Olde Ale - Barrel-Aged
AleSmith Brewing Company in San Diego, California, United States 🇺🇸
Traditional Beer - Old Ale Rotating Out of Production|
Score
8.04
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Rich with intense notes akin to toffee, molasses, figs and dark berries, our critically acclaimed AleSmith Olde Ale is hardy and complex all on its own. But after lengthy sequestering in wood barrels which formerly housed bourbon whiskey, lovely accents of vanilla, toasted oak and dark caramel winnow their way into the mix, making this standout beer all the more extraordinary.
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8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 9
Overall 8.5
Dark brown. Minimal head. Deep, rich fruitiness on the nose. Dates, bourbon, stewed peach, sirop de Liege. Big, rich body, again a lot of barrel. Great depth on this, what a fantastic beer.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Feb 2026
at 16:59
8.5/10
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Appearance 9
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
16oz can from Alesmith. Nose is oak, vanilla caramels, toffee, biscuits, and a hint of bourbon. Very dark, obscure except on the edges, hazy brown with a medium tan head. Flavor is lightly sweet with a smoothness I find in really expensive wheated or rye whiskey.
Tried
from Can
at
AleSmith Brewing Company
on 12 Jan 2026
at 01:19
9.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
brown colour, minimla beige lacing; aroma of dark chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, dried sour cherry, vanilla and bourbon whisky notes; taste has the same notes with some burnt bittery and syrupy-caramel notes; great one!
Tried
on 30 Dec 2023
at 13:07
9.1/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
0.75l bottle thanks to Lore. Black body with a thin light brown head. Aroma and taste of chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, oak, caramel and some burnt sugar. Full bodied with a silky texture. Great one.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Dec 2023
at 13:06
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
750ml @ Black Christmas 2023 at Heritage Hall. Appearance: dark copper with a beige head. Aroma: American oak, dark fruits, booze. Taste: along the same lines, more on American oak side with some dark fruits. Overall: good one.
Tried
from Can
on 16 Dec 2023
at 04:56
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Poured from 750mL bottle (2016 vintage) @ Black Xmas. Brown with no head. Boozy bourbon, feint dark fruits, thin and unbalanced.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Dec 2023
at 04:12
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8
Bottle. Pours slightly hazy chestnut, small beige head that dissipates quickly. Aroma is dark sugars, bourbon, oak, toffee, treacle, date, vanilla, molasses. Flavor is medium sweet, light plus bitter. Merlin body, a bit hot. Good.
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Aug 2022
at 04:08
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
750ml bottle pours a murky, caramel brown with ecru head. Nose has caramel, toffee, raisins, treacle, booze. Flavor is sweet with cookies and caramel, rum soaked raisins, dates, whiskey. Finishes full bodied, sweet and boozy.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Dec 2018
at 19:15
8.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottle at the early December Ratebeer DC Tasting. Poured a brown color with a small off-white head. Aroma was lots of smooth boozy bourbon. Dark fruits, toffee, caramel. Really solid stuff.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Dec 2018
at 07:56
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Really everything ideal I want from an Old Ale. Tobacco, leather and bourbon in good proportions like young Madonna. Pours dark maroon with ok head. Good malt profile. Light caramel. Light sweet finish with a little booze bitterness. Bottle Thanks to
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Dec 2018
at 18:36