great american beer festival | Brewerianimelogs (Anime and Beer Lore)

Rating: 5.45/5

2013 British-Style Old Ale a.k.a 2005/2010 Decadence by Alesmith is an 11% ABV Old Ale

Label:
Great American Beer Festival 2008
“Small Brewing company of the year”
Old Ale Category Triumphs
Gold Medal Great American Beer Festival 2008
Gold Medal World Beer Cup 2008

Originally brewed in 2005 as the first in our annual Decadence series, AleSmith Old Ale follows the tradition of class British-style Old Ales. This rich, malt-forward ale showcases soft notes of currants and dried fruit along with complex dark sugars, all of which are balanced by a subtle bitterness derived from the addition of traditional English hops. AleSmith Old Ale is ready to be enjoyed now or it can be aged for upwards of twenty years to further enhance its amazing depth of flavor. A hearty ale designed to please Bacchus himself!
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They will be releasing this beer every season due to its popularity. I snagged a bottle as I was looking for beers at the store. I always have a hard time deciding what to pick. I like all the beers and certain styles. This is a style of beer that I do not often get to review but the style has always been very good.

Aromas started off with lots of raisins, cherries, caramel and walnut bread pudding. British beers like these always have forward malts. There is notes of toffee, brown sugar, butterscotch, vanilla, pecan pie, molasses, biscuit, black raspberry jam and some fruit cake

Flavors are of caramel, toffee, dark fruits like raisins, black berries, apples, pecan pie, walnuts bread pudding, raspberry jam, molasses, figs, vanilla, chocolate notes, anise, earthy hop hints, port wine notes, butterscotch, nutmeg, fruit cake, and brown sugar

The aftertaste finishes with like a raisin, caramel and anise taste with some port wine and earthy bitterness as it leaves completely. Good stuff, and the alcohol is well hidden. Amazing stuff, also, others say that the previous recipe was oxidized. There is no oxidation in this one at all, it’s just pure good beer.

This ale is meant for aging, so I am sure it will improve with time for sure. Even as fresh as it is right now, it is very delicious and I almost feel like I can definite drink more of this stuff. One of the best English styles ever.. Damn Alesmith is very good.

Rating: 4.9/5

The Great Pumpkin by Elysian is a 8% ABV Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Considered to be one of the best pumpkin ales in the world by Beer Adv. A Seasonal beer that only comes out once a year. So if you can find it, awesome 🙂

Label:

The Great Pumpkin was the 2007 Silver Medalist at the Great American Beer Festival in the Fruit and Vegetable category and is also the world’s first Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Brewed with pale, Munich, Cara-Hell, Cara-Vienne, Cara-Munich and Crisp 45° L Crystal malts. Roasted pumpkin seeds in the mash, and extra pumpkin added in the mash, kettle and fermenter. Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.

Each pumpkin beer I have had brings something different to the table which in my previous reviews I have stated these little facts and details. This is sort of like a combination between the smashed pumpkin with its sweet potato/yam, cooked sweet pumpkin and cinnamon with cream as well as the Pumkin from southern Tier with it’s candy and caramel corn sweetness. Additionally, it bring this small Belgian property that seems like a candied sugar and a bit of dark fruit, plums, raisins and anise spice in the aftertaste. It is minute but it adds to the flavors of the beer. Additionally, like other awesome beers of this category, it includes the pumpkin pie crust and filling, nutmeg, ginger and allspice. While it is still pretty good pumpkin beer, I think depending on what mood I am in, will I get this over the Smashed pumpkin beer. Was once 1st best pumpkin beer in the world to the ratings but to me It was pretty awesome but I guess depending on the day would I take this over Smashed Pumpkin. You see, this beer, while it is a very exceptional pumpkin ale with a range of flavors, if I just am in a mood for a strict basic pumpkin beer with flavors just like my mom used to make when she made calabaza con leche, then I would go for the other one. So in retrospect, it all depends on the mood. If you are looking for one exceptional, top of the line Pumpkin beer with a complex range of awesome flavors, go for this one 😛