Thomas Hardy's Ale (2003 - 2008)
Hanlons Brewery in Exeter, Devon, England 🏴
Traditional Beer - Old Ale Regular Out of Production|
Score
7.93
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Scarce, subtle and complex, Thomas Hardy’s Ale is the beer enthusiast’s equivalent of rare cognac. Bottle-conditioned to mature in the bottle like fine wine, this old ale/barley wine will improve with age for at least 26 years (and we’re still counting!). Not for the faint of palate, especially when young and brash, maturity brings an elegance of flavors unmatched by any other beer—if you have the patience to cellar it for at least a decade.
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6.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
2008 vintage from Sherbrooke Liquor, Edition #47228. No idea this was already 6 years old! Pours murky muddy brown with zero head - of course, it’s a barley wine. Strong alcohol smell on the nose with fruits and some nuttiness trying to come through. Flavour starts as licorice with hazelnut and caramel. Solid, thick mouthfeel. I’ve had better barleywines but this is still quite nice - maybe next time I’ll cellar a bottle for 4 more years.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Apr 2014
at 11:57
7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Lukt: Duft av karamell og frukter.
Utseende: Dunekl rødbrun farge.
Skum/kullsyre: Ikke skum.
Smak: Fin kraftig smak av karmell, frukter og noe krydder.
Hvor: Drukket@Kontoret, Bergen
Medium: Flaske@250ml, ABV@11,7%, Når@26.12.2014
Kommentar: 2008 no. T 01089 Version
Tidlidere drukket og rated på@Melkebaren, Sandes, 13.Apr.2014
Tidligere ratiing@Duft av karamell. Rødbrun farge. Ingen skum. Smak av malt og noe søtlig smak. 2006 versjonen
Tidligere karaktere@64538 - Totalt 2.6
Utseende: Dunekl rødbrun farge.
Skum/kullsyre: Ikke skum.
Smak: Fin kraftig smak av karmell, frukter og noe krydder.
Hvor: Drukket@Kontoret, Bergen
Medium: Flaske@250ml, ABV@11,7%, Når@26.12.2014
Kommentar: 2008 no. T 01089 Version
Tidlidere drukket og rated på@Melkebaren, Sandes, 13.Apr.2014
Tidligere ratiing@Duft av karamell. Rødbrun farge. Ingen skum. Smak av malt og noe søtlig smak. 2006 versjonen
Tidligere karaktere@64538 - Totalt 2.6
Tried
on 13 Mar 2014
at 14:45
9/10
About a 4.3 for this O'Hanlon brewed version. Still, a mighty fine drop.
Tried
on 24 Feb 2014
at 17:17
8.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9.5
8.5 FL OZ Bottle, year 2005, P48388. After the excess of New Years Eve I thought I’d slow down a bit and have a couple of beers to savour. I’ve been saving this for a rainy day and on 1st Jan 2014 it’s honking down in Shropshire. Poured into a Chimay chalice it produced no head and looked very Port like, a lot of Port actually. The aroma and taste are so ’un-beer’: Sherry and Port more than a Barley Wine, sweet, very sweet. Reminded me of that uber sweet Cypriot Commandaria St John I used to gulp years ago. A lovely 1st beer of 2014.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Jan 2014
at 13:41
7.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle at home, 2004 Vintage No. P42438 - big thanks to an IP trade with Ronny (rlgk), 29/12/13. Opaque dark mahogony brown with zero headwork - just a few stray bubbles clinging to the edge of the glass. Nose is dark berry fruits, sugars, burnt caramel, sherry notes, charred wood, brown sugars, light oxidisation but nothing enough to spoil the show. Taste comprises rich fruit cake mix, caramelised raisens, tobacco, light booze, muscavado sugars, dates, stewed prunes. Full bodied, fine to limited carbonation, sweetish dry finale. A rich and complex barley wine, this is holding up well and will certainly age further. Good balance of rich fruit and sugars, the latter doesn’t overwhelm and the booze shows itself a little but is ultimately well disguised.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Dec 2013
at 10:34
8.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Bottle. 2006 vintage. Light hazy deep brown liquid with minimal off-white head. Aroma of raw sugar, dried fruit, toffee, bread, nuts, chocolate, port wine and earth. Taste is light to medium sweet and light bitter with notes of dried fruit, raw sugar and caramel. Full bodied with virtually no carbonation. Very sticky. Smells awesome, really balanced. A classic.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Dec 2013
at 15:22
8.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
2003 Vintage. Aroma is very sweet with lots and lots of raisins. Also some dried fruits, caramel and sugary notes. Flavour is lots of caramel, some sugar and fruity notes. Warming alcohol in the finish. 8-5-8-4-14 2006 + 2008 VIntages. Dark brown pours. Loads of raisin here too, big caramel, fudge and dried fruit. Super well balanced. No booze at all. Stellar! 8-4-9-5-17
Tried
on 11 Dec 2013
at 04:05
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle shared with friends. The aroma is big rich boozy alcohol, raisins, molasses and marmite. The flavour is medium sweet with a big malty wood liqourice alcohol palate. Full bodied with an oily texture and no carbonation at all.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Nov 2013
at 13:42
8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle shared from a non-ratebeer friend. Pours hazy amber brown with a tiny ring bubble beige head. Aroma of raisins, soy, molasses, overripe fruit, prunes. Flavour is heavy sweet and moderate bitter, marmite coming out in the palete. Full bodied with soft carbonation.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Nov 2013
at 13:40
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
33cl bottle via a friend vintage 2005. Raisin aroma. No head or carbination. Very smooth. An awesome brew.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Nov 2013
at 13:34