Old Ale
Zero Gravity Craft Brewery

 

On tap at McGillicuddy’s, Five Corners. This was poured into a pint glass. The appearance was a dark rich orange to brown color with a bar pour’s kind of slim white head that moderates a sly filmy lace. The aroma took in rich nutty to caramel to toffee malts freely flowing into some sweet grassy hops. Super low bitterness from the hops. The flavor yields to the malts, flowing into a rich sweet nutty robust favor. Tickle of the malts sliding on into the aftertaste and finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fair sessionability about it. Sly tickle of the malts sliding in the back of the throat. Low carbonation. Sly stickiness. Overall, pretty good old ale for the most malt, nice and thick maltiness seemed good for the style, but it does lack some of that "tobacco"-ey hops I usually like in this style. Still, I could come back to.

On tap at the brewery. Clear amber body. Smells of caramel malt. Fruity. Bready. Tastes fruity, bready, and a little sweet. Medium body. Low carbonation. Simple and tasty.

 

Zero Gravity Craft Brewery "Old Ale"
on tap at the Pine St. brewery on 6 June 2016
$4/snifter
2014 keg

Hazy ruby mahogany body beneath a light tan head that drops readily to an average collar. Spotty lacing is left behind with each sip. Caramel-malt nose. Flavor brings fruit (apple, pear, minor banana?, dark skinned fruits) and leafy, grassy, and floral hops towards the finish. Its well balanced and the alcohol doesn't show. A firm bitterness anchors it, and it finishes dry as the malt quickly erodes and lingering hops rise.

Enjoyed a 1 year old version on cask, remarkable feel!
Notes of dark fruit, caramel. light roasted malts .
Exquisite in its complexity. This is a late night sipper.
Cheers

 

On tap at American Flatbread, Burlington, VT.

Served in a small goblet, foggy, mahogany color, a small khaki head fades pretty quickly. Some legs on the glass. Aroma of caramel and dark fruits. Taste of raisins and figs, caramel malt, slight boozy kick, earthy hops just barely noticeable. Medium body, filmy mouthfeel, but a decent drinker overall.

 

Red-amber with good clarity. Dense head. Dried fruit and rich malts. Lightly sweet. Molasses. Raisins. Low carbonation, medium body.

A: 4.25, S: 3.5, T: 4, M: 4, O: 4

 

 

 

 

On tap at the source.
Pours a reddish brown color with a creamy beige head that fades quickly. Smells of brown sugar, caramel, lightly fruity with a hint of chocolate. Taste is mostly brown sugar and caramel but does have a touch of ethanol and some chocolate. Medium body and carbonation level with a sweet almost cloying mouthfeel. I find old ales hard to do well, sometime they feel like extract based home brewed beers because of the caramelization that is almost a trademark of the style. I found this one only ok and my least favorite beer of the bunch.

 

 

On cask poured into a tulip for Real Ale Regalia.

Pours a very dark mahogany brown with hints of red. It has a small light head that fades quickly. Nose is a bit spicy and malty, there's a tinge of alcohol but it's not strong.

Taste is quite complex, lots of dark fruits and chewy malt, there's a nice creamy mouthfeel with light carbonation. It's a very nice sipping beer and was a great way to end the night.

"Well-aged Old Ale brewed in the tradition of Old Tom's Strong Ale of England. All British Ingredients. 6.3%"

Like the Gruit I tried, this was thin bodied. Better hopped than many Old Ales (which I prefer) both to the nose and palate, although the latter seems to be more balanced. Pours quite cloudy. Overall, tasty but unremarkable.

Once again I ended up at AmFlat to drink myself silly and drink the panties off a lovely kitten. Off their tap this winter '08 version of their rotating Old Ale was a murky, copper color with visible sediment. The head was two-fingers thick, tan and displayed both good retention and good lacing. The aroma was lightly sweet and tart with generous malt and some citrusy hops notes. The flavors were surprisingly dry, starting with a spicy note like white pepper it then went to doughy malt, a touch of caramel malt and then into dry grains and hoppy bitterness for the finish. It was almost as though the malt and hops were working against rather than with each other because the flavors seemed so neutralized. The mouthfeel was chewy and the body medium/full, the carbonation light. Sadly, forgettable.