Once Upon A Time 1939 No. 1 Ale
Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project

Bottle shared by Brian thanks for sharing. Dark brown with tawny highlights and a thin off white head. Caramel and toffee with bits of earth and sherry

 

 

 

Generally: In the simplest terms, I think this archaeological series that Pretty Things is doing is about as cool as it gets. OF course, they're not the only ones, but I am especially fond of the decision to do straight-up classic styles, rather than, say, the more experimental beers that DFH regularly releases.

The Pour: This beer is a beauty! Frankly, looking at it, I can't help but drink it and THAT is getting in the way of this review. It is as beautiful a beer as I have ever seen. Honey, blood, and mahogany.

Face in the glass: Exquisite malts. Toffee, caramel and Russian Black bread combine for a nose that is truly exceptional.

With Regard to Taste: I won't waste your time; this beer is delicious. One of the finest, most nuanced malts I have ever had balanced out with a very un-American subtlety of hop bitterness. It is sweet upfront, but the balancing bitter is hot on sweet's heels. Bready, rich, complex, and essentially flawless.

Epitoma: If you see it, buy it, and drink it. This is as close to perfect, stylistically, as any beer I have had this year.

Serving type: Bottle

 

 

22oz bottle poured into a large snifter.

A: Dark brown, cloudy. Beige head retains well at half an inch. Lacing is comprised of small spots.

S: Bread crust, nutty, hints of cocoa, fig, grape skin, earthy, sweet.

T: Crust, cocoa, nutty. Grape-like fruitiness. Stiff jab of alcohol. Earthy yeast. Somewhat sweet up front, though it dries. Alcohol gets a little hot and pushes into the finish. Drying finish of crust, nutty flavors, and alcohol.

M: Medium thick body, though it sits deceptively light on the palate. Creamy. Moderate carbonation.

O: Alcohol comes on a tad strong, but otherwise this is a fine beer. But, unless I'm imagining it I think I'm picking up on some peculiar adjuncts. Flaked maize maybe, and perhaps candi sugar? If so I would not expect to find these ingredients in a Scottish Ale. That's the beauty of the Once Upon a Time series though. These recipes are always surprising, and they reveal that 'traditional' brewing practices are perhaps not as traditional as we think.

 

22oz. bottle served in a tulip. Pours a dull mahogany with a frothy, three-inch, buttermilk-colored head that eventually settles into a rocky, quarter-inch cap. Swaths of lacing are revealed during the tasting and exhibit good adhesion. Nose expresses dark fruits and a suggestion of yeast. Taste consistent with nose with a distinct grapey quality to the fruit profile as with as some bubblegum notes and a medicinal bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium-light with a consistent carbonation that issues a bit of a bite towards the middle. Not my favorite from Pretty Things, but pretty spot on for the style in my opinion.

Appearance: Arrives with a tea brown color capped by an impressive head that leaves sheets of lacing behind

Smell: Caramel tones complemented by a herbacious character with peat and other earthy elements

Taste: Caramel, up front, with the herbal, peat and earthy elements arriving in the middle; caramel tones linger, underneath, through the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: The historical beers brewed by Pretty Things are always interesting and some of them really taste good - this is one of them

 

 

 

 

Poured from a bottle into a shaker pint, the beer is a slightly hazed, dark, amber highlighted brown ale with a sparse, very thin surface coat of white head. Aromas of darkly sweet caramel and a hint of nut, with a sugary highlight that gives it richness instead of cloying. Flavors are just as rich as you would expect from the nose, with a deep, smooth ribbon of dark caramel providing a backbone that is highlighted by a touch of smoke and an earthy character that provides both depth and balance to the brew. Very rich, but surprisingly drinkable. There are subtle notes of alcohol throughout, but never anything that builds or overpowers. Smooth, full body that is lightened slightly by the carbonation. Roasty and rich aftertaste, with a sugary kiss, leading to a slick, slightly lingering finish. Really strong representation of the style, and possibly a good bar to use when tasting other Scottish Ales.

 

A: pours a dark brown with a finger of beige head that fades into a thin layer with decent lacing.

S: bubblegum and licorice dominate with candy sugar, caramel, and some dark fruit notes. There are also some hearty bread aromas.

T: similar to the aroma, lots of caramel, bubblegum, and licorice with sweet and hearty bread flavors

M: medium body and carbonation, this beer is nicely carbonated.

O: a good traditional Scotch ale. Quite enjoyable.

Served on-tap at Stoddard's Fine Food & Ale in Boston, MA

A: Pours a clear medium to dark brown in color with light amounts of visible carbonation and some mahogany + garnet red highlights. The beer has a half finger tall frothy beige head that reduces to a medium patch of very thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of toffee, caramel, and nutty malts with a light amount of fruity yeasts.

T: Similar to the smell, this beer starts out with moderate flavors of sweet malts including notes of toffee, caramel, and nuts. There is also a light flavor of fruity yeast and just enough earthy/spicy hops to balance the beer out. Light amounts of bitterness in the finish which fades quickly.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly chewy with just a hint of dryness in the finish.

O: I really find these historical recreation beers from recipes from the past to be quite interesting and this one does not disappoint - this beer will not be for everyone as beers have changed quite a bit over the last 70+ years. Well balanced.