Old Stitch
Alewerks Brewing Company

 

I really love this beer. A visit to a tavern on Duke Of Gloughchester St is the proper way to first experience this beer. As a decendant of headrights who came into Jamestown in the 1690's, this is a taste of my heritage. Nutty to the point of almost, dare I say, dirty from the toasted malts, it has a quaint rustic charm to it. Not too heavy, and more than once I have finished a bottle entirely too soon, unaware of the passage of time or the speed of which I am drinking. A case comes home with me every time I visit Colonial Williamsburg, and it is the standard, IMO, by which all other Brown Ales are judged. It is Colonial Williamsvurg that will tell you it is made or derived from a Colonial Recipe and brewed by Alewerks, not some claim made by the brewery itself. It is a shame one cannot buy sixtels of this heavenly brew for one's own home.

When staying at the brick house tavern in colonial williamsburg, Va. There’s not a thing better than going to an old timey tavern and eating any of the fine food from the carefully crafted menus and drinking a few old stitch ales.

Old stitch has a strong history and even stronger taste, it is potent and after 72 ounces you fall in love.

This is a drink to make you ditch your wife, life, and rethink all your choices.

This is a version of the beer sold at Colonial Williamsburg with an old print-style label. It looks a bit different than the one depicted here. There is a date on the bottle: "12/01/2022"

Appearance: The body of the beer is a brilliantly clear, dark brown and red mahogany with notes of deep ruby red that approaches black. It has a short-lived tan head that is also short in size. No lacing. Aside from the lack of lacing and head the beer looks beautiful.

Aroma: There is a light carbon scent with a hint of cherry. There isn't a ton of aroma going on in the nose.

Taste: The flavor closely mirrors the aroma, with a few additions. It has a bit of carbon with some cherry at first, but there are notes of mint and vanilla that join in later. It tastes a bit like toothpaste.in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: It feels light bodied but leaning a touch towards upper-light-bodied. It has a noticeable lack of bitterness and the mint-like flavor gives it a bit of unchecked sweetness.

Overall: The label indicates that this is a "HISTORIC RECIPE" which makes this beer worth trying on it's own right. It has a charred flavor with a bit of mint and a touch of what seems like vanilla. As a whole it isn't something I am likely to buy again but it was interesting to try. Is it worth recommending an overly average beer? It might be worth it for the historical merit but otherwise I'd say give it a pass.

An amazing beer, served warm in a chilled tavern mug at Cristiana Campbell's in Colonial Williamsburg. Paired well with a rare steak. Has a warm feel, nutty cinnamon flavor. Added very well to the atmosphere of this Colonial tavern and Inn. Was able to puck up a 6 pack from the Williamsburg Inn. Found in several other shops in the Market area over by William and Mary's campus

Tried some Old Stitch at Shields Tavern in Williamsburg, VA on the recommendation of the server. I'm not a dark beer fan but this stuff tasted like ditch water with hints of rusty nails and cigarette butts.

Poured from a 12 Oz bottle from Colonial Williamsburg. Only sold individually, but brewed out of Alewerks. Smells of a Brown ale with mild hops and nutty aromas. Looks dark brown with small head. Tastes a nice smooth bread and nutty flavor with a good toasty finish. Allegedly similar ale to what George Washington himself favored. A good brown ale, that is hard to be topped among the streets of Colonial Williamsburg!

12 ounce bottle poured into nonic style pint glass.
Bottled 4/27/22.

Brown and murky with a quarter inch antique white head that fast fades to a lasting ring. Gives off a full inviting whiff of nutty and bread-like malt aromas while the head is still up then becoming less robust and more sweet as the foam settles. Smooth nutty and semi-sweet with a bit of hops coming out at the finish. Carbonation is low to medium with a touch of crispness early in the glass but as it warms it really smooths with a a small medium-weight viscosity becoming more apparent. I don’t know if this is actually a historic offering as Alewerks claims, I would like to think that it is, but this is a solid and enjoyable brown regardless.

 

 

Very drinkable beer with slight bready, nut and malt. Medium body with lower carbonation is exactly what I’d expect of a 18th century ale. Served cold was good for modern beer drinkers but after letting it warm up it was a perfect example of colonial beer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poured into a glass mug.
The appearance was a semi-dark murky brown color with a thin cap of a little off white foamy head. This died off at a decent pace. Some lace slid with the sips, but was extremely faint.
The aroma had some sweet to roasty nuts with some earthy sweet character, subtle sweet wood, dried cocoa beans and some bready to biscuity malts.
The flavor seemed pretty close to the aroma carrying a fine meshing between sweet and toasty. Roasty nuts seemed barely there in this department. Mild aftertaste of bready to biscuity malts with some toast, earthy character and sweet wood.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sipping quality about it. I'd say this was due to some of the dryness in the earthiness and those nuts. Texture was pretty dry all around. Minimal finish of earthiness, nuts and biscuits.
Overall, pretty good brown ale despite it being drier than expected. I'd welcome again.