Partner Ships: Olde Ale
Heavy Seas Beer

 

 

 

 

 

Just finished my last bottle and I have to say that this one was better fresh.

Since they brewed this one I have had it in bottles, on tap, from the cask and growler fills and I believe it was best from anywhere from a couple of days old to around six months. After that the rich molasses started to tail off and oxidation began to build.

Dark, rich and sweet but not cloying, I really enjoyed it early on and went through quite a bit. I hope HS and Union will revisit this one, a really good Olde Ale that strangely doesn't age well.

Aroma is all molasses.

Very dark brown in color with a nice brown rocky head.

Molasses, oxidized,

Dry finish. Too dry for the style. Thin. None of that oxidized aftertaste.

 

 

From the 22 oz bottle in a snifter. This nice olde ale pours a
rugged and deep dark murky brown with a red tinged cola
highlight and a thick head of off white foam that settles to a
thick ring, slight pooling layer, and subtle light lacing. Nose of
toffee, light chocolate notes, brown sugars, light spice notes that
show faint cinnamon, light herbal hops, rich and earthy yeast notes,
and a touch of raisin and grape note with subtle breaded malt notes.
Flavors hit the right stance and equal the nose with light chocolate tossed
into a myriad of brown sugar and light date flavors dashed with light yeast
notes that are earthy and rich with light herbal hops and subtle spice touched
ever slightly with tobacco and warming booze. Excellent mouth feel; medium
full body, warming, inviting, and a boozy sweet finish that is balanced by herbal
hop notes.

A fantastic Olde Ale that exceeds the expectations.

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

 

**
04/23/2017
On tap at Blend.

LOOK: black brown, small lacey head,
AROMA: malt, wine, mold, dates.
TASTE: wine, oak, mineral.
FEEL: pretty thin.

Ok.
**

22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled on 12/1/2016. Pours cruystal clear very dark ruby/brown color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, toffee, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, coffee, molasses, raisin, plum, fig, date, pear, apple, cherry, red grape, herbal, pepper, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/bready/light roasted malts, brown sugar, and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with great strength. Taste of huge caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, toffee, and nuttiness; with lighter notes of chocolate, cocoa, coffee, molasses, raisin, plum, fig, date, pear, apple, cherry, red grape, herbal, pepper, and yeast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal/spicy hop and roast bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, brown bread, toasted biscuit, toffee, nuttiness, light chocolate/cocoa, dark fruit, herbal, and yeast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malts, brown sugar, and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Slightly drying from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium full body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, and slightly sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 8.5%. Overall this is an awesome old ale! All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/bready/light roasted malts, brown sugar, and light-moderate fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV. Wonderful malt complexity, with complimenting yeast character and balancing hop bitterness. The brown sugar works perfectly with the malt profile. A really delicious offering, and spot on style example.

Growler into pint glass. Pours a clear,deep reddish-brown color with virtually no head. Initial impression is dark fruits, molasses, roasted nuts, and a touch of caramel. It's sweet, but not offensively so. Alcohol is fairly well hidden. Mouthfeel is medium-heavy - just about perfect for the style. Carbonation is on the light side - again, spot on for an old ale. Finish is dry.
Kind of like a barleywine in many respects, but lower alcohol. Quite enjoyable.