Greene King 'Olde Suffolk' English Ale

Greene King 'Olde Suffolk' English Ale. 6% abv. Dark brown, red hues when held to light. Finger of foamy small-bead beige head. Good retention and lacing. Nose of caramel, sweet dark fruit. Front taste is heavy malt, toffee, toasted oak, sweet spice on the back end. Aftertaste of bittersweet stone fruit, notes of wood and spice, slightly toasty sustain. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, carby, with a sweet finish.

This is an excellent beer, one that is decedent, malty, and rich. The aroma suggests think ribbons of caramel and fruit tones, and the taste surely delivers, offering some spice and oak underneath. My only nitpick is that I would have liked more of the oak aging to come through. I realize this is a blend, but I still kept looking for more wood in the flavor profile. A minor criticism for an otherwise worldly beer.

I first had Olde Suffolk many years ago, before barrel aging became big in America, and although it is thin compared to other barrel beers today, it still holds up. And although it is a blend and not entirely barrel aged, it has that full body and creamy mouthfeel I've come to expect from a good wood-aged brew. A classic. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A blend of classic ales, one aged in oak for two years. Brew in limited quantities. This vintage ale is dark and intense, almost ruby in colour with an appetising spicy, fruitcake aroma. This full-bodies ale combines flavours of oak, caramel and burnt toffee that will march across the palate. This award winning beer is both satisfying and rewarding and can also be the ideal accompaniment to mature English cheese."

[source: bottle]