Ankles Breaker
White Pony Microbrewery

 

 

Label states “imported in the USA by Intertrade USA Co.” which frankly sounds made up, and the best by date (BBD) is notched 12, 20.

Reddish chestnut amber tone, a finger of tan foam, spotty lace. Aroma of old minty hops, earthy clay, oxidation. Swirling it smells like stewed greens. Taste is mellow, a little oxidized, watery without much flavor at all, mildly resinous aftertaste. Slightly spicy, mellow grains. Overall pretty dull, it seems past it’s prime but luckily not a total drainpour.

Yes that is Ankles Breaker, with an S.

I rather enjoyed White Pony's Automated Heart Patterns, and so I imported more of their stuff from a Belgian seller (even though the brewery is Italian).

This seems much less stylistically adventurous than AHP--just a straightforward, high ABV American barleywine

The pour is pretty: dark brown-red, filtered, with an impressively fizzy body considering its elevated ABV.

Aroma is somewhat tame and surprisingly bright. Zippy grain and medium hops. No heaviness nor booziness.

Flavor is likewise surprisingly bright and crisp. Sweet malt, some bright vinous nodes, and then some moderately heavy grain and mild booze on the back end.

Aside from being dangerously drinkable, this is a pretty straightforward iteration of the style. It's good, but probably not worth seeking out unless you are an especial fan of American BW's.

330 ml bottle into a tulip snifter. Best by 12/2020, had 1/27/19.

Pours a light amber, a little cloudy, with a half inch foamy head and some foamy lacing. Aromas of malt, toffee, light grapes and cherries, light caramel, some pine as it warms. Has a fairly sweet aroma overall. The flavor is malt, grapes, some rye and caramel, pine as it warms. Has a fair amount of hop bitterness that’s a little herbal. It’s a bit harsh, with a light and thin body for the style- for any style almost, appropriately carbonated.

Not much here to cheer about, it was all downhill after the look. Will give points for trying to make a barleywine with rye, but overall, it’s not worth your time or money, unless you got it on closeout like I did.

 

 

 

This is my first from White Pony and I must say that the brewery is more interesting than Ankles Breaker.
Midway in small town between Venice and Verona, this microbrewery (with a brewpub in Verona) has moxie and passion as seen on their website. You gotta love that. They produce beers in the Belgian and English traditions... and usually the hardest styles to achieve (quads and barleywines respectively.) So, they are fearless brewers.

Ankles Breaker Looks good (a nice ruby-amber) and then slips. Smells are slight and average. But it Tastes like an over-hopped malty ale and is so raspy (perhaps made so partially by the rye) in the finish that it totally makes dessert seem unappetizing. The best barleywines should be a substitute for dessert... or pair well with it. Ankles Breaker's hops (and probably rye) does not allow it to do either.

It is very rare that I have an Italian beer twice. They usually are not a good price/quality ratio. Can't remember the price here, but I will not have Ankle Breakers again.

 

 

Pours a disaster orange with plenty of carbonation. A one-finger, creamy off-white head.
Taste of fig and orange, toffee and malttaste of Carmel maltup front. A little roasted nut and bitter hop.l that resonates. Slight medicine taste
Fairly smooth with some booziness..