AleSmith Old Numbskull
This is the last of the initial AleSmith beer review burst that I’ve had on the site this week. Phew. And, aside from Speedway Stout — review coming soonish — Old Numbskull was the best of the bunch. With an 11% ABV the brew couldn’t have been given a better moniker.
This particular bottle was packaged in May of this year, so it was just four months old when I cracked it open. For a big beer like this I’d call that pretty fresh. Generally, I like a couple of years on my barleywine, though there are a few that are pretty damn good young. Old Numbskull is one of those beers. It’s got an excellent, hop-forward flavor right out of the gate.
Appearance
A dense, frothy head of beige foam rests comfortably atop the copper brew.
Aroma
The aroma is wonderfully citrusy with a solid malt breadiness and supporting pine. Hints of orange zest, grapefruit and caramel are also present.
Taste
This is a damn tasty barleywine. A solid amount of hop bitterness carries waves of pine, citrus, caramel and a touch of toffee. Herbal hop notes join toasted malt and a moderate sweetness before everything makes their way to the drying, lasting finish. The beer has an excellent body and appropriate warmth.
Overall
As stated above, I believe that there are only a handful of barleywines that are good fresh — most, if not all, require time to mature. Old Numbskull is a beer that is great young and still has signs that it should only get better with age. I’ll be picking up more of this for the future.
Rating: 4.25/5