Old HLT
Allagash Brewing Company

Old HLTOld HLT
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Allagash Brewing Company
 
Maine, United States
Style:
Wild Ale
ABV:
8%
Score:
91
Avg:
4.07 | pDev: 9.83%
Reviews:
64
Ratings:
213
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 28, 2020
Added:
May 13, 2010
Wants:
  43
Gots:
  38
llagash Old HLT is an ale three years in the making. We started by brewing an amber colored beer consisting of Pilsner, Wheat and Munich malts and Belgian candi syrup. We then fermented the beer with our house yeast. After primary fermentation, it was transferred to our old hot liquor (water) tank to age on 2,000 lbs of fresh, tart Montmorency cherries from Michigan for two years. Old HLT was dosed with fresh yeast and sugar at packaging to ensure further complexity and a lively carbonation. The finished beer is a reddish copper hue with an aroma of ripened cherries, spice and a slight nuttiness. The tart cherry flavor is complimented by vanilla and the presence of malt. A sour, dry finish makes this beer refreshing and incredibly drinkable.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by pitasoup:
Photo of pitasoup
Reviewed by pitasoup from Tennessee

3.92/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
On tap at Dupont Paradisio for James Brown Night of the Funk

A: murky amber-rose-yellow gradient, low transparency and almost no head. looks like a solid block of sienna. even the edges are not transparent enough to show a shadow, despite the overall lightness of hue

S: tart funk, more brett L than C, cherries, wheat malts, oak, grassy barnyard, delicate florals, low carbonation makes it difficult to draw smells out. what does make it out is nice though

T: lactic and pedio tart, tannic, then cherries. unmalted wheat, grainy almost as if there were oats, then lots more sour. slight bit of sulfur and banana left on the tongue afterwards. as it warms, more pepper, spice, and floral notes come out. not as subtle as supplication, but a very comparable flavor profile overall.

M: light-medium body, tannic almost astringent mouthfeel that finishes dry and dusty, the least likeable part of the beer

O: quite nice overall, but as far as cherry/kriek wild ales go, schaerse and supplication are far tastier, imo. it could use more barnyard stinky funk and less of the grapepeel dry funk. glad to have tasted, but also glad not to know that i'd rather not seek out a bottle.
May 04, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of maddogruss
Reviewed by maddogruss from New Jersey

3.49/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Based on notes from 2012. Had on draft.

A: pours dark amber body with small white head with nice retention and lacing
S: sour smelling beer; band-aid?
T: tastes like prosciutto; somewhat salty and definitely and spit aftertaste
M: medium bodied and somewhat smooth; decent
D: ok mouthfeel and taste combo; pretty sour beer, but pretty mellow beer overall
Feb 28, 2020
 
Rated: 4.05 by mltobin from Connecticut

Jun 04, 2019
 
Rated: 4.29 by AMCimpi from New York

Dec 28, 2018
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

4.02/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Another gem brought by james. Pours red and light brown. Compared to the balaton coolship, this was a more candied cherry aroma, more sweet, less tart, sour, bitter and bright respectively but with an earthy funk that the other did not.

Taste is also similar to the nose in that this leaned a little sweeter variety or medley of cherries. A light brett with it. Oak isn't as dry. The sweetness again taking away from that. I don't mean to make it sound like this is a sweet beer, it isn't, its just sweeter than the balaton, in terms of the cherries used. The base seems a tad bit soft, they used a deft touch. Hid alcohol pretty good.
Mar 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4.03 by Brew33 from Ohio

Aug 24, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by unclekeith from Alaska

Aug 12, 2016
Photo of Jason
Reviewed by Jason from Massachusetts

4.07/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
375ml brown bottle, sample from the brewery.

Tawny hue, very clear. Minimal lacing. Smells of ripe cherries, fermented candi sugar, toasted grain, alcoholic esters, and a bit of clean phenols. Dry and crisp with a little bit of body, lots of tart cherry flavor that goes jammy in the finish. Warming alcohol, complex toasted and cracker-like graininess. Flavors seem to go back and forth and with each sip another level of complexity opens. Another winner from Allagash, lets hope this brew it again.
Aug 10, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by rodmanfor3 from Vermont

Jun 09, 2016
 
Rated: 4.31 by parris from Massachusetts

Mar 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.98 by BMart from Pennsylvania

Oct 02, 2015
Photo of Davepoolesque
Reviewed by Davepoolesque from Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Picked this up on my first trip to Allagash back in 2011. Sour cherries, oak, lacto and brett. Smells much more sour than it is. Very restrained, but has a great cherry flavor. Super short finish. Lots of carb, great mouthfeel. Not too bad.
Sep 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4.19 by dfhhead25 from Pennsylvania

Sep 14, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by threedaggers from Kentucky

Aug 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.18 by 7Sport from Massachusetts

Jul 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by boredalready from Massachusetts

Jun 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.16 by Mike from New Hampshire

Jun 04, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by fthegiants from California

Mar 22, 2015
Photo of gcamparone
Reviewed by gcamparone from Rhode Island

4.49/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 12.7oz bottle into an Allagash stemmed glass. Acquired in a trade with ChrisInRI, thank you!

Pours a deep, hazy, brick red body with a small fizzy white head that reduces quickly to leave little lacing and no retention. Very nice color.

Aromas are potent and inviting - lots of cherries coming through, very Kriek-like, tart fruityness, lactic sourness.

On the tongue, the first notes to come through are a light cherry, tart fruitskins, funky barnyard, saisony yeast, musty basement, lemon juice, light banana, with an acidic astringency left on the tongue on the finish. Medium-high carbonation, medium body. No alcohol detected for 8%.

Very nice, complex and flavorful, nicely balanced and tart.
Mar 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.76 by SierraFlight from Virginia

Feb 21, 2015
Old HLT from Allagash Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 213 ratings