LongShot Old Ben Ale
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

LongShot Old Ben AleLongShot Old Ben Ale
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From:
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
Old Ale
ABV:
9%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.77 | pDev: 10.08%
Reviews:
229
Ratings:
261
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 18, 2017
Added:
Apr 03, 2010
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  3
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.75 by harpus from Alabama

Mar 18, 2017
Photo of barczar
Reviewed by barczar from Kentucky

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Aged several years.

Aroma is dominated by raisin and prune.

Flavor is more floral than expected, with lots of caramel malt to back it. Dark fruit complements.
Mar 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.62 by connecticutpoet from Connecticut

May 11, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by wrightst from Maryland

Dec 11, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Techichi from Texas

Nov 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Sellen from Connecticut

Sep 04, 2014
Photo of brewdlyhooked13
Reviewed by brewdlyhooked13 from Ohio

3.39/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Appearance - a reddish peachy cast to the sunset orange brew. A thin but sticky manila cover on top with an impressive bead underneath.

Aroma - caramel and biscuit malt, nice but not overly complex.

Taste - licorice and grain up front, sweet but not sugary. The hops provide a little balance - they are quite faded at this point to do much else. Really shows off the malts. Somewhat shallow to me, like the malt bill was retrained, resulting in a dryer tasting ale. Finishes clean as a result, hints of anise and abv heat in the wake.

Mouthfeel - fluffy, light on the body, I'm cool with it.

Overall - it's good but it doesn't show depth of flavor. Despite, one of the better longshots.
Jun 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by zestar from California

May 21, 2014
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Reviewed by beagle75 from Iowa

3.24/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Murky, light amber color with less than one finger of diminishing white foam head. Moderate lacing remains on the glass.

S: Chewy treacle and concentrated grape fruit preside over a bready foundation. Yeast influences practically disappear between the bread and dark fruit. Qualities are predictable in quality, but show considerable depth. No alcohol is detected.

T: Begins sweet, with toasted malt and rich toffee. Acidity is high into the middle where flavor qualities become saccharine and very shallow. The finish is fairly bitter for the style, but with enough dark crystal roast and vanilla hints to redeem the profile. No alcohol is detected.

M: Thick viscosity, acidic and slightly syrupy on the palate, with moderate carbonation.

D/O: Aside from the pleasing and decadent smell, this strong ale underwhelms. The bottom seems to drop out of the flavor profile in the second act, which is unfortunate because up until that point the taste was fairly congruent (in a good way) with the smell. For the abv, a beer of this style ought to resonate with more consistent and interesting flavors.
Mar 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by csfcmitchell from Texas

Mar 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by LXIXME from New Mexico

Dec 25, 2013
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Reviewed by Gueuzedude from Arizona

3.59/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Best by date of September 2010; Sampled April 2012 & stored in my fridge the whole time
A steady pour into my tulip glass produces a four finger thic, lightly amber tinged, dark tan colored head that leaves an expansive, though light, layer of lacing on the sides of my glass. The beer is a concentrated amber color that shows a lightly hazed, golden red-amber hue when held up to the light. The aroma smells of savory malt (that is boosted by age / oxidation), lots of caramelized malt character, some slightly nutty toasted whole grain character, and an interesting bright cherry character that comes out as you take a deep draught of the nose. The cherry / fruit note adds an unexpected, though still balanced, dimension that I wasn’t expecting.

Fairly thick and viscous feeling as it first hits my palate, but it isn’t really all that sweet. The malt has a richness to it more than a sweetness, there is a significant toasted brown grain character, complex caramelized notes that are significantly rounded by a light oxidation (this is purely positive at this point as it helps cut the percieved sweetness). There is something like a light tartness here that doesn’t seem out of place. The fruit character seems to have more of a prune like leaning to it rather than the cherry note that was in the aroma. The oxidation also boosts a rich nuttiness in this beer, though the oxidation itself remains well in check.

The age on this beer seems to fit it quite well at this point; I can’t say for sure that it will improve any more after this, and if you have been storing this warmer than at 50°F it might be over-the-hill, though I would expect this particular bottle to be quite drinkable for at least a couple more years if I had not opened it.
Sep 30, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by ejimhof from Pennsylvania

Sep 29, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by jaydoc from Kansas

Sep 02, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Drknight from Virginia

Jun 10, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Kelp from New Hampshire

Apr 23, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by Budinetz from Pennsylvania

Feb 04, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by t0rin0 from California

Aug 26, 2012
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Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I've been sitting on this for a while, I'm surprised I haven't already reviewed it.
Served at room temperature it pours a medium copper color with a huge milky white head that takes forever to retreat and sticks lots of lace on the way down. Lots of dark sugar and sweet dark fruits fill the aroma. There's a hint of sherry and a touch of alcohol, but they meld nicely. The flavor is sweet and malty with a solid warming alcohol that I can trace as it flows southward. Lots of sweet dark sugars with light citrus and darker dried fruits in the flavor. Almost like a marmalade thing going on too. Medium to thick body with a moderate to high level of carbonation and a sweet almost syrupy mouthfeel. Nice beer, but a bit sweet and still a bit hot which is odd.
Aug 17, 2012
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Reviewed by brokensail from California

3.8/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a darkish amber color with an off-white head. Strong aromas of caramel and toffee. There is a good brown sugar and toasted bread note to it and perhaps a little bit of dark fruit character. Pretty nice nose to this. The flavor is a bit less robust, but still enjoyable. A hint of vanilla to go along with the caramel and toffee. Mild molasses and brown sugar and just a touch of black cherry.
Jul 05, 2012
LongShot Old Ben Ale from Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 261 ratings