Thomas Hardy's Ale (2018-2022)
Interbrau in Villafranca Padovana (PD), Veneto, Italy 🇮🇹
Brewed at/by: MeantimeBarley Wine - Barley Regular Out of Production
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Score
7.53
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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.
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8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
hazy reddish amber colour, moderate sized creamy beige-ish-yellowish off-white head; aroma of soy sauce, apricot jam, prune, slight grape(seeds) and biscuits; taste of biscuit with apricot and plum jam, syrupy sweetness and some spicy alcohol; good one!
Tried
on 10 Jun 2019
at 18:49
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle 330ml. @ home.[ As Thomas Hardy's Ale 50th Anniversary ].Bottle # 00629. Clear medium orange amber colour with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting to diminishing, off-white to light light beige head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, caramel, sweet malt, dried fruit, figs, dates, wood, alcohol, light vanilla. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and light to moderate bitter with a long duration, sweet malt, caramel, dried fruit, figs, dates, wood, alcohol, light vanilla - barrel. Body is medium to full, texture is oily, carbonation is soft to flat, finish feel is warming and light alcoholic. [20190604] 8-3-8-4-16
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 Jun 2019
at 10:34
7/10
Tried
on 04 Jun 2019
at 21:31
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle, 13%. Hazy dark amber with small off-white head. Aroma is malt, caramel, toasted, wood, biscuit and dark fruit. Flavour is malt, caramel, toasted, sweet, wood, dark fruit, biscuit, warming and medium bitter.
Tried
from Bottle
on 04 Jun 2019
at 21:15
5.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 2
Overall 6.5
Near total lack of carbonation creates a cask vibe, which, while intriguing, also leads to a very sweet, thick, stagnant pint, missing the needed effervescence to fight off the clinging brown sugar and toffee dominating the beer. Slight hints of bubbles on the fade add false hope of perkiness, and, while the nut-n-honey meets dried fruit back end does present a modicum of depth, overall this brew seems rather simple: boozy sweetness, through and through. Kinda surprised upon reading the label how young a bottle this is; seems old as dirt.
Tried
from Cask
on 02 Jun 2019
at 01:29
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Appearance: Bottle #09811, vintage 2018. Dark reddish brown, seems clear. Almost no head. Aroma: Malt, some caramel sweetness, lots of raisins and prunes. Taste: Malt, raisins, prunes, sweetness. Some alcohol. Pretty good. Bought: Drinks of the World (Zurich), 330 ml, CHF 8.80 Info: 12/4-2019, BB: 18/9-2027
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Apr 2019
at 11:55
4.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 4
Texture 4
Overall 4
Bottle (didn't write down #), drunk 2/1/19.
Clear gold with brass and copper hues. Smattering of off-white head immediately fizzles out.
Smells oxidized (intentionally) yet it's still heavily bready and papery as a result. Fig, prune, golden raisin and plum are all here, with vanilla and light honey but it's got a massive amount of dull alcohol and monotonous caramel character, as well. Almost smells like DMS, though I have no idea why that would be here.
In the mouth it's sweet, overly sugary and rather simple with a fiery orange-apricot flavor mixing with caramel and honey notes as alcohol and heavy paper arrive on the finish. Bready and with more beany, corny DMS notes. Low, loose carbonation. Not much (if anything) of enjoyment here. Crude/forceful and overly oxidized with a thin texture/body. Dumped it out. Can't see how this is going to age well as it already feels bad/past its prime.
Clear gold with brass and copper hues. Smattering of off-white head immediately fizzles out.
Smells oxidized (intentionally) yet it's still heavily bready and papery as a result. Fig, prune, golden raisin and plum are all here, with vanilla and light honey but it's got a massive amount of dull alcohol and monotonous caramel character, as well. Almost smells like DMS, though I have no idea why that would be here.
In the mouth it's sweet, overly sugary and rather simple with a fiery orange-apricot flavor mixing with caramel and honey notes as alcohol and heavy paper arrive on the finish. Bready and with more beany, corny DMS notes. Low, loose carbonation. Not much (if anything) of enjoyment here. Crude/forceful and overly oxidized with a thin texture/body. Dumped it out. Can't see how this is going to age well as it already feels bad/past its prime.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Mar 2019
at 16:56
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
23rd March 2019
Very light haze on this amber beer, residual pale tan head. Smooth palate, light and semi dry, reasonable fine carbonation. The malts reflect the lightness of the palate but bring a decent caramel - toffee, not that sweet. A little woody sherry turning mildly bitter. Ripe rich fruits. Smooth light creamy finish. Nice. Nothing spectacular but rich and tasty.
Very light haze on this amber beer, residual pale tan head. Smooth palate, light and semi dry, reasonable fine carbonation. The malts reflect the lightness of the palate but bring a decent caramel - toffee, not that sweet. A little woody sherry turning mildly bitter. Ripe rich fruits. Smooth light creamy finish. Nice. Nothing spectacular but rich and tasty.
Tried
on 23 Mar 2019
at 17:39
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Apricot, raisin, candi sugar, caramel malt, and hay aroma. Amber with minimal head. Very sweet apricot, raisin, candi sugar, malt, and moderately bitter dry hay,lemon peel, and alcohol flavor. Great body and balance. Excellent.
Tried
from Can
on 09 Mar 2019
at 01:03
8.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottle @ Mr Orla Going Barley, Ratebeer Odense. Hazy amber with a small white head. Malty aroma with toffee, biscuit, milk chocolate and dried fruit. Sweet malty flavour with a good, hoppy bitter finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Mar 2019
at 19:48