AleSmith Brewing Company Barrel-Aged Old Numbskull

**Aroma:** “Nice malt sweetness with hints of orange, lemon, and pine. Bready and sweet malt aroma.” **Flavor:** “Bright and juicy hops avors push forward over moderate caramel sweetness and yeast esters that almost venture into Belgian-style bubble gum territory. A slight nuttiness adds an earthy foil against sweet orange and grapefruit citrus and lingers into the aftertaste with only a slight alcohol heat and a smidgen of phenolic bitterness.” **Overall:** “An enjoyable beer that starts off fruity with strong citrus hops char- acter over a light and sweet malt base. The phenolic component was slightly off-putting and the hops aroma wasn’t quite as assertive as hoped for, but it was earthy, well-grounded, and very drinkable as an American barleywine.

**Aroma:** “Fruity, alcohol aroma with notes of red fruits and wine barrels. Brown sugar and sherry follow along with a hint of vanilla-honey barrel character. Woody/spicy/earthy hops.” **Flavor:** “Malt-forward with caramel and orange blossom honey, that is quickly complemented by a wine-like ester flavor. A fruity alcohol presence comes across tree-fruit-like. Prickly hops bitterness lightens the sweet malt body. Interesting blend of earthy and spicy (almost peppery) barrel tones.” **Overall:** “A very enjoyable beer that brings barleywine character, without the sometimes overwhelming gooey, bourbon-barrel characteristics. Fun take on American barleywine. Well blended and balanced for high ABV. Alcohol heat reminds you not to drink this delicious beer too fast! The wood character is assertive but enjoyable. Very nice example.”

**Aroma:** “Pleasant, refreshing aroma. Moderate sweet wheat, light vanilla, very light oral hops, touch of cinnamon, big bready, light toasted malt. A mild wheat cereal note, but not much hint at things to come.” **Flavor:** “Honey-like sweetness, moder- ate oral hops, light vanilla, moderate white wheat bready avor, very light eth- anol warmth. Bitterness is suf cient to balance. Caramel notes offer complexity. For the high alcohol and malt sweetness, its refreshingly clean and crisp.” **Overall:** “Both refreshing to the palate and a refreshing take on a strong ale, this wheatwine is as straightforward as it is enjoyable. Well balanced smooth drinking beer. The sweetness of the wheat malt with a light hops bitterness makes this very easy to drink, especially at the alcohol strength. The simplicity of the malt bill really lets the complexity of wheat shine. Well executed and clean.”