Colossal Five
Port City Brewing

 

I picked up a 4 pack of 12 oz bottles today at my local shop. totally a whim purchase, but the price was right and I like the style, so away we go!
The beer pours a deep mahogany color with rich garnet color on the edges when I hold my glass to the light. A fizzy beige head of 1 cm foams up and fades quickly to an edge layer and a wispy island. this foam remains throughout my sampling.
Aroma is some toffee, brown sugar and a bit of raisin or plum note. I dont get any hops and only the faintest black peppery scent of booze. Nose isnt overwhelming in any one direction, but seems suitable for the style.
The first sip reveals a medium body with spacious and tingly carbonation. Texture is soft and silky and the beer rides down my palate easily after each sip.
Flavor is what I expect for the style, dark malts with toffee and some brown sugar mixing together. I also get a little raisin and there is some dark fruitiness that lingers after each sip. Maybe a little molasses note too. Again, no hops present and here the booze is well hidden and invisible.
the beer drinks easy and is spot on for the style. No component is super robust but there arent any flaws either.
Im glad I grabbed the 4 pack.

Served on tap at the pub in a snifter. Dark brown colored liquid with a ring of foam. Nice aromas of caramel and fig. Great flavors of cocoa, caramel, dark cherries and prune. Smooth and silky.

 

i thought they did a nice job with this, not enough old ales out there anymore, especially ones that arent aged in barrels, and i appreciate the straight ahead nature of this excellent strong ale. rich malty brew with molasses and candied nut characteristics, a little chestnut and honey as well, some fusel alcohol, and a kilned long boiled grain complexion that really delivers a lot of depth and warmth. its not overly layered or complex, the reddish brown brew kind of comes on all at once, with figs and molasses coming to mind right away, a little booziness and oxidation too, elements i dont mind, or even like in this style. i also really dig the english ale yeast profile, i always miss it when its not as robust in these, its bready and brings cool balance to the flavor, added richness. some cooked banana character at the end, a little toffee thing, and a ton of body. this is what these are supposed to taste like, no barrel needed. a wonderful first impression for me of port city brewing! more old ales please!

 

 

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.
L - Pours a hazy brown with a slight white head.
S - Smells of dark fruits and booze.
T - Starts out with caramel and dark fruits with some sweet toffee on the finish. A little boozy, but in a nice way.
F - Medium body with light carbonation.
O - Perfect for sipping on a cold night.

 

Dark brown, a tad murky; frothy, sticky head. Deep roasted grain notes; toffee; cocoa nibs. Rich, malty flavor; toffee and caramel; just the right touch of alcohol presence with a note of hop bitterness. Very rich and velvety on the palate; sweet with a slight dry edge at the finish.

Overall, this is a luscious, very satisfying old ale, strongly profiling a rich, roasted malt backbone with a nice balance of sweetness and a touch of alcohol to bring everything together. Too bad I only have one more bottle as I think this would age well over a couple of years.

 

 

 

 

A: Deep brown as it pours, and black in the glass, with a small tan head.

S: Rich caramel and molasses, with touches of dark fruit, and toffee.

T: Slightly fruity with caramel notes at the beginning, followed by toffee and a long caramel and toffee finish.

M: Medium thick, with very active carbonation.

O: CHuck this in a bourbon barrel, an whew boy! You'd have a time!

 

 

 

On tap at Rattle n Hum, NYC. Deep ebony look w/creamy yet slim head. Slight lacing on the retreat. Malty slightly licorice aroma that arrives big time in he taste. Smooth, medium texture caps the experience of this well made brew. The 9.8% ABV is what stays the hand from flagging the bartender down for a quick refill, but I'll be back.