Thomas Hardy's Ale (2018-2022)
Interbrau in Villafranca Padovana (PD), Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹
Brewed at/by: MeantimeBarley Wine - Barley Regular Out of Production
|
Score
7.53
|
|
Created in 1968 to commemorate the renowned English writer, Thomas Hardy’s Ale is a limited edition barley wine. Numbered and vintage-dated to be stored for years (even over 25 years, according to those who have made it in the past); this legendary beer is finally back in production. A piece of English history we would like to share with you.
Sign up to add a tick or review
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Bottle from Steve (having this after substantial aging vs. most others). Murky, reddish-brown, light sparkle, ephemeral fizzy head, nice viscosity, no lacing. Aroma is strong figs, dates, toffee, brown sugar. Taste resembles aroma--not as strong/defined and with a slightly off, manilla-paper flavor. I can appreciate the allusion to orange marmalade and honey. Smooth, silky texture, alcohol warmth, soft carbonation, finish as taste. OK but for a style that is usually wonderfully decadent, disappointing.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 May 2026
at 02:26
7.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
From Bine and Vine bottle #41091.
Pours murky rust brown with ever so few foam islands. It still managed a wee bit of lacing.
The smell is oxidation with lots of non sweet caramel, toffee, leather, wood.
The taste is caramel malt, sweeter than what the smell suggested, toffee, leather, dark pitted fruit that didn't bring any vinous notes. Even the oxidation that I mentioned in the smell is muted. Yay.
The mouthfeel is full, no carbonation but I reckon that I don't miss or need it here.
Overall, I am very pleased.
Pours murky rust brown with ever so few foam islands. It still managed a wee bit of lacing.
The smell is oxidation with lots of non sweet caramel, toffee, leather, wood.
The taste is caramel malt, sweeter than what the smell suggested, toffee, leather, dark pitted fruit that didn't bring any vinous notes. Even the oxidation that I mentioned in the smell is muted. Yay.
The mouthfeel is full, no carbonation but I reckon that I don't miss or need it here.
Overall, I am very pleased.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Dec 2025
at 14:39
7.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle @ Beer Temple, Chicago, IL. #43655, dated 2018. Pours murky reddish brown with a very small frothy beige ring for a head, woodsy caramel aroma, low carbonation, bitterish caramel malt taste, woodsy flavor, alcohol undertones, smooth body, long finish with alcohol aftertaste. Not as boozy as expected.
Tried
from Bottle
from
The Beer Temple
on 13 Dec 2025
at 01:09
7/10
Bottle. #04448. Probably a bit young, toffee, bread, dried fruit and alcohol. Lacking depth. 747414 250726
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Jul 2025
at 17:12
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
GYG. Amber color with a beige head. Aroma and flavor is dried fruit, toffee, caramel, alcohol. Nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Jul 2025
at 08:24
7.6/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 9
Texture 7
Overall 8
Bottled from planet wine, - maroon amber pour no head becsause old obviously. Sticky sweet toffee, caramel, yeast, wood
Tried
from Bottle
from
Planet Wine
on 07 Jun 2025
at 02:20
7.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottiglia. Un arco olfattivo dominato da impressioni di cioccolato e di tabacco. L'olfatto viene stimolato in maniera elevata e l'esistenza olfattiva è apprezzabile. Il cappello di schiuma è inesistente. La parte liquida si presenta opalescente. Il colore è ambrato carico tendente rossiccio. Il corpo è strutturato pesante. L'amaro è contenuto. La forza gustativa è molto elevata. La continuità gustativa è lunga e persistente. Il gusto è piacevolissimo. Le sensazioni boccali finali inducono a bevuta compulsiva e sono di birra impegnativa per la complessità convergente dei sentori. Il retrogusto è intenso. Al gusto vengono donati toni di caramello, miele, frutta secca, agrumi, affumicato, uvetta bagnata nel rum, mandorla fresca, alcol presente, vino Porto e burro.
Tried
on 18 Feb 2025
at 11:56
6/10
For mye tresmak
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Feb 2025
at 21:32
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle from House of Trembling Madness consumed on christmas day, no notes taken
Tried
from Bottle
at
House Of The Trembling Madness (Stonegate)
on 02 Jan 2025
at 16:05
9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9
Keg. Nose is raisins toffee, brown sugar, hint of caramel. Taste is brown sugar, oak, woody, caramel, lightly fruity, leading to a woody, hint of aniseed, vinous, sherry finish and dry finish, dried fruit. Very good Bottle 03014 (2024). Nose is caramel, almond, pear drops, brown sugar, honey, marzipan. Very, very rich. Taste is marzipan, caramel, leather, pear drops, toffee, dark fruits, candied fruits, orange, hint of bread, very very faint tobacco, vanilla, hint of fudge. It doesn't have the vinous character of the keg and frankly I prefer it. A superb Barley Wine which have got quite rare in the last decade or so.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Nov 2024
at 21:21