Old Tankard
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

Muddy, root beer brown with dusky amber accents. When it reached me, the beer had no head other than a razor thin film that didn't even cover the entire surface and was gone in minutes. No lace. It was odd seeing nothing but liquid in the glass and nothing on the glass. Perhaps 'Icabod Ale' would be a good alternative name.

The nose was nearly absent. In fact, I couldn't appreciate anything for several minutes until the beer warmed sufficiently to allow the least little whiff of aroma. My notes read, rather cryptically, 'dark hops', but keep in mind that I had very little to go on. Shorthand, no doubt, for a roasted malt-hops mix.

On the palate, Old Tankard seemed at least as much Scotch ale as English winter warmer. The flavor profile consisted of dark butterscotch and brown sugar with what I swear was a little peaty sourness. A firm, hoppy bite was a plesant surprise. Dark malt and spice covered up most of the actual hop flavor, but the burps were pure, unadulterated hoppy goodness. I have no clue on the spices; cinnamon and allspice are shots in the dark.

The body/mouthfeel was lighter than I would have liked initially, but then became slightly chewy and almost plush with time and warming. There was a fraction too much fizziness at first, especially for the style, but because it faded as I got deeper into the pint and since the underlying mouthfeel was so pleasant, it didn't bother me a bit.

Old Tankard came into its own with warming (suggestion: don't serve it so cold) and was a most enjoyable beer on this bitterly cold night. Ignore the smell score; it's a damn shame that it has to pull the total down. Flavor is much more important to me and OT delivered on that front. Another good one from my local Rock Bottom.