Ale To The Chief | Avery Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Avery Brewing Company
Colorado, United States
averybrewing.com
Style: American Strong Ale
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 8.75%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
Originally brewed to celebrate Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009, we elected to give Ale to the Chief a second term to commemorate the 2012 election! Not an “Imperial” pale ale, this is a democracy. It’s Presidential! Take the all-American pale ale, a bipartisan blend of malt and hops, increase both to Avery Brewing standards, and then, of course, dry hop the result with that most quintessential of American hops, Cascades, and you get this…a brew worthy of the Oval Office!
Added by GilGarp on 07-22-2008
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 623 | Reviews: 405
3.78/5 rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Comes out of the bottle thick and cloudy, deep orange hue leans close to amber, with a creamy head that leaves a good amount of lace as it dissipates and continues to stick on the way down.
Aroma is absolutely malt-forward with caramel and toffee coming through strong. Butterscotch, orange peel, pine and dry hops. As in the aroma, the taste is heavily malty; loads of caramel, toffee and bread in this one. Orange peel and dried fruits. Lightly tropical. As this warms the hops come through a bit more with a deep, piney, grassy earthiness along with some dry wood.
Medium bodied and dry. Boozy with some lingering malt sweetness. Wild card brew. Decent.
659 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Comes out of the bottle thick and cloudy, deep orange hue leans close to amber, with a creamy head that leaves a good amount of lace as it dissipates and continues to stick on the way down.
Aroma is absolutely malt-forward with caramel and toffee coming through strong. Butterscotch, orange peel, pine and dry hops. As in the aroma, the taste is heavily malty; loads of caramel, toffee and bread in this one. Orange peel and dried fruits. Lightly tropical. As this warms the hops come through a bit more with a deep, piney, grassy earthiness along with some dry wood.
Medium bodied and dry. Boozy with some lingering malt sweetness. Wild card brew. Decent.
659 characters
3.53/5 rDev -12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
4.39/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Got the new version for Inauguration Jan 20, 2017. Bottled in August.
Pours amber but clear. Has a sudsy if slight 1/2 finger head that hangs around and laces you till you can't take it anymore. Aroma is malty and raisins up front. Caramel hint as well.
Taste is sweet malty goodness. Has that Avery booziness although this one at 8.75% won't kill you too fast if you keep your eyes open. Toffee, raisin, buttered bread which slowly steps aside for a hoppiness that's welcome. Nice reversal on the promise of the aroma. Spice, too. Peppercorns. Almost saison? No, it is clutched from my grasp.
In the middle I'm getting a pineapple, slight bitter, not too dank (no earth), hops just there to keep you anxious. The sweet malts are rather forward; I might call this a barleywine slant on an American strong ale. There is confusion but the two sides of the aisle seem to be getting along for now.
Grapeiness and light carbonation make it very drinkable. Sticky finish, pleasant aftertaste. Great beer.
1,003 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Got the new version for Inauguration Jan 20, 2017. Bottled in August.
Pours amber but clear. Has a sudsy if slight 1/2 finger head that hangs around and laces you till you can't take it anymore. Aroma is malty and raisins up front. Caramel hint as well.
Taste is sweet malty goodness. Has that Avery booziness although this one at 8.75% won't kill you too fast if you keep your eyes open. Toffee, raisin, buttered bread which slowly steps aside for a hoppiness that's welcome. Nice reversal on the promise of the aroma. Spice, too. Peppercorns. Almost saison? No, it is clutched from my grasp.
In the middle I'm getting a pineapple, slight bitter, not too dank (no earth), hops just there to keep you anxious. The sweet malts are rather forward; I might call this a barleywine slant on an American strong ale. There is confusion but the two sides of the aisle seem to be getting along for now.
Grapeiness and light carbonation make it very drinkable. Sticky finish, pleasant aftertaste. Great beer.
1,003 characters
4.54/5 rDev +12.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
3.51/5 rDev -12.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
4.29/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
3.81/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.1/5 rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a signature Avery snifter glass.
Appearance: Darker Amber with medium bubbles and the body is a bit hazy. Head is off-white with a slight orange tint.
Smell: Malts and wood.
Taste: Complex sweet and bitter wood notes and heavy malts. You can feel the citrus but won't hurt you, comes off pretty smooth.
Mouth: Medium bubbles and carbonation and average stickiness. Is a bit dry but sticky which is good.
Overall: Very good beer, especially for Election Day...no pun intended. Salud!
502 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a signature Avery snifter glass.
Appearance: Darker Amber with medium bubbles and the body is a bit hazy. Head is off-white with a slight orange tint.
Smell: Malts and wood.
Taste: Complex sweet and bitter wood notes and heavy malts. You can feel the citrus but won't hurt you, comes off pretty smooth.
Mouth: Medium bubbles and carbonation and average stickiness. Is a bit dry but sticky which is good.
Overall: Very good beer, especially for Election Day...no pun intended. Salud!
502 characters
4.31/5 rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.48/5 rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Rich and massively malty, with a jolt of hoppy citrus. Handsome golden amber brew with plenty of foam in the Rodenbach Grand Cru goblet. The aroma is all fruit and hops. Sweet and bitter.
A little bit of "ick" goes along with the sweet malt. Interesting, though. Faint sourish tang, like there's something wild lurking. Overall, it's a jolly Barleywine gone bad. Rather bitter aftertaste, just like the elections. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Ibis Market in San Diego.
476 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Rich and massively malty, with a jolt of hoppy citrus. Handsome golden amber brew with plenty of foam in the Rodenbach Grand Cru goblet. The aroma is all fruit and hops. Sweet and bitter.
A little bit of "ick" goes along with the sweet malt. Interesting, though. Faint sourish tang, like there's something wild lurking. Overall, it's a jolly Barleywine gone bad. Rather bitter aftertaste, just like the elections. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Ibis Market in San Diego.
476 characters
4.22/5 rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pumpkin orange body; creamy, dense head. Sweet, candied aroma; charred sugars. Fruity flavor balanced with crystal and caramel malt tones; savory hop bitterness complements it all. Heavy body; smooth and velvety; heavy yet blunt sweetness, finishing on a dry note.
I'd categorize this beer as an American strong ale. There is some fine hop things going on yet there is also some excellent malt flavors, too. Damn fine aroma and taste with a big, satisfying body. Worth the wait for the next election cycle...
509 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pumpkin orange body; creamy, dense head. Sweet, candied aroma; charred sugars. Fruity flavor balanced with crystal and caramel malt tones; savory hop bitterness complements it all. Heavy body; smooth and velvety; heavy yet blunt sweetness, finishing on a dry note.
I'd categorize this beer as an American strong ale. There is some fine hop things going on yet there is also some excellent malt flavors, too. Damn fine aroma and taste with a big, satisfying body. Worth the wait for the next election cycle...
509 characters
3.85/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.54/5 rDev -11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.75/5 rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev -6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Pours a clear copper color with an impressive head that stands three fingers tall; excellent retention and a nice pattern of lacing
Smell: Malt forward, with caramel, grains, earthy tones and tangerine peel
Taste: Quite malty, with caramel and grainy tones forward; through the middle, the tangerine peel and earthy tones build, creating an orange marmalade effect; earthy and resiny, through the finish
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate to high carbonation
Overall: This beer really verges on barleywine territory though it has an odd combination of powerful malt sweetness combined with an orange marmalade bitterness; I am not a big fan
663 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Pours a clear copper color with an impressive head that stands three fingers tall; excellent retention and a nice pattern of lacing
Smell: Malt forward, with caramel, grains, earthy tones and tangerine peel
Taste: Quite malty, with caramel and grainy tones forward; through the middle, the tangerine peel and earthy tones build, creating an orange marmalade effect; earthy and resiny, through the finish
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate to high carbonation
Overall: This beer really verges on barleywine territory though it has an odd combination of powerful malt sweetness combined with an orange marmalade bitterness; I am not a big fan
663 characters
4.2/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.5/5 rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Ale To The Chief from Avery Brewing Company
Beer rating:
4.02 out of
5 with
623 ratings
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