Jamestown Island Old Ale
O'Connor Brewing Co.

2017 vintage.
Pours clear dark copper/light brown, tight tan head with great retention and lace
Smells like prunes and other assorted dark/dry fruits, notably cherry. Hints of vanilla and dark caramel
Very rich. Lots of dark fruit, caramel, and hefty vanilla to round it out.
Very full and soft mouthfeel. Definitely a sipper.
This is pretty much what I think of when I think Old Ale

 

2016 vintage
12oz bottle poured into a tulip

A- bottles gushes upon opening, spilling an ounce onto the floor, pours almost entirely foam but settles to about an inch head, dark brown in color

S- fig, raisin, caramel, brown breads, rich and malty. Undertones of whiskey barrel, red apples & faded hops

T- rich and malty up front with bold notes of fig, raisin, date & prune, followed by caramel apples, toffee, yeasty dark breads & tobacco. Undertones of wet oak, vanilla & faded earthy hops. Lingers of more dark fruit and brown bread

M- medium body with low carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel that continues into a slightly warming finish

O- bold and malty throughout while providing a nice balance, very good

 

O'Connor Brewing Co. "Jamestown Island Old Ale"
on tap at the brewery on 17 June 2017
$7.95 / 13 oz.

Notes: 10.5% ABV, 50 IBUs. Dark mahogany with a ruby tint beneath a short head of creamy yellowed-tan that drops to a standard collar and leaves large spotty lace behind. The aroma is malty with medium and dark caramel, almost burnt sugar, and fruit (apple, pear, raisin). The flavor follows with some added fruit (dried apricot), a hint of molasses, and leafy, herbal, and grassy hops. The alcohol is not clear in either the aroma or flavor but there is a warming sensation in the finish once you've taken a few sips. A solid bitterness leads to a mostly dry finish with some residual malt and bitterness lingering. It's full bodied, and smooth and malty with a low level carbonation. Overall it's a little bit of a heavy-handed American version of the style but it works.

The beer pours a nice creamy tan head that leaves a nice ring around the inside of the glass. The beer itself is a very nice looking dark brown color that is impossible to see through. The beer looks extremely good and definitely appealing.

The smell and taste are absolutely fantastic. Both have a delicious caramel note mixed with dark fruit notes to it. The smell is a bit more bready while the taste has more of a lightly smoked caramel and toffee note with a slight hint of bitter molasses.

The feel is pretty good. It has a heavy body and light carbonation with a very smooth feel and finish to it. The finish also has a slight burn to note at the end and a warmth through the entire thing.

 

 

 

12oz brown bottle, sample from the brewery.

Dark brown hue, thin tan lacing stays for the duration. Figgy and boozy nose with suggestions of brown bread, treacle, taffy, & more dark fruit. Thick bodied. Sweet, mild molasses, toasty, figgy, boozy, & hay on the palate. Very warming, pleasant finish. Quite the treat.

2016 vintage, bottle #0699 of 1920. Poured in a snifter, the beer is a deep, vibrant, molasses brown coloring, with a thin, sparse, filmy, off-white head on the surface. Aromas of rich apple and caramel forward, with subtle whiskey spices, roasted toffee, vanilla, and old world fruit notes of date and fig. Smells very rich, heavy, and sweet. Flavors are rich and roasted caramel and toffee forward, with highlights of apple, pear, and vanilla. Subtle whiskey heat and spice make themselves known at the back of the palate, with some woody and earthy characteristics, as well. Old world fruit notes begin to build, with solid notes of fig, date, and raisin building a cloying transition into the aftertaste. Slick and full bodied, this beer dominates the palate. The aforementioned aftertaste continues to imbue with richly sweet notes of vanilla, fruit, and subtle hints of whiskey warmth. The finish is slick, heavy, and slow, with a solid cloying linger. This is a very solid beer, and one that perfects the use of barrel aging as an accent, rather than the bulk of the flavor.

Wow. This beer serves notice. Excellent BA beer with superb whiskey aromas and flavors. S
Smells heavenly. Good balance of heat and malt sweetness. Just a tad thin but doesn't detract. Pretty damn impressive.

The correct name is Jamestown Island.