Gale's Millennium Brew
George Gale & Company Ltd

Gale's Millennium BrewGale's Millennium Brew
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
George Gale & Company Ltd
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
Old Ale
ABV:
10%
Score:
77
Avg:
3.29 | pDev: 23.4%
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
46
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 19, 2015
Added:
Jan 23, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
View: More Beers
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of melitameister
Reviewed by melitameister from New York

3.2/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Think I left this bottle in the cellar too long? It just seemed so special that I kept leaving it behind, got shuffled to the back. Noticed it tonight and just finally tore the cork out.

Absolutely flat. But only that it has lost much of its charm, not that it has turned bad in any way.

Look is muddy with lotsa stuff floating around.

Smell is fragrant enough to let you know that this was once a very special Gale. Sweetness of dark fruit, plums and prunes, some tart citrus, funky leather. Not many dimensions left, but nothing foul.

Taste like the aroma. Rich and yummy. Got my first fruit cake treat for the season, with luscious balance of sweet dried fruit, tartness and bitter from first taste to the long lasting end.

Nice chewy feel. Some moisture must have escaped. A tad of carbonation would be nice.

Overall, just don't keep a 10% English beer unrefrigerated for 15 years, unless like me you like to conduct experiments. It's past its time, but so much still going on.
Oct 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.18 by tikk from Canada (YT)

Jul 11, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Jul 20, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by jaydoc from Kansas

Nov 16, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by harpus from Alabama

Jul 24, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by opwog from Minnesota

Jul 18, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by HoistinBrews from Minnesota

Jun 06, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by JAHMUR from Connecticut

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of Neffbeer
Reviewed by Neffbeer from Pennsylvania

3.36/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
I found this bottle sitting in the back of a beer cooler in an obscure local store. I just couldn't pass on it for $2....

A: It pours a rusty nail brown with no evidence of carbonation. The beer is pretty murky at this point in its life, but I can still pick out some deep amber hues in the light.

S: My first whiff reveals a massive amount of sherry, and worn old leather. There is a mysterious vinous quality that is lurking in the background bordering on sour. In a strange way it reminds me of my grandparents attic in their old house.

T: Surprisingly I am greeted with the essence of charred malt and leather boots. The sherry notes are present, but not as pronounced as the nose. There is an element to the flavor that borders on a dark vinegar, but it manages to stay sweet enough to balance things out. I get some chocolate, cherries and campfire in the finish.

M: Somehow no carbonation is really working for me with this beer. It has a medium-thin feel to it and I bet it would be knock out with a hint of bubbles.

O: Glad I picked this up. A bit past its prime for sure, but a fun tick none the less. I had no problem finishing it and I might even grab another bottle....
Oct 06, 2011
Photo of ATLbeerDog
Reviewed by ATLbeerDog from Georgia

3.79/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
From a 275ml corked bottle and brewed in 1997 specifically for year 2000

Pours a kind of ugly cloudy brownish-red with just a tad of carbonation. The few bubbles are big and are quickly gone. Smells of sherry, malt, cherries and ripe plums make up this beer’s nose. First sip is completely un-carbonated with plums, green apples, and wine notes easily dominating the flavor. It has a decent sourness that is its most appreciated attribute. The beer’s flatness distracts from a pretty good flavor. The 10% is well hidden.
Aug 24, 2011
Photo of allforbetterbeer
Reviewed by allforbetterbeer from Colorado

3.28/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Well well, this beer hasn't been reviewed on BA in almost 2 years. I just picked this up at Knightly's Spirits in Orlando. The guy behind the counter said that their distributor found a case of this beer that they didn't know they had, and that is how a number of bottles are still on the shelf. After reading the reviews I wasn't sure if it was a good idea that I bought one, but it was only $4.99 so what the heck. Also, this is the oldest beer I have tried, coming in at almost 14 years old.

Pours looking like muddy water. No apparent carbonation, no head, just brown and muddy with lighter brown highlights.

Well now, this smells much better than the last reviews led me to believe. As I would expect from a long-aged old ale, raisins and dates macerated in toffee-infused rum is the primary quality of the nose. Really quite nice actually, and it far exceeds my expectations!

Sad day... I was hoping I would have a freak bottle that aged to perfection when all the others peaked around 2002. This is not the case however. The first taste to hit the tongue is a very wine-like vinous bit, which is thin and slightly "washed out" but quite nice. Yes, there is a bit of vinegar and a touch of soy sauce, but really it is very nice... But unfortunately the story goes on. For a second it seems that nothing more will happen, and the the aftertaste looms up from the watery brown nothingness left after the initial flavors are gone. Imagine taking equal parts of chocolate malt and black patent malt and soaking them in water overnight with a little handful of used coffee grounds, and maybe a tablespoon of dirt, and then drinking the 'brew' at room temperature. That is what the aftertaste is like. Slightly bitter, slightly acrid, something roasted thrown in, and a little dirty. Not horrible by any means, just not wonderful either. After more sipping I do get some caramel notes mixed in, which is nice.

The mouthfeel is thin and watery, but with Gale's reputation for mediocre corks, and the fact that this beer has been in the bottle in questionable conditions for 14 years, what else is to be expected?

Conclusion: I am a fan of aged beers, and I tend to like almost anything aged longer than almost everybody else on BA. That being said, I am glad I got to try this beer. There still are significant elements of its flavor and especially its aroma that I quite appreciate. Overall I wouldn't call it a success though, and if I had brewed it I would probably call it a near-failure that still tastes ok. If you like old old stuff, I would try this beer if you can find it without much hardship.
May 30, 2011
Photo of goethean
Reviewed by goethean from Illinois

2.37/5  rDev -28%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1
Tasted from a wineglass at 55F. Dead flat. Dark Copper. Winey aroma. Strange flavor. There is a lip-curling tang. There is a wine-like dryness. But it's not like good wine...at all. I think that this is far past its prime. Thin, a bit astringent, tangy. Not good.
Oct 09, 2009
Photo of rayjay
Reviewed by rayjay from Hawaii

3.37/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
I think finally my last beer from beerbeing in the never again bif.again. Poured into a Delirium Noel goblet.

Cork is dry and cracks in pieces, so be careful. Pours a muddy, flat looking beer. Ruby red and brown and dense pale malt colored. Absolutely motionless. It's lot making the biggest entrance, but it could fit the style.

Musty aroma. Notes of leather, sweet brandy, drunk old man, old pipe tobacco, and lots of carmel malt. Estery, with some alcohol notes. Some notes suggest oxidation while others suggest a well preserved beer...probably a little bit of both.

Lots of complex old ale flavors going on. The old leather is probably the most notable, along with this weird old man notes. Slightly salty and slightly tart. It's more like a woody, rustic wine than a beer. Like a musty old house. Alcohol is well hidden flavor-wise, but each sip makes fumes come out through your nose, showing it's true strength.

Mouthfeel is very watery suggesting a beer past it's prime, and it could certainly benefit from at least a small amount of carbonation, of which there is none. At least it isn't very thick for the original gravity.

Interesting and fun to sip, a bit challenging, but unfortunately well past it's prime at this point. Cheers!
Aug 17, 2009
Photo of gpcollen1
Reviewed by gpcollen1 from Connecticut

1.61/5  rDev -51.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1
A very dry cork comes out of this little guy - yet almost doesn't. These should be store on their side for this reason. A gorgeous ruby and dark copper tone lights this one up on the pour yet nary a hint of carbonation.

Aroma screams Port - extremely vinous with lots of deep sherry notes. Almost a hint of sour on this one. Taste follows the nose for sure. Lost of sweet and rich fruit mixed and mangled with hints of Port, waves of wine and touches of sherry. What a mess - and this one said it would be great well into the Millenium.

Overall a mess and a half. Wonder what it would be like if the cork was not dried out?? Have to review so folks can decide whether to purchase these vintage brews or not.
Oct 01, 2008
Photo of therica
Reviewed by therica from Maryland

2.96/5  rDev -10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5
This bottle was purchased November 2007 and consumed 3 months later. It seems to be rather separated, however-- light waterlike around the edges and darker dishwater-brown in the middle.

A= zero head; rather separated appearance, near-clear around the top and edges but darker tea color in the middle. Reminded me a bit of dish-rinse from after a holiday meal.

S= INCREDIBLY AMAZING smell. Just as it's put to your mouth to drink, it's a gorgeous smell like being in a caramel-candy factory. The scent impressed me as being the sole excitement of this beer.

T= On the taste, I greatly agree with the August 2007 review by chris19571978 ( Cleveland, Ohio ) It's a bit more like fruity Pinot wine, and not really much like a beer. We quickly got wine-headaches, too, which may allude to its yeast origins. It's interesting but more like a wine. I'll pass, next time.

M= watery and sour

D= not much
Feb 28, 2008
Photo of BDTyre
Reviewed by BDTyre from Canada (BC)

4.03/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Purchased in June 2007. It was kept cooled at the place of purchase and I kept it cellared until now. Cork was tight and in excellent condition. I don't think this 10 1/2 year old beer has gone off in the least.

Nice ruby-brown-mahagony colour with a thin, near white head.

Flat wine-ish smell. Wooden hints to it. Probably the least exciting part of this beer. Slight fruit background, with a bit of sweetnees.

Vinous malt taste; almost a plum pudding flavour. Slight sourness - possibly a result of the aging, but this doesn't seem to present the beer as being "off." Hops are almost invisible in the taste. Slighty spicyness to it. This may have been more dominant had I tried this earlier; perhaps the age has tempered it slightly.

Smooth, thick mouthfeel. Very little carbonation - there was hardly even a pop as I removed the cork. This comes off almost as a fine port than a beer.

Despite the ABV (10%), this is highly drinkable. There is only a very slight burn and the small serving size and richness keeps this from being an overpowered session beer. My only regret is that I couldn't get all the yeast out of the bottle. I would love to have tried this seven or even ten years ago, but I must say at 10+ years this is still an enjoyable beer and I wish I had chosen a better occassion (as opposed to no occassion at all:) ) to enjoy it!
Dec 29, 2007
Photo of chris19571978
Reviewed by chris19571978 from Ohio

3.47/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I had a Millennium 2000. Never heard of it before so I gave it a try. When I opened up the bottle it smelled like wine. Fruity Pinot. A closer smell revealed a sourness but not as much as a traditional lambic. It also had some sweetness to it. Smelled like apple juice also When took a sip it was sour and sweet. Tasted like a damp basement or musty room. I liked the fact that it had a nice balance between the sweet and the sour. Hints of molasses and maybe toffee but not sure. This beer might be a tad past its prime. Overall it was a restrained and seductive beer. I bet when i was first released it was very fruity. Not bad.
Aug 07, 2007
Photo of stereosforgeeks
Reviewed by stereosforgeeks from Virginia

1.5/5  rDev -54.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1
Appearance: A pale reddish hue, but absolutely no head or any carbonation.

Aroma: Sour fruits and molasses.

Taste: Sour and tart. Maybe a little molasses.

Mouthfeel: Medium body but nothing else.

Drinkability: I was hoping for a nice limited edition high alcohol content beer, but what I got was a completely flat almost lambic-ish. Maybe this was better when it came out?
Mar 19, 2007
Photo of Westsidethreat
Reviewed by Westsidethreat from California

2.65/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
I too found this one at Beverage Warehouse in Culver City. Brewed in 1997, this beer is almost 10 years old.

A: First off, this beer is flat. I mean no carbonation. None. I suppose I was expecting that though. Has the general complexion of cider, unfiltered and raw.

S: Sour and pungent. Reeks of oak, dust, sherry vinegar, raspberries, plums and over ripe lemons.

T: Begins sour like a bottle of red wine that has gone bad. Lot of buttery diacytel with berries esters associated with it. Lot of tannins on the tongue that won't go away fast enough. Medicinal qualities that aren't aiding in the enjoyment of the beer. Finishes tart, acrid and uninviting, so I think I won't have another sip.

M: Full mouthfeel but crisp and hard due to the lack of carbonation.

D: Massively oxidized and past its prime. I would have like to have tried this around 2001. I would recommend passing on this beer if you come across it.
Jan 21, 2007
Photo of dogfooddog
Reviewed by dogfooddog from Panama

4.47/5  rDev +35.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
bought at john's grocery in Iowa City; this beer pours with next to zero carbonation, typical for gales. The smell, if given this blind, I would identify as wine. Very raisiny, reminds me a great deal of courage imperial russian stout/1993 i had earlier this year.

Taste is initially some old-ale sweet taste, with a hint of the acidic/wine nose I noted, then becomes a bit malty and just a bit of roasted undertones. Really a category with very few members in beer, this high ABV english old ale/barleywine still tastes very nice and would do nicely with more time, I think.

Aftertaste is sweet and not too remarkable, undertones of malt present as well.

I am very happy to have had the chance to try this beer from this now-closed brewery. with the closure of gale's, I am not sure who in england will produce this type of product in the future.
Aug 11, 2006
Gale's Millennium Brew from George Gale & Company Ltd
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 46 ratings