Old Grumbler
Avery Brewing Company

Old GrumblerOld Grumbler
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From:
Avery Brewing Company
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
Old Ale
ABV:
17.2%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.14 | pDev: 6.52%
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
25
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 07, 2022
Added:
Sep 17, 2019
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  3
A blend of 12-month and 24-month Rum Barrel-Aged Imperial Ales, begrudgingly here, in this bottle, and ready to wallop anyone who sets foot on his lawn. Hey, you! Stay outta my barrels!!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Franziskaner:
Photo of Franziskaner
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Brown in color with a lot of barrel sediment in the body. There’s a fingernail of brown around the rim. The aroma is of light rum and malt. I’m tasting lots of light rum and a heaping dose of malt. There’s also subtle notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The mouth is very warm and boozy.
Jul 29, 2020
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.4 by LeeryLeprechaun from Colorado

Dec 07, 2022
 
Rated: 4.25 by bigred89 from Maryland

Apr 30, 2022
 
Rated: 4.15 by Dope from Massachusetts

Mar 23, 2022
 
Rated: 4.4 by howardnss from Pennsylvania

Feb 14, 2022
Photo of bluejacket74
Reviewed by bluejacket74 from Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12 ounce bottle, bottled OCT 17 2019. Served in a Teku, the beer pours a reddish/copper color with about an inch light tan head that fizzled away quickly. Small amount of lacing. I like the aroma, it's mostly sweet and smells like rum, raisins, brown sugar, caramel and molasses. For the most part I think the taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some earthiness, honey, oak and a bit of boozy flavors too. As with the aroma, it's more of a sweet tasting brew but not overly sweet tasting. Mouthfeel/body is full, it's slick and a bit syrupy with a moderate amount of carbonation. If you're into rum barrel aged beers and/or Old Ales in general, then give this one a try. I thought it was good, wish I would have bought another bottle!
Jan 14, 2022
Photo of 40ontarget
Reviewed by 40ontarget from Colorado

3.79/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Bright orange copper color with about a finger of white head. The nose is RUM with its cane sugar and tropical fruit sneaking in. There is also woody honey and baking spices. The taste is again RUM with the cane sugar. I get caramel and trail mix with dried pineapple. There is ever present warm alcohol with a very sweet finish. This is medium bodied with a nice mild amount of carbonation. This beer is huge! It's a bit hot and the taste is quite like rum. I almost really like this but it's a bit too much.
Nov 25, 2021
 
Rated: 4.02 by PittBeerGirl from Ohio

Aug 25, 2021
 
Rated: 4.29 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona

Aug 13, 2021
 
Rated: 4.21 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

Jun 23, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by TylerJ from Iowa

Nov 05, 2020
Photo of CraftFan5
Reviewed by CraftFan5 from New Jersey

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
29 October 2020 - Beer #202

Price: $11.99 at Shangy's The Beer Authority in Emmaus, PA

Appearance: 4 - lighter than I expected. Noticeably orange in the light. Decent head.

Nose: 4 - there is A LOT of aroma here. Not all good, but definitely a lot. There's something here, like beef jerky. Smoky and spicy. Very interesting.

Taste: 4 - I guess it must be the rum. A lot of flavor here, including that jerky. Very boozy.

Mouth: 4 - not terribly thick. Again, boozy, but goes down pretty smooth.

Overall: 4 - a super interesting beer. Way up there in ABV, so sip slowly.

Cheers!
Nov 04, 2020
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12oz bottled Oct 17, 2019 (9 months ago) poured into an Avery snifter at around 45 degrees, 17.2% ABV. The beer pours bright mahogany in color with chestnut highlights and rapidly disappearing khaki head. There are a few single bubbles around the glass after 90 seconds and no lacing. The aroma is moderate in strength featuring rum, old leather, tobacco, prunes and antique books & wooden shelves. The taste is follows with sweet rummy molasses, tobacco, old barrels, toffee, dark fruit etc. with moderate alcohol bite and minimal bitterness on the finish. The mouthfeel is full bodied with less than medium carbonation and an undry finish. Overall, excellent, but I can handle my big British ales on the sweet side. I can see this being incredible in a few years, but it's ready to drink now.
Jul 20, 2020
 
Rated: 4.21 by StoutAtTheDevil from Alabama

Jul 17, 2020
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

3.92/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12 oz bottle, Oct 17 2019, 17.2%, into Thulsa Doom.

Has a very bright copper-honey color with a fleeting 1/4 finger of head. Ends on a very thin fingernail of bubbly lace.

Aroma is very sweet right off the bat, almost cloying. Sweet rum and brandy mix together, along with some slight old mushy dark fruit and raisins. I also get what smells like a fish market or oysters on ice. Definitely a funky fishy smell in there.

Flavor starts off with toffee, then raspberries (don't judge me), rubbing alcohol, some caramel and brown sugar, huge waves of hot brandy and rum, and a finish of liqueur candy and vanilla raspberry candy. The alcohol power here is nearly astringent and tastes like something you'd drink when you've just given up and want to die.

Feel is hot and burning of course, but cuts like a knife and then sticks to the tongue and sides of the mouth.

Overall, sipping this is like sipping vodka or rum. It's very akin to strong spirits, and tastes like it too. It was a bit much for me. I would give this to a liquor aficionado claiming they hate all beer - just to see what they say.

Price paid : $8.99 / bottle
Would buy again : no
Jul 17, 2020
 
Rated: 4.1 by dubnation from Kansas

May 18, 2020
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

4.32/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a medium to dark red orange with a thin, fizzy white head that dissipated to patches with a light ring around the glass. Aroma of caramel malt, raisins and rum. Flavor is candi malt, toffee, apple, light stone fruit and rum. Finishes with nice fruit esters; a bit boozy. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. A big fruit and rum forward strong ale. The overall profile reminds me of high octane wheatwines more than old ales; there is almost no biscuit character at all. That being said, this delivers everything I hope for in one of Avery's potent barrel aged ales: lots of flavor and interesting flavor progression, especially the fruit notes which pass fleetingly in different parts of the taste. The rum component is well handled and authentic. I like rum barreled big ales and I liked this one. These guys introduced me to massive ales (the Beast series) and have continued to deliver through the years. Kudos. This geezer will pummel anyone not sipping slowly.
Mar 31, 2020
Photo of avalon07
Reviewed by avalon07 from South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: Poured from a bottle to a snifter glass. Had a copper color and a mostly clear consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy, off white head that quickly dissipated. Some above average lacing.

S: A big boozy aroma of rum, wood, malt, light fruit, caramel, and honey.

T: Tasted of bit of caramel (a fleeting sweetness), some light malt notes (present, but overpowered by the other ingredients), lots of rum (and its accompanying barrel), some honey (lingers around the edges), a little apple, and some apricot as well. Like the aroma, the taste is big, aggressive, and complex. Very much delicious.

F: A below average amount of carbonation with a warm, syrupy finish. Medium- to full-bodied.

O: This beer isn't for everyone, but if you like them big and boozy, give it a shot. Drinkable.
Mar 08, 2020
 
Rated: 4.05 by BeerForMuscle from New Jersey

Feb 24, 2020
 
Rated: 3.12 by crobinso from Colorado

Feb 16, 2020
Old Grumbler from Avery Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 25 ratings