Gales Prize Old Ale (2004)

Prize Old Ale (2004)
(Batch of Prize Old Ale (1920s - 2006))

 

Gales in Horndean, Hampshire, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

  Traditional Beer - Old Ale Special Out of Production
Score
7.23
ABV: 9.0% IBU: - Ticks: 122 Ticks (all batches): 123
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7.3/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Backlog March 2009, 2004 vintage. Amber with no head. Aroma has caramel, raisins, dry fruit and acidity. Taste is very sweet with malt, dry fruit, Sherry, cellar notes and slightly sour, alcoholic finish. Fine body, long lasting aftertaste. Quite nice, but more a really interesting brew.
Tried on 11 Apr 2026 at 15:51

8.8/10 Appearance 10 Aroma 9 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 9
(275 ml corked bottle, bought at Borough Market, London.) Bottled in 2004 (I couldn’t wait). Dark copper colour, slightly hazy, large tan head. Intense and beguiling aroma of raspberries and blackberries, spices, oak and vintage port wine or sherry. Flavour is a bit raw in the edges, as expected for a bottle this fresh. There’s plenty of sweet (but not cloying) flavour elements of malts, caramel, raisins, plum pudding, spices and old sherry. Just enough hops to stand up to the sweetness. Warming mouthfeel - I suspect the ABV had already crept well above the stated 9%. This beer really is something special! Now, I wish I had a few more bottles available for cellaring - and the character to keep them for a few years!
Tried from Bottle on 03 Jan 2005 at 15:19