Older Nails
Sapwood Cellars Brewery
- From:
- Sapwood Cellars Brewery
- Maryland, United States
- Style:
- Wild Ale
- ABV:
- 12.2%
- Score:
- +9 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 3.73 | pDev: 0%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Apr 10, 2026
- Added:
- Feb 28, 2026
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
Strong Sour Ale Aged in an Oak Barrel
In 2020 we emptied two bourbon barrels of their resident Imperial Stouts and refilled them with a peculiar base beer inspired by English Stock Ale and Belgian Oud Bruin. The residual stout adds a subtle roast to the aromas of fig from the malt, leather from the house culture, and vanilla from the oak. We suggest serving at 50-60°F from a snifter, to accentuate the balance of mild acidity, caramel sweetness, and red fruitiness.
Brewed: 4/13/20 - Bottled: 10/13/22
Final pH: 3.75 - Cellar Up To: 3 years
Bottle Count: 708 - 1 Pint .9 fl oz/500 ml
In 2020 we emptied two bourbon barrels of their resident Imperial Stouts and refilled them with a peculiar base beer inspired by English Stock Ale and Belgian Oud Bruin. The residual stout adds a subtle roast to the aromas of fig from the malt, leather from the house culture, and vanilla from the oak. We suggest serving at 50-60°F from a snifter, to accentuate the balance of mild acidity, caramel sweetness, and red fruitiness.
Brewed: 4/13/20 - Bottled: 10/13/22
Final pH: 3.75 - Cellar Up To: 3 years
Bottle Count: 708 - 1 Pint .9 fl oz/500 ml
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey
3.73/5 rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
(500 ml corked bottle; purchased at the brewery 6 weeks ago... poured into a Sapwood stemless wine glass)
L: very deep dark liquid with chestnut highlights, little-to-no foam... still, no collar, not long in... not much to look at
S: kind of like PX sherry... kind of like an old dark Harvest Ale... malty, old... slight hint of hoisin... smells more like my idea of an old ale than any other 'old ale' I've had, maybe aside from Gale's.... rather woody... wanting more sharpness, expression from the wilds
T: the 'wild' part leaps out upon first sip, bit of a malt vinegar and dry PX hybrid... the underlying malt is rather thick with some mid-dark crusty crystal malt (toffee-ish?) poking out in the aftertaste, some latent nuttiness too... some (cinnamon?) spice and goji berry late into it; I hope I'm ok... a lot of jagged angles, things going in divergent directions, no cohesion
F: the booze builds a warmth at the back of the palate, moderate sourness (not quite puckering) tingling the top... delicate oily drag in the finish, the viscosity of which dissipates over time... silky, stinging, tangy; more impact from sensation than flavors here
O: I suppose it's close to what I'd expected... as I'd mentioned, this might be the closest thing I've had to my romantic idea of an Old Ale, if a bit nascent in its construction, execution, creative development... glad I tried it (2539)
Apr 10, 2026L: very deep dark liquid with chestnut highlights, little-to-no foam... still, no collar, not long in... not much to look at
S: kind of like PX sherry... kind of like an old dark Harvest Ale... malty, old... slight hint of hoisin... smells more like my idea of an old ale than any other 'old ale' I've had, maybe aside from Gale's.... rather woody... wanting more sharpness, expression from the wilds
T: the 'wild' part leaps out upon first sip, bit of a malt vinegar and dry PX hybrid... the underlying malt is rather thick with some mid-dark crusty crystal malt (toffee-ish?) poking out in the aftertaste, some latent nuttiness too... some (cinnamon?) spice and goji berry late into it; I hope I'm ok... a lot of jagged angles, things going in divergent directions, no cohesion
F: the booze builds a warmth at the back of the palate, moderate sourness (not quite puckering) tingling the top... delicate oily drag in the finish, the viscosity of which dissipates over time... silky, stinging, tangy; more impact from sensation than flavors here
O: I suppose it's close to what I'd expected... as I'd mentioned, this might be the closest thing I've had to my romantic idea of an Old Ale, if a bit nascent in its construction, execution, creative development... glad I tried it (2539)
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