Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog (Julio's BBA W/ Cinnamon And Vanilla) | Smuttynose Brewing Company

4.17/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

4.21/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

4.5/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A very nice balanced beer. The nose is sweet caramel sweet supported by the vanilla and a touch of cinnamon, and in the background the bourbon. The taste follows, starts with the caramel malt that transitions into the vanilla and a bit of cinamon and ends on that boozy bourbon note. The alcohol is not perceived at all on the palate, only a bit of alcohol burn on the end. The mouthfell is medium to full. Overalll its an incredible beer that hits all the notes it sets out to make, this balance does it for me.

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4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.21/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

3.1/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.17/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

4.02/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

3.82/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

4.15/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Its a murky brown color. Taste and smell are both sweet and boozy. I enjoyed this and thought it tasted a lot like a nice barleywine. A little sweet for me to handle the whole bomber by myself but the half bottle I had was very enjoyable

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4.3/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.04/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a two finger cream head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Murky amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Bourbon and cinnamon nose, flavor is same bourbon, vanilla, cinnamon is at finish; higher ABV is hidden. $8.99 for a 22oz bottle from Julio's Liquors Westborough, MA.

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3.74/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Cloudy, neutral brown color . Modest head (poured from a bottle). A fine layer of bubbles last throughout the tasting. Some streaks for lace.

Strong, brandy-like aroma which comes across as a high alcohol content. Second whiff brings out the cinnamon (almost like my memory of Teddy Grahams)....sweet.

The taste starts off like a neutral Brown Ale, but the swallow draws out the aforementioned sweet, cinnamon flavors. The aftertaste has a notable alcohol kick...warming. Full bodied with a lighter carbonation level. I think, for me, it's too much of a good thing.

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3.3/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

4.35/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Picked some of these up at Julio's. Finally getting around to reviewing it.

A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a nice crystal clear honey copper hue with a two finger off white head that faded rather quickly to leave a thin blanket and light lacing.

S - Aromas of light malt sweetness, sticky caramel, juicy bourbon, vanilla, toffee. Just loads and loads of rich, sweet, high quality bourbon. The cinnamon in incredibly light.

T - Taste is similar to the nose. Nice lightly sweet malts, loads of caramel and toffee, light bready malts. Then...the bourbon. More big rich bourbon, vanilla, soft barrel notes, light dark fruits. Bourbon bomb, plain and simple. Once you swallow there is a nice strong wave of cinnamon flavour that compliments everything.

M - Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, creamy, bit on the hot side.

O - Overall this beer was a bourbon bomb, so, if that isn't your thing it's best to avoid. That being said, if a very bourbon rich old ale is your style...then this beer is for you. My biggest knock is the lack of cinnamon on the nose. I've had other bottles of this that had real big cinnamon notes, but, it looks like those bottles are far and few between.

Serving Type: Bottle

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4.32/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

4.18/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

3.68/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.19/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

4.24/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

9/10/15 bottling date

A: Dark brown body with a tall and fizzy light brown head. Decent head retention and spotty bits of lacing.

S: Heavy bourbon with a dark caramel and toffee aroma. Mild spicy cinnamon aroma. Heavy bread.

T: Again, heavy bourbon but it's a little sweeter here. Lots of caramel and vanilla. Spicy cinnamon underneath really bursts through in the middle. Quite nice little heat sting for just cinnamon. Big spiciness continues into the finish with a heavy dark bread background. Vanilla floats around lightly everywhere. Lingering cinnamon and oak in the aftertaste. Not boozy but a belly warmer.

M: Heavy but surprisingly smooth. No harshness.

O: Nice interesting old ale. I'm a fan of the base beer, the additional ingredients and barrel-aging have only added complexity. Very tasty and unique brew.

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4/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from Julio's
Crystal clear dark brown with great ruby highlights at the edges. Brown sugary caramel maltiness with plenty of vanilla and bourbon character. Light cinnamon and earthiness round this out nicely. Reminds me a lot of spice cake, very tasty but I prefer the non spiced version.

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