Category Archives: Old Ale

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Old Ale, Scotland, Traquair House Brewery

Traquair 50 Anniversary Ale

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Brewery: Traquair House Brewery
Country: Scotland
ABV: 9%
Style: Old Ale
Other Notes: 50th Anniversary

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Traquair’s 300 year old brewery was brought back into production in 1965. This potent ale celebrates 50 years of brewing in this ancient brewhouse. All our ales are brewed and fermented in the ancient oak tuns to give them their unique character.

My rating: 3+
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.82
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle, with a best before date of 28th April 2025. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a one finger beige head that had decent retention, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Light roasted malts, dark fruit, plum, raisins, with notes of nearly burnt caramel.
Taste: Moderately sweet, plum, raisins, light roasted malts, caramel, toffee, brown sugar.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Aromas were a little on the weak side, but I thought the flavours worked with a nice light char bitterness that balances the sweetness.

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4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Hair of the Dog Brewing Company, Old Ale, USA

Hair of the Dog Adam from the Wood

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Brewery: Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 12.4%
Style: Old Ale
Other Notes: 2015 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Made with organic pilsner and a variety of speciality grains along with Northwest hop flowers. This beer has been aged in Kentucky rye barrels for at least 3 years. It has mild carbonation with notes of leather, walnuts and chocolate. It also has complexity and wisdom only achieved with time.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.2
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. bottle, 2015 vintage, poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with pretty much no head and only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Dark malt, chocolate, roast, caramel, oak, whiskey, with light notes of vanilla and dark fruit, plum, prunes.
Taste: Moderately sweet, dark malt, roasty, caramel, chocolate, oak, whiskey, light vanilla, dark fruit, grape, plum, prunes, some nutty notes, boozy, with light peppery spice.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Despite it being both sweet and boozy (usually not my thing), it was still an enjoyable sipper.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Hair of the Dog Brewing Company, Old Ale, USA

Hair of the Dog Cherry Adam from the Wood

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Brewery: Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 13.5%
Style: Old Ale
Other Notes: 2015 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Made with organic pilsner, a variety of speciality malts and Northwest grown whole hop flowers. Aged with locally grown cherries in oak barrels for at least 15 months. This beer has no carbonation, but it does have a velvet smooth body and a sweet tartness in the finish.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.9
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. bottle, 2015 vintage, poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A dark brown colour with slight purple notes and pretty much no head except for a few bubbles and no lacing.
Aroma: Tarty cherry, mixed berries, roasty malts, chocolate, vanilla, with notes of oak and bourbon.
Taste: Tart and sweet cherry, dark fruit, plum, prunes, honey, bourbon, oak, booze, and a light hint of chocolate and vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with no carbonation (as stated on the bottle).
Overall: It’s a sipper, but maybe on the verge of being too sweet for my palate.

4 - Good (buy), American Solera, Beer Reviews, Old Ale, USA

American Solera Old Dishoom

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Brewery: American Solera
Country: USA
ABV: 8.5%
Style: English Old Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Old ale aged in Sherry casks.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.13
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 12.7 fl. oz. bottle, 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A clear brownish colour with an orange tinge, and a one finger tanned head that dissipated fairly quickly to a thin layer, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Lightly tart, dark fruit, raisin, prunes, plum, fig, red grape, with a hint of wood, caramel and sherry.
Taste: A mix of Flanders Oud Bruin and Old Ale. Lightly tart, with lots of dried dark fruit, raisin, prunes, fig, plum, red grape, with a splash of oak, caramel and sherry.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Not your traditional Old Ale, but what appears to be some blend of Flanders Oud Bruin and Old Ale, lends itself to a nice enjoyable sipper.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Harviestoun Brewery, Old Ale, Scotland

Harviestoun Ola Dubh 10th Anniversary

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Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery
Country: Scotland
ABV: 8%
Style: English Old Ale
Other Notes: Ale matured in whisky casks for a full two years. Special twelve year old reserve barrels – Highland Park

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This unique, tenth anniversary edition is aged for a full two years (three times longer than normal) in casks formerly used to mature Highland Park’s legendary 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, allowing even more whisky flavours to imbue the ale. Let’s toast a decade of barrel-aged brewing – Slainte!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.61
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 330ml foiled and capped bottle, bottle no. 09925, bottled in October 2017, and best before end of February 2021. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A clear dark brown colour with pretty much no head and only very sparse spotted lacing.
Aroma: Chocolate, whisky, raisin, fig, wood, caramel, with light peat and smoke.
Taste: Watery, whisky, roasted malts, chocolate, raisin, caramel, fig, dried fruit, with light roast and smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: My first impression was that the body was so light that it drank like watered down whisky. It was better after it warmed as the complexity and roastiness came out and balanced the wateriness to the point that it was ok and drinkable. I easily preferred the Special Reserve 21 version though, but I am looking forward to trying the other varieties. A heavier body would have improved this.