Papa Noel's Olde Ale
Alameda Brewhouse
- From:
- Alameda Brewhouse
- Oregon, United States
- Style:
- Old Ale
- ABV:
- 7.2%
- Score:
- 85
- Avg:
- 3.78 | pDev: 10.05%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 31
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Dec 28, 2017
- Added:
- Dec 08, 2003
- Wants:
- 4
- Gots:
- 3
SCORE
85
Very Good
85
Very Good
"This holiday ale was brewed in the English 'old ale' style, a traditional strong ale style that is sometimes called a 'winter warmer.' The warmth comes from the alcoholic strength of the beer, which weighs in at about 7.2% by volume. It is an attractive dark copper-brown hue and is extremely full-bodied. Papa Noel's
has a pleasing sweetness from its higher-than-normal alcoholic content, and from its complex malt foundation.This sweetness is
balanced by a hint of roasted flavor, as well as a mellow bitterness imparted by a generous amount of English Fuggle hops. Other flavors in evidence are bittersweet chocolate, caramel, and toffee,Papa Noel's Olde Ale is the perfect brew to warm the body and nourish the soul during the cold and wet holiday season. Cheers!"
7.2% ABV
has a pleasing sweetness from its higher-than-normal alcoholic content, and from its complex malt foundation.This sweetness is
balanced by a hint of roasted flavor, as well as a mellow bitterness imparted by a generous amount of English Fuggle hops. Other flavors in evidence are bittersweet chocolate, caramel, and toffee,Papa Noel's Olde Ale is the perfect brew to warm the body and nourish the soul during the cold and wet holiday season. Cheers!"
7.2% ABV
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Fatehunter from Oregon
3.46/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.46/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a half finger of head on a dark brown body.
The aroma is faint chocolate, a little cinnamon and milk.
The taste is roasted malt, chocolate and a mild bitter finish. Great balance.
The texture is smooth.
Enjoyable.
Dec 15, 2015The aroma is faint chocolate, a little cinnamon and milk.
The taste is roasted malt, chocolate and a mild bitter finish. Great balance.
The texture is smooth.
Enjoyable.
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
3.33/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.33/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
A nice winter beer that could use a little more thickness or viscosity. Overall seems to come off a little watery. Aroma and taste are right, dried fruit, spice, molasses and dark malt, but the body is very light. No hint of the high ABV either, but warming nonetheless.
Mar 01, 2014
Reviewed by artoolemomo from Oregon
3.77/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.77/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance- Pours up an okay amount of head which has pretty good retention. The head is a light beige while the body is a dark maroon to chestnut brown which appears as a deep maroon with hints of crimson and dark amber when held up to the light.
Nose- Subtle and one trick pony. Pretty much only roasted malts, some coffee, cocoa, even a little cream. Not really a one trick pony but the different aromas are so interlaced that they are difficult to distinguish. Slight grain under the cocoa so much that it gives it a little bit of graham cracker. Swirling shows mostly more lactose notes.
Taste- Reflective of the nose in both its flavor and the simplicity of the notes. Roasted malts dominate with hints of coffee and slight citrus (some orange, some lemon). Basically, seems to taste like a little more robust take on the porter with less of a blanketing malt bill. The coffee doesn't linger but the citrus of the front reappears on the finish. Some notes of chocolate but claims of toffee and caramel aren't evident at this point. Some hints of cherries and raisins as the cocoa and bitter chocolate build. Not bad as some caramel and toffee do express on the middle in an envelope of brown bread and grain. A mostly subtle beer but it has very good balance and integration, even some complexity. Above average to good but mostly good. Slight earth around the edges and at the top of the throat. The lactose nature of the flavor profile really helps to bring some average notes together and create a beer better than its parts. A little boring but very accessible and quite enjoyable.
Mouthfeel- A little more than medium bodied with light carbonation. Medium amount of creaminess. The mouthfeel really adds to an average beer that ends up being good.
Drinkability- Extremely accessible and very easy drinking. Shows no heat and has excellent balance and integration. Seems reasonable at 5 to 6 bucks a bomber. Wonder what it goes for on tap? Wouldn't mind having a couple pints of a pretty mellow beer.
Overall- Above average to good but mostly good. No individual aspect that grabs my attention but each one comes together well. Definitely worth a try. May not impress but very sessionable for a higher ABV beer.
Jan 02, 2014Nose- Subtle and one trick pony. Pretty much only roasted malts, some coffee, cocoa, even a little cream. Not really a one trick pony but the different aromas are so interlaced that they are difficult to distinguish. Slight grain under the cocoa so much that it gives it a little bit of graham cracker. Swirling shows mostly more lactose notes.
Taste- Reflective of the nose in both its flavor and the simplicity of the notes. Roasted malts dominate with hints of coffee and slight citrus (some orange, some lemon). Basically, seems to taste like a little more robust take on the porter with less of a blanketing malt bill. The coffee doesn't linger but the citrus of the front reappears on the finish. Some notes of chocolate but claims of toffee and caramel aren't evident at this point. Some hints of cherries and raisins as the cocoa and bitter chocolate build. Not bad as some caramel and toffee do express on the middle in an envelope of brown bread and grain. A mostly subtle beer but it has very good balance and integration, even some complexity. Above average to good but mostly good. Slight earth around the edges and at the top of the throat. The lactose nature of the flavor profile really helps to bring some average notes together and create a beer better than its parts. A little boring but very accessible and quite enjoyable.
Mouthfeel- A little more than medium bodied with light carbonation. Medium amount of creaminess. The mouthfeel really adds to an average beer that ends up being good.
Drinkability- Extremely accessible and very easy drinking. Shows no heat and has excellent balance and integration. Seems reasonable at 5 to 6 bucks a bomber. Wonder what it goes for on tap? Wouldn't mind having a couple pints of a pretty mellow beer.
Overall- Above average to good but mostly good. No individual aspect that grabs my attention but each one comes together well. Definitely worth a try. May not impress but very sessionable for a higher ABV beer.
Reviewed by constantine_272 from Oregon
3.44/5 rDev -9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.44/5 rDev -9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
A: Very dark brown without that Guinness blackness. Clear, but so dark if appears more opaque.. Lightly carbonated. Very light brown near white foam.
S: Malt, sweet brown sugar, nutmeg and chestnut. Alcohol backbone. Definite cinnamon and nutmeg finish.
T: Sweetness starts off with molasses and maple. Sweetness fades to a mild nuttiness and a very heavy roasted malt. Most unusual, almost with a dark roasted wheat component. Slightly charred and smokey. Finishes cool with a oily mineral finish. Almost zero bitterness at the end. It needs a little bit of bite to round it out better.
M: Again, oily and mouth-coating alcohol. Long mineral aftertaste of iron. Smoothe and easy to drink due to the very low bite.
O: It's a winter warmer with too little flavor. The alcohol overpowers mostly all the subtle flavor except for the roasted grain. Possibly my least favorite winter warmer yet. On the plus side, very drinkable.
Dec 07, 2013S: Malt, sweet brown sugar, nutmeg and chestnut. Alcohol backbone. Definite cinnamon and nutmeg finish.
T: Sweetness starts off with molasses and maple. Sweetness fades to a mild nuttiness and a very heavy roasted malt. Most unusual, almost with a dark roasted wheat component. Slightly charred and smokey. Finishes cool with a oily mineral finish. Almost zero bitterness at the end. It needs a little bit of bite to round it out better.
M: Again, oily and mouth-coating alcohol. Long mineral aftertaste of iron. Smoothe and easy to drink due to the very low bite.
O: It's a winter warmer with too little flavor. The alcohol overpowers mostly all the subtle flavor except for the roasted grain. Possibly my least favorite winter warmer yet. On the plus side, very drinkable.
Reviewed by Spikester from Oregon
3.73/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Dark brown with red highlights. Tan head of one finger that lasts quite well. Strong lacings follow the level as it drops.
Smell is roast dark malts a hint of yeast. Some earthy hops.
Taste is dark roasted malts some fig and raisen. Leather and some hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel is big and wet with some drying toward the end.
Overall a tasty winter beer with plenty of hop bitterness to beat back the sweet malts.
Dec 05, 2013Smell is roast dark malts a hint of yeast. Some earthy hops.
Taste is dark roasted malts some fig and raisen. Leather and some hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel is big and wet with some drying toward the end.
Overall a tasty winter beer with plenty of hop bitterness to beat back the sweet malts.
Reviewed by Braz from Washington
3.27/5 rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.27/5 rDev -13.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Slightly woody smells. Herbal and malty notes as well. Very dark brown with virtually no head to speak off. Kind of wild tasting. Green tea and foresty notes too. Mild astringent aftertaste. Takes a few tastes to get used too. One of the more unique beers I've tasted in a while. But it has a strangeness to it. I'd compare to drinking a darker beer while chewing mint gum at the same time. Not sure I'd have a huge need to try again.
Feb 21, 2013
Reviewed by DenverLogan from Colorado
3.63/5 rDev -4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.63/5 rDev -4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Bottle poured in Grimbergen chalice.
Pours very dark with big dark amber head...multi layers and lace.
Aroma of tennis shoes in the laundry, dark - burnt roasted malts, freshly shaven #2 lead pencils.
Medium mouthfeel...full body.
Flavors of burnt malts, dark rich roasted malts, shaven #2 pencils, slight funky fruit, citrus hops, cream of tartar, unripe pear...let me give this five minutes...
OK...big and bold...but rough on the edges. Ahhh, but it's an Olde Ale...humm...
At least 12 minutes into this brew...beautiful dark brown, lovely head and lace, chocolate malt aroma, rich flavors of bitter chocolate, Italian herbs, melon rind, bitter root, slight chalk...there's a bitter dryness. Tasty and full bodied but not something I'd crave.
Feb 05, 2013Pours very dark with big dark amber head...multi layers and lace.
Aroma of tennis shoes in the laundry, dark - burnt roasted malts, freshly shaven #2 lead pencils.
Medium mouthfeel...full body.
Flavors of burnt malts, dark rich roasted malts, shaven #2 pencils, slight funky fruit, citrus hops, cream of tartar, unripe pear...let me give this five minutes...
OK...big and bold...but rough on the edges. Ahhh, but it's an Olde Ale...humm...
At least 12 minutes into this brew...beautiful dark brown, lovely head and lace, chocolate malt aroma, rich flavors of bitter chocolate, Italian herbs, melon rind, bitter root, slight chalk...there's a bitter dryness. Tasty and full bodied but not something I'd crave.
Reviewed by canucklehead from Canada (BC)
4.47/5 rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.47/5 rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Nice to get this one in BC as I love me some Winter Warmers and I also love everything I have tried from these guys. This is a pretty cool little number that really tastes a lot like Dechutes Jubelale which ain't a bad thing. The hops rise from the big malt backbone and yes the beer does taste more CDA than old ale. I need to get more of these before they go.
Dec 31, 2012
Reviewed by MAB from Canada (AB)
3.58/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A very decent beer, although I wish there were more hops present in it.
It looked lovely in the glass, and it had lots of head. A promising start.
The smell was subtle. Malts and a bit of a fruity nose, I thought.
The taste was good but not enough hops, as I mentioned earlier. This would have been excellent with some residual bitterness.
I scored it high on mouthfeel. This is a well-crafted brew, no doubt about it.
Overall it was a bit over average. It's probably better on-tap, I figure.
Don't think I'd buy another bottle but never say never, right?
Dec 27, 2012It looked lovely in the glass, and it had lots of head. A promising start.
The smell was subtle. Malts and a bit of a fruity nose, I thought.
The taste was good but not enough hops, as I mentioned earlier. This would have been excellent with some residual bitterness.
I scored it high on mouthfeel. This is a well-crafted brew, no doubt about it.
Overall it was a bit over average. It's probably better on-tap, I figure.
Don't think I'd buy another bottle but never say never, right?
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