Old Numbskull - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
AleSmith Brewing Company

Old Numbskull - Bourbon Barrel-AgedOld Numbskull - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
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From:
AleSmith Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Barleywine
Ranked #21
ABV:
11%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,341
Avg:
4.3 | pDev: 7.44%
Reviews:
105
Ratings:
453
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 04, 2024
Added:
Dec 13, 2004
Wants:
  376
Gots:
  107
A West Coast style barleywine. A huge malt profile and a very aggressive dose of premium domestic hops give Old Numbskull a tantalizing complexity, from the aroma to the aftertaste. A year spent in bourbon barrels adds amazing depth and complexity.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by starrdogg:
Photo of starrdogg
Rated by starrdogg from District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%

Mar 17, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of Chuckdiesel24
Rated by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

4/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
2018 on tap
Feb 04, 2024
Photo of TooManyGlasses
Reviewed by TooManyGlasses from Canada (AB)

4.32/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2020 Vintage from 2 pack at brewery - 11.2 ounce bottle clocking in a a whopping 15.8% ABV.
Pours a muddy reddish brown with scant thin tan head.
Aroma is plummy at the jump, but then big notes of caramel, toffee, raisin, bourbon, dark fruits, molasses - a bit of vanilla and an earthy hop note.
Taste starts sweet - caramel malt, toffee, brown sugar, raisin, and dark fruits with bourbon - gentle earthy hop bitterness with a bit of a burnt caramel note.
Sweet and boozy but not cloying or hot (though my esophagus felt the 15+%) - sweet side of bittersweet finish.
Jul 07, 2023
Photo of Orca
Reviewed by Orca from Washington

4.24/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
750mL bottle (vintage 2013) into a tulip. Pours a clear, deep brown/mahogany with a thin khaki head, slow carbonation.

Aroma is a nice blend of brown sugar, caramel, toffee, vanilla, booze. Sweet and malty.

Taste follows nose. Sweet, bready, malty. Very light bitterness. Warm bourbon on the finish.

Mouthfeel is slick and a bit sticky—body on the heavy side of medium. Drinkable.

Overall, this is regular Old Numbskull kicked up a notch. Straightforward, solid, well crafted.
Jun 09, 2023
Photo of mntlover
Reviewed by mntlover from Tennessee

4.39/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Pours a deep burgundy small tan head falls fast no real lace.

Aroma is big chewy caramel malts, toffee, good bourbon notes. Brown sugars, vanilla light alcohol notes that blend well.

Taste follows the nose, big chewy malts, caramel malts, toffee, dark cherries good bourbon notes, vanilla, oak, deep dank hops. Rich old fashioned Barley Wine.

Mouthfeel is big chewy malts, medium label carbonation.

Overall is a big nice barrel aged Barley Wine.
May 04, 2022
Photo of Gatch
Reviewed by Gatch from Massachusetts

4.63/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Somehow got my hands on a 2013 Reserve bottle, consumed on Hallows Eve 2021. Most of the qualities of an American Barleywine have faded at this point, so it’s all bourbon and barrel and wood and booze. Incredible dessert beer; it aged so well. Bravo AleSmith!
Nov 01, 2021
 
Rated: 4.25 by TylerJ from Iowa

Apr 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.28 by cd34 from Illinois

Aug 01, 2020
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

4.34/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From the growler via Jungle Jim's Eastgate-2016 vintage-and
enjoyed in a snifter. This mighty fine BBB (?!?hmmmm) pours a
dark red tinged mahogany with a decent head of off white foam that
settles to thick ring and light dusty film. Nose of bourbon, cherries,
brown sugars, vanilla, faint oak, and toffee. Flavors excel by an
excellent presentation of bourbon and vanilla notes that are
mellow and balanced with brown sugars, toffee, cherry, brandy
notes, and touches of leather and tobacco with wafts of toast.
Very nice mouth feel; medium body, light near faint carbonation,
and a rich warming finish that is subtly dry and sweet.

Overall, a true WOW of a brew......ahem...$40 a growler, but
it is worth it!

Cheers
Apr 18, 2020
 
Rated: 4.37 by Hopelessly0 from California

May 14, 2019
 
Rated: 4.28 by shelby415 from Oregon

Apr 07, 2019
 
Rated: 4.59 by stephenlee from England

Jan 31, 2019
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

4.16/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours a brown color with a tan head 1/4". Aroma transforms in the barrel, instead of hops, now its like it magically transformed to an Old Ale or English Barleywine. You get a good amount of malty otterness and bourbon in a rich way.

Taste packs a massive amount of toffee and caramel underneath a boozy undercoating you don't even have to ask your manager about. The year long aging in the barrel seems just right, the bourbon is strong, but not so strong itenvelopes everything else about the beer. Sweet tandem bike ride bruh. Starts to pull some dark fruit notes, I didn't see that coming. This beer really transforms in the barrel. Swear it seems like they made a different barleywine for this one. The hop flavor and bitterness seems to just vanish. Gonna be hard to crush the last bottle of this hiding away.
Jan 03, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by smartassboiler from Illinois

Nov 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.11 by 7irondave from Massachusetts

Nov 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by NickThePyro from Washington

Oct 09, 2018
 
Rated: 4.31 by StoutSnob40 from California

Sep 23, 2018
Photo of emyers
Reviewed by emyers from Illinois

4.41/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2016 vintage. 750 mL bottle poured into a snifter.

Pours brown color with a thin white head.

Nose: sweet caramel up front followed by oak, bourbon, and a bit of alcohol.

Taste: bourbon and sweet caramel up front. Finish is sweet with a touch of alcohol heat.

Feel: full-bodied, rich. Medium-low carbonation.
Jul 28, 2018
Photo of dafla67
Reviewed by dafla67 from Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Drank at the brewery. Pours a deep red/amber color. The smell is of caramel and dark fruits. The taste is complex with the caramel, fruits, vanilla and bourbon at the end. The bourbon lingers nicely. The feel is pretty heavy and creamy.
Jul 06, 2018
 
Rated: 4.31 by Wisconsin_IPA_Lover from Wisconsin

May 15, 2018
Old Numbskull - Bourbon Barrel-Aged from AleSmith Brewing Company
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 453 ratings