Old Ale is a style in which the balance among which notes to hit hard, which to hit softly, and which to ignore altogether is tough to strike but essential to get right. Let’s start with the name, which might throw brewers for a loop. In particular, it’s the “old”—that means it needs to be aged extensively, right? I mean, it’s right there in the name. It’s also in the “strong ale” category, so you need to be getting a lot of warm alcohols, right? I mean, it’s right there in the name.
Done well, Old Ale includes flavors that we often associate with aged beers but that can be developed without the risk of actually engaging in extended aging. Don’t let the name fool you.
ALL-GRAIN