Ancient Rage
New Albanian Brewing Company - Pizzeria and Public House

Drank on draft a few years ago at New Albanian.

Murky bright orange hue.

White head; decent lace.

Orange citrus, oak & bourbon nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Taste follows nose; citrus fails in the face of the bourbon.

 

 

 

A: The barrel-aged version of Blind Rage pours a clear golden amber with a compact, creamy whitish head that sticks around far longer than expected, leaving a small amount of lace.

S: Aromas of cedar, oak, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, brown butter, woody spices, biscuit, pine, spruce, juniper berry, lemon, lime, and bitter orange grip the nose. Very complex and intriguing compared to this beer's unaged counterpart.

T: Notes of caramel, toffee, butterscotch, brown sugar, brown butter, cedar, oak, leather, vanilla bean, woody spices, pine, spruce, juniper berry, lemon, lime, bitter orange, grapefruit, kumquat, tangerine, and biscuit fill the mouth. The finish is woody and complex with notes of citrusy hops balanced by pronounced whiskey barrel flavors.

M: Medium in body, but on the heavier side of medium. Fairly dry compared to Blind Rage. Carbonation is firm and crisp. Alcohol presence is surprisingly nonexistent. Much like its counterpart, this ale is very drinkable and is definitely capable of sneaking up on you quickly.

O: A nice barrel-aged beer. I'm not really sure if this is an improvement over the regular Blind Rage as much as it is a step sideways. Very interesting and complex, but still displaying the hop and malt flavors one would expect of an American IPA.