum, fig, raisin. Dark brown sugar and light molasses. There is this young port wine aspect that runs the table
M - Slippery, full palate coating, with an alcohol exhail, linger is sweet dark candied fruit
O - The still nature could turn off some, moving past that, a complex offering that in a blind tasting may well be called out as Tawny Port. With very similar elements.
Sep 03, 2023
Photo of wisrarebeer
Reviewed by wisrarebeer from Wisconsin

3.99/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled 1998. Poured still. Deep, rich, clear darker tawny brown color. Nose was port-like with a slight amount of oxidation. Taste was rich, deep tawny port; some oxidation (to be expected), but nothing distracting. Mouthfeel was nice and not cloying nor heavy; a bit thin in finish. I think this beer held up rather well. Highly quaffable.
Apr 02, 2023
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

4.32/5  rDev +24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
(330 ml bottle, "bottled in 1998" sticker on the neck; purchased single off shelf at Shangy's this past week... decanted into a snifter)

L: cork in great condition, soft 'pop' when removing it... no foam when pouring, but a scant bubbly, transparent collar clings... the liquid is a clear, deep brown; naturally, no lacing, but it does show some oily viscous drag sliding down the glass when tipped... I decanted this but, when I was done the initial pour, dumped this rest of the bottle into the snifter and there was not a speck of sediment, hmm...

S: smells relatively incredible... malty, leathery, fig, dark caramel... rich, layered aromas, suggesting density and depth of flavor... barely a note of alcohol and no vinegary or off-putting scants; excellent overall intensity

T: more than a bit of oxidative, sherry-like character upon first sip; initial aftertaste is mostly nutty and dry vinous, with some faint woody or smoldering undertones... the alcohol is apparent, married with a delicate acidic tang, providing some interesting contrast atop the dry, almost nut brown ale foundation... gets (brown) breadier and quite red-vinous as it goes; amazing how the flavors blossom and develop as it aerates... I kinda wish it had just some bright funk depth to fill in the gaps... bready-nutty vinous is its overall dominant tone

F: dry, dry, dry, and still... very slight warmth builds on the palate, almost stoking a flame at the backs of the nostrils... light and airy but dense with a slight bounce to its body, mild residual drag in the finish... could be worse; could be bracing and sludgy... definitely a sipper, meant to be slowly savored

O: I'd put this in the freezer and fell asleep, waking up a few hours later and removing it from the freezer, leaving it on the counter as a went back to sleep... it was at room temp when I put it back in the freezer until it reached about 45-50 F... noting all this in the event the big chill had any effect on the taste (which I can't see why it would've)... this was my second time trying this brand; first time was maybe at least a decade ago and that was not a pleasant experience (all vinegar)... I'm floored! - damn did I luck out with this; drank the whole bottle with ease!; honestly, makes me want to try bottles of the '97 and '00/01 they also had there... this is what I've always imagined and old ale to be, not rich, caramelian malt bombs like Curmudgeon and Old Stock (2083)
Feb 05, 2023
Photo of edthehead
Reviewed by edthehead from Maryland

3.5/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
1998 vintage.
Bottle pour down the center of a tulip glass. Pours a dark brown with very little head that dissipates quickly. Moderately sweet, leather, tobacco, raisin. Thin mouthfeel, low carbonation.
Dec 19, 2022
 
Rated: 2.5 by bigred89 from Maryland

Dec 11, 2022
Photo of micada
Reviewed by micada from New York

2.67/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Officially the oldest beer I’ve consumed: George Gale’s Prize Old Ale bottled September 2002.

Corked bottle, poured cool to a Teku. Nose is sort of melon and white wine. A few weak bubbles for a head, mostly still. Color is a dark caramel, clear despite the threat of sediment. Maybe 20 years of aging, anything available
was consumed in the bottle conditioning. Flavor has totally morphed into wine territory. I might get the tiniest sense of a Lees type barleywine, but not much. There is a fair amount of stone fruit profile in the middle, and an oak, leather type finish. Slightly dry. Mouthfeel much thinner than one might expect for a 10% old ale. Alcohol brings neither bite nor warming. It’s actually not bad, but in a blind taste test, I think anyone would believe it’s a Chardonnay.
Oct 15, 2022
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

3.49/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Sampling this 375 ml bottle brewed in 2001 pouring at cellar temp into my snifter in February 2022. A beer old enough to drink itself.
The beer pours a deep mahogany color with only a little light passing through the glass. No bubbles foam up even with a steady pour.
The aroma is brown sugar and toffee with red grape and raisins mixing. Quite a rich nose on this malt forward old beer. Not boozy and no hops either at this point.
First sip reveals a medium to light body with very smooth body and zero carbonation. Beer is a little slick , but has a bit of a merlot mouthfeel to it.
Flavor is some toffee and brown sugar and then red grapes take over. I get a bit of acidity, similar to a merlot again here. I keep thinking that this beer, feels and tastes like a dark red wine mixed with some brown sugar.
this beer is fine, I never had it fresh, that I took notes on anyway, but I dont think this is currently better at 21 years old. Glad to have opened it and recommend anyone else with a bottle drinks it now, it wont get any better.
Feb 27, 2022
Photo of brewandbbq
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire

2.98/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
1997 vintage.

Broken cork, pours flat.
Worstershitre and balsamic in the nose. Flat and slick mouthfeel. Winey and vinegar-like on the palate with umami-rich malt. Finishes sour.
Dec 23, 2021
 
Rated: 3.98 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota

Nov 09, 2021
Photo of RobertColianni
Rated by RobertColianni from Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +24.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
16yo (2005) bottle: seems like the best timeframe is
May 23, 2021
Photo of Razor9
Reviewed by Razor9 from Connecticut

3.69/5  rDev +6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
1997 Vintage. Cork was in decent condition to allow for a seal and light carbonated pop when removing but began to crumble halfway up during removal. The beer poured with light carbonation and delicate lacing that quickly faded leaving a close to still, dark liquid. Nose was very pleasant with dried dark fruits, light caramel/toffee and slight oxidation. Taste was slightly oxidized but in an interesting way that interplayed well with the flavors of the liquid. Very much enjoyed this almost 25 year old ale and its definitely worth trying these old vintages if they are available for a low cost. Shake the bottles before purchasing to see if they have any carb visible in the neck prior to selecting a bottle for purchase.
Feb 15, 2021
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.56/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
i thought from the label at first that this was from 1992, but the back clearly shows its 2003 vintage, still one of the older beers ive ever had at this point. crazy to see a corked beer without a cap, just the foil, looks ancient, and the cork essentially disintegrates as we try to pull it out on christmas eve, a perfect beer for such an occasion! finally it pours a deep mahogany color without any real carbonation at all, likely intentional, just a few patchy popping bubbles at the edge of the wine glass i pour it into. clear enough though, and with some shine, cork bits floating, but thats on me. the smell is a little tart and astringent but curiously not all that oxidized, a hint of a sour purple grape thing here, some malt sweetness, molasses and rum, lots of alcohol swirling, stale tobacco, raisin. the flavor is more of the same, thin in feel to me, sharp with some acid, not yeasty in the way i expected it to be, some breadiness still, maple, cognac, black pepper, toffee, brown sugar, leather. this is super old tasting, almost decaying, but its not oxidized all that much in the traditional sense, maybe its past that, but it seems well enough preserved for what it is, it suits the style, and if you like this sort of thing, this is pretty classic. for me, its on the edge of a novelty at this point, and there is little here to suggest what it may have tasted fresh. i hope to find out. a fun one to share.
Dec 28, 2020
Photo of fptan
Reviewed by fptan from Tennessee

4.04/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
2005
Appearance: Dark copper. No head. Very little carbonation.
Smell: Alcohol notes. Dried fruits. Treacle. Some earthy notes. No hop aroma.
Taste: Like treacle, really. Maybe some brett. Besides treacle, has an earthy / sweet flavor. Little hop bitterness. Enough to balance and not get in the way.
Feel: Little to no carbonation. Almost drying on the tongue, but somehow full bodied. Thick.
Aug 15, 2020
 
Rated: 3.74 by smi69 from New York

Jul 09, 2020
Photo of Naugled
Reviewed by Naugled from New York

2.65/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
Just had a 2002 vintage bottle. It did not age well. I thought about not reviewing but there seems to be a lot reviews of older vintages. My gut says 18 years is way too long for this beer. I’m going to try to find a 3-4 year old bottle and try again.
Apr 28, 2020
Photo of cozmo
Reviewed by cozmo from New York

3.97/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2005 edition. No carbination. Very close to drinking a wine. Still has some good flavors. Don't think this beer would benefit from being aged much longer but still a decent tasting beer.
Nov 03, 2019
Photo of scream
Reviewed by scream from Wisconsin

3.98/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Bought a btl a few yrs ago and tonight was the night. A 2005 edition. It had been a while so I did not remember that when one removed the foil cap a corkscrew was required to open it. There was no pop when the cork was removed so as I guessed the beer had no carbonation to it. A decent nose to it w a taste somewhat like an old wine - not bad but perhaps past it's prime. Due to no carbonation it is more like drinking an old wine but that is not bad. They have been out of business for some time now so it is probably no longer available but I will check the next time I go to the store where I bought this bottle. I do remember having one at the brewery in 1999 but have no recollection of what it was like then, except it was not bad or I would have remembered
Jan 19, 2019
 
Rated: 3.01 by Goosehunter75 from Missouri

Oct 18, 2018
Photo of iebforever
Reviewed by iebforever from California

2.25/5  rDev -35.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Am trying the 1999 edition and it is past its prime. The cork came out intact and moist, but the beer was flat, which made any aroma all but impossible to discern. The beer was oxidized to the point that other flavors were difficult to make out. The body was thin, again I don't know if it was the age. I've aged a lot of other beer longer than this, but any beer less than 10% abv should be consumed before its ten years old.
Dec 16, 2017
Gale's Prize Old Ale from George Gale & Company Ltd
Beer rating: 79 out of 100 with 434 ratings