Eel River Brewing 'Twenty' 20th Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Triple Exultation Old Ale. Vintage 2015. 11% abv. 80 IBU. Dark ruby color. Hazy. Fine sediment. Finger of foamy beige head that falls fast to a sustaining collar. Fair retention, excellent lacing. 

Nose of molasses, bourbon, vanilla, sweet bread. Front taste is molasses, bourbon, roasted oak, pungent plum. Aftertaste is bourbon, raisin, plum, black coffee, pecans. Dry finish. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, boozy, astringent, thick, syrupy, sticky, clingy.

This is an extraordinary BBA brew, a decadent offering that demands moderate enjoyment. You don't chug this one. Rich, thick, tall, strong. Starts sweet, ends dry. Plenty of bourbon and oak as promised, bound by dark malty and fruity depths. Wonderful. This is what a BBA should be. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Our Triple Exultation Old Ale aged 6 months in single pass, white oak bourbon barrels. Rich notes of bourbon, toffee, toasted malt and ripe fruit balanced by an aroma reminiscent of vanilla, oak, molasses, and caramel."

[source: bottle]

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]

Morland Brewing 'Old Speckled Hen' English Fine Ale. 5.2% abv. Copper color. Two fingers of thick, dense white head, like soft ice cream. Outstanding retention and superb lacing. Nose of rich caramel malt, toffee, fresh bread. Front taste of sweet bread, malt, faint orange, mild fruity hops on the back. Aftertaste of sweet milk, toffee, mild bittersweet hop on the sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is rich, creamy, round, warm end note.

This is a classic, world-class brew. An old favorite. The nitro pour provides a rich head that stays creamy all the way down, with malty and mild candy sweet flavors throughout. Other flavors include mild fruit and sweet breads in the background, supporting the malt. Outstanding. A classic. Get it in the nitro can or on tap if you can manage. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"First brewed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the MG car factory and affectionately named after an old MG car used as a factory runaround, 'The Owld Speckled Un.' A finely balanced ale, with a smooth rich malty taste. Perfect with Sunday roasts, cured meats and cheese."

[source: can]

"If, like me, you like to hunt out a hen, well there are plenty of opportunities to find one. 'Old Speckled Hen' is in pubs and bars across the country in cask and also as a smooth version at 4.5% ABV. You can also enjoy ‘Old Speckled Hen’ in 500ml or 355ml bottles and 500ml cans at 5% ABV from all leading supermarkets and convenience outlets. And for the jet setters amongst us, you can even find it in 47 countries around the world, from Australia to the UAE. 'Old Speckled Hen' has a full, smooth flavour and is very easy to drink. Its rich amber colour and superb fruity aromas are complemented by a delicious blend of malty tastes. Toffee and malt combine with bitterness on the back of the tongue to give a balanced sweetness. This, all followed by a refreshingly dry finish."

[source: oldspeckledhen.co.uk]

Port Brewing 'Older Viscosity' Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. 12% abv. Black color. Finger of creamy mocha colored head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose of roasted malt, dark chocolate, bourbon notes on the end. Front taste of bittersweet dark chocolate, plum, vanilla, bourbon, toasted wood. Aftertaste of cocoa powder, raisins, dark fruit, strong bourbon sustain. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, rich, astringent.

This is an extraordinary imperial stout. The bourbon and mellow wood tastes come through largely in the aftertaste, setting the stage for the next sip. The dark roasty flavors run throughout, with notes of dried dark fruits. Outstanding beer. This is the barrel aged, bolder version of the excellent Old Viscosity. I was lucky to find it on tap, but would gladly try it from a bottle as well. I would even age a bottle and share it with a friend. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A bourbon barrel-aged version of our Imperial Stout Old Viscosity. Enormously rich but satisfying beer, Older Viscosity is 100% straight Bourbon barrel-aged for a minimum of 9 months, taking full advantage of our Oak Aging program, adding levels of complexity and depth. The beer starts off with a coating of rich malts and dark chocolate and finishes in a dry bittersweet ending balanced by a firm bitter tone and warming notes from the alcohol. Available in 375 ml cork finished bottles."

[source: portbrewing.com]

I enjoyed Older Viscosity with friends at Michelangelo's in Clovis, CA.

[photo source: portbrewing.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'Olde GnarlyWine'. 10.6% abv. 69.39 IBU. Deep red color with a finger of creamy tan head. Outstanding retention and exquisite lace. Nose of fruity hop bouquet, sweet citrus, orange, plum. Front taste of sweet orange peel, raisins, biscuit, toffee. Aftertaste of rich malt, caramel, brown sugar, floral-fruity hops, bitter grapefruit sustain. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, syrupy, creamy, carby, velvety, tangy.

This is an extraordinary, world-class beer, the one that helped give birth to their legendary Brown Shugga'. The aroma, flavor, and body are all complex and pleasing at every point. Complete package. The citrus is powerful without being crazy bitter, and the sugar-fruit combo is balanced very well, with an aftertaste that invites you for more. Incredible. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"The first sip is for thirst, the second one for pleasure. The third is for romance, and the fourth for pure madness... Since 1996, our Olde Gnarly Wine Ale has satisfied thirst, enhanced pleasure, and even encourages romance…. As for pure madness?? Try it. Let us know."

[source: lagunitas.com]

"Making a mondo ultra mega super premium barleywine ale is a little like having a kid. The first part is fun and messy, it takes a while to ferment, and a whole lot longer to mature. It is expensive and takes up a lot of space. You worry about how it will grow up and whether or not you'll still be friends. Eventually it stays out all night and comes home with its skirt on backwards. You know how it is. Usually we package our ales with in 15 days of brewing. This one we aged in tanks for over a month. Why not buy three? Drink one now, keep one in the fridge for a month, and one for another years! Yummy..."

[source: bottle]

Shipyard Brewing 'Old Thumper' Extra Special Ale. 5.6% abv. 35 IBU. Dark amber color. Thin white head. Moderate retention, excellent lace. Nose of caramel, honey, sweet malt. Front taste of caramel, sweet bread. Aftertaste of mild earthy hops, sweet light malt, yeasty sustain. Thin body. Mouthfeel is warm, thin, slightly sticky.

This is a nice malty beer with an easy-drinking body. It feels thinner that it tastes, similar to a low shilling Scotch ale. I enjoyed the flavors of this brew, but I prefer more body with a high malt profile, and more retention would have been nice. These notes are personal preference. You may very well enjoy the combination of easy-drinking body with a malty backbone. Try a bottle. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"A Beast of a Beer. Old Thumper Extra Special Ale was created by veteran British brewer, Peter Austin, founder of Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire, England and mentor to Shipyard’s master brewer is a non-traditional English bitter, brewed in the US solely by Shipyard."

[source: shipyard.com]

North Coast 'Old Stock Ale' 2014. 11.8% abv. 34 IBU. Deep ruby color with over a finger of thick creamy head. Excellent retention and outstanding lace. Nose of rich malt, herbal hops. Front taste of sweet malt, bright bitter herbal hops, toffee notes. Aftertaste of bitter hop bite over an earthy malty back. Big body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, bubbly.

This is an awesome beer, with a tall malt profile backed by a mix of ample bitter hops that lends itself to a more complex taste. Highly recommended.

According to the bottle, this beer is meant to be aged. Mine is about a year old and excellent. Last year, a member of my homebrew club shared a 12 oz. bottle of Old Stock Ale that had been sitting in his fridge for over four years. The taste was amazing, rich and indeed more mellow and smooth than from fresh, just as the brewery suggests. I encourage you to save a bottle of two to savor a year or so from now. It will be worth the wait.

From the brewery:

"Like a fine port, Old Stock Ale is intended to be laid down. With an original gravity of over 1.100 and a generous hopping rate, Old Stock Ale is well-designed to round out and mellow with age. It's brewed with classic Maris Otter malt and Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops, all imported from England."

[source: northcoastbrewing.com]

High Water Brewing 'Old And In The Way' Barleywine. 11% abv. 60 IBU. Dark brown, nearly black in color. Finger of beige head. Good retention and lace. Sweet nose of caramel, roasted malt, dark fruit. Front taste of roasted malt, prunes, toffee. Tastes wood-aged. Aftertaste is sweet-bitter, bitter hops, cooked dark berries, plums, raisins. Full body. Mouthfeel is thick, syrupy, strong, alcoholic.

This excellent beer swings for the fences with its rich malty backbone, big body, and aggressive rich, sweet fruity flavor profile. Roasty, malty, fruity, dark. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Old and In The Way Barley Wine Style Ale is brewed in the traditional English Barley Wine Style. Flavors of toffee, treacle and caramel emerge as the beer opens up. Enjoy this beer a little warmer to fully appreciate the depth and complexity of flavors in this beer. Brewed to be enjoyed as a sipping or fireside beer. Share one with a good friend."

Oskar Blues Brewing 'Old Chub' Nitro Scotch Ale. 8% abv. Big nitrogenated can beer. Strong nose of caramel. Rich clingy head as normal with nitro brews. Heavy malty taste, nutty, toffee, hop flavor on the front. Aftertaste is warm sugar, lingering hops. Full body. Sweet sticky mouthfeel.

This is one of those decadent Scotch Ales, kinda like a dessert beer, made more so by the creamy nitro head. A solid example of its category. The sweet malty profile is a little too dominant for my taste. Still, it was a taste that was instantly memorable, a nice treat that I would try again. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"This jaw-dropping Scottish strong ale is brewed with bodacious amounts of malted barley and specialty grains, and a dash of beechwood-smoked malt. Old Chub features semi-sweet flavors of cocoa and coffee, and a wee-bit of smoke. A head-turning treat for malt heads and folks who think they don’t dig dark beer."

Enjoying my Old Chub at Peeve's Pubic House