It's amazing what a little age can do to a beer

A few weeks ago, after I got back from Rome I took my US family to Galway (above) for the day. My destination was the new brewpub (Galways first) to see what its like. I parked in Salthill and walked to the town centre looking for it. It was closer to the beach than I thought. This is not a review of the place as they did not have their own beer on tap yet (not till October 15th I was told) so I settled for a Galway hooker Dunkel and it was better than the last time I had it. One thing about the place, the food is quite excellent and worth a visit for the food alone. Their beer has since gone on sale but I have not heard a good report yet, I will give it some time and let them settle in before going back to review them. It is called The Oslo and even if their own beers turn out to be boring, they do have a great selection of world beers.
After a little tourist shopping we headed back home and the beginning of todays beer reviews, though only the first one was actually tried on that night.


I had a fantastic beer tasting session with my brother in law that evening. I had been saving a Fullers Vintage Ale (2007) and Brewers reserve I bought back in April. I also had a bottle of O' Haras Celebration stout courtesy of The Beer nut, as well as a bottle of Lovibonds Gold reserve wheat wine. All of them went down an absolute treat but what struck me was the brewers reserve. Originally I had concurred with Beer Nut that while it was a good beer, you might as well spend the extra money and get the Vintage Ale. Beer nut did not think the oak ageing did anything for it. This time around I found the brewers reserve a little more to my liking than the vintage ale? The oakiness and whiskey feel were more prominent than I remembered. The vintage ale was very smooth though.
Similarly the Lovibonds gold reserve was also very smooth and even my mother in law said she liked it (thought was satisfied with a taste).
The Celebration stout was unspeakably good and did not last as long as I would have liked.

Anyway on to the last beer of the night, which is the one pictured above. It is Harvisoun Ola dubh 16. I was commended for my choice at the till where I purchased it in McCambridges of Galway. He was obviously a beer fan but had never heard of Irish craft brewers so I gave him a card that Beer nut had given me and he said he would check us out.
Anyway this was the first beer I have had from Harvistoun and I was very impressed as was my brother in law. It poured a dark thick black with a hint of red, smelled of dark chocolate, treacle and had a light smokiness to it.
It tasted very rich, smoky, sweet but also a perfect bittering balance and had an earthiness to it.
We were both very impressed and I was sad to have only bought the one little bottle. I will have to look out for more.


More recently I picked up a Lindemans Kriek. This was for my wife but I tried a little naturally. Having had a proper kriek from Cantillon which is very sour and acidic, I could immediatly tell that this had added sweetness to it. The bottle even mentions that this is the case. Cherry juice is mixed in with the lambic when bottling so it gives you a sweet cherry beer that tastes a lot like cherry Kool-Aid with plenty of sugar.

I was in lidl recently and noticed a new (to me) Shepherd Neame beer called Late Red. As the name suggests it is a seasonal Autumn beer. It is a red colour and smells like toffee, caramel, fudge, pine needles??? It tastes a little grassy. It also has a metallic taste. There is peraps a little caramel in there too but mostly it is quite bitter. It feels a little chewy in the mouth too.
I liked this, though it is not the best Shehard Neame beer I have had. I would imagine this being interesting on cask.

COMMENTS

Name

1 week taste test,2,12 acres,2,1698,1,18c soup,1,2010,1,2011,1,2012 black ale,1,2019,1,21st amendment,1,3 floyds,2,3 kings,2,3 monts,1,30th anniversary,1,312 urban wheat,1,4 pines,1,400 pound monkey,1,4th of July,1,5 barrel,1,5 day ipa,1,500 posts,1,57 the headline,1,5am saint,1,60 minute IPA,1,77 lager,1,8 degrees,6,80/,1,9 white deer,2,90 minute IPA,1,90 shilling,1,a winters ale,1,abstrakt,1,Acorn Brewery,1,adnams,4,Aecht Schlenkerla,2,Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier weizen,1,against the grain,2,Agent Provocateur,1,alaska,1,alba scots pine,1,alcohol,1,aldi,2,aldipa,1,ale,1,alice porter,1,all day ipa,1,all ireland craft beer festival,1,allagash,1,alltech,5,alpha dawg,1,Alpha Dog,1,alphabet,1,alpine glacier,1,Altfrankisches Klosterbier,1,amber-ella,1,Ambräusianum,1,American,1,american craft beer week,1,amsterdam,1,anarchist alchemy,1,anchor beer,3,anchor bock,1,anchorage,1,And now for something completely different,8,Anderson Valley,2,antwerp,1,apex,1,Apple Wheat,1,arabier,1,Arcobräu,1,Arrogant Bastard,1,Arthurstown,1,asheville,1,Athens,1,atlanta airport,1,atom,1,Auckland,1,augustiner,2,Augustinerbräu münchen,1,australia,6,Aventinus,1,avery,1,avery brown dredge,1,avoid italy,1,awards,3,Ayinger,2,Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock,1,ayr,1,aztec stout,1,Backdrifts,1,bad attitude,1,bad king john,1,badger,3,Ballyferriter,1,Baltika 6 Porter,1,Baltika 8,1,Bán an aol,1,Bán Oráiste,1,banks bitter,1,bar,1,barbar bok,1,barcelona,2,barclay perkins,3,Barefoot bohemian pilsner,1,barley cargo,1,barleywine,1,barney's brew,1,barnsey,1,barrelhead,1,basement bar,1,basque,1,basqueland brewing project,2,batemans,3,bath ales,1,bay brewery,1,bbc11,3,beara irish brew,1,beavertown,2,becks blue,1,beer bar,3,beer bloggers conference,2,beer bloggers conference 2011,7,beer bloggers conference 2012,1,beer bloggers conference 2013. ebbc13,1,beer books,1,beer festival,16,beer kit,5,beer labels,1,beer mats,1,beer myths,1,beer na beer,1,beer review,20,beer review.,1,beer tourism,1,beerman,1,beertime,1,BeeWyched Honey'd Ale,1,belfast beer festival,2,belfast black,1,belgian,4,Belgica,1,Belgium,4,bell ringer,1,Bell's brewery,2,bells,2,belzebuth,1,beoir,3,berch,1,berg,1,Bergkirchweih,1,berwery,1,best beer cities,1,beverage house,1,Bière de Garde,2,Bière pouset,1,bierhaus,1,big beers,1,big river,1,bigfoot,1,bigfoot ale,1,bir and fud,1,Birra Moretti,1,Birrificio l'olmaia,1,bitch please,1,bitter,4,bitterbock,1,Bitterness,1,bj's,1,BK,1,black cab,1,black diamond,3,black donkey,1,black forest,1,black jack porter,1,black lager,1,Black Malts and Body Salts,1,black rock,1,black tuesday,1,black's,3,blackberry wit,1,Blanche De Chambly,1,blockchain,1,blogger,1,blonde beggar II,1,blonde frog ale,1,blowhard,1,blue frog,2,blue frog dipa,1,Blue Heron pale ale,1,bluebird bitter,1,boann distillery,1,bock,1,bombardier,1,bonator,1,boom,1,Boont Amber,1,bottle conditioned,1,boulder,1,boundary brewing,1,bourbon,1,Bourbon County,1,Bourgogne Des Flandres,1,boyne brewhouse,2,brabant,2,bracia,1,brainblasta,1,brains,1,brakspear,1,Bravoure,1,bread,1,breckenridge,1,Breconshire,2,brehon brewhouse,1,Brettanomyces,1,brew,56,Brew and roll,1,brew dock,2,brew york,1,brewberry,1,brewcon,1,brewday,6,Brewday Disaster,1,brewdog,21,brewdog bar,1,breweries,2,Brewers on the bay,1,brewers reserve,1,brewery tour,14,brewery update,1,brewery visit,2,breweyed,1,brewfist,1,Brewhouse Brisbane,1,brewing and distilling convention,1,brewpub,13,bridgeport,2,brisbane,1,bristol beer factory,2,British open,1,Brittany,1,brno,1,brooklyn,4,Brooklyn Brown ale,1,brooklyn Oktoberfest,1,Brooklyn Pennant Ale,1,brothers beer,1,broughton,2,broughtons,1,Brouwerij ’t IJ,1,browar,1,browar profesia,1,browar prost,1,browar stu mostow,1,brown ale,1,brown paper bag project,1,brown-eyepa,1,bru,1,bruges,1,Brugse Zot,2,Brunehaut,1,brupaks,1,brussels,2,bsa,1,bucks fizz,1,budvar,1,bull and castle,7,bullying,3,burren brewing,1,Busty Amber,1,Butt head,1,Cains Double Bock,1,cairngorm,1,california,1,camden town,2,can,1,can vs bottle,1,cantillon,6,canvas,1,Caracole,1,carboy,4,cardiff,2,carlow brewing company,5,carlsberg,1,cascade pale ale,1,cask,5,cask ales competition,1,cask beer,1,cats,1,catso,1,celebration ale,1,celebration stout,2,Celiac,1,centennial ipa,1,centurions ghost,1,ceres,1,cerveza,1,ch'ti,1,chalky's bark,1,Chameleon,1,champion beer,1,Chania,1,charity,1,Charlie,1,chcolate orange stout,1,cheese,2,cherbourg,1,chester,1,chicago,1,chico,1,chieftain,1,chimay,1,chiswick bitter,1,chocolate marble,1,chocolate stout,8,Choklat,1,chophouse,1,chrismas porter,1,christmas beer,1,cider,7,cider review,1,cidre,1,cigar city,3,citra brett,1,citra IPA,1,clanconnel,1,classic export,1,classy red,1,cloaked stranger,4,clonakilty,1,cloudwater,4,clough more,1,co-op,1,cock o the walk,1,code black,1,coffe club,1,collectibles,1,Colorado,2,combinations,2,Comeragh challenger,1,comet on fire,1,competition,6,conference,1,Conqueror,1,Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale,1,copper coast,1,copperhead,1,cork,1,cotton ball,1,craft beer,1,craft brews,1,crafty brewing company,1,craic beer community,1,Crete,1,crew,1,cribyn,1,crows,1,cúl dorcha,1,cumbria,3,curly hole,1,customer service,1,cutthroat porter,1,Cuvée d'oscar,1,Cuvee des Trolls,1,cyclone,1,czech,3,Czech inn,1,cztery sciany,1,D’uvaBeer,1,dales pale ale,1,daly's,1,dante's gastropub,1,dark arts,2,dark energy,1,dark lord,1,dark mild,1,Dark Stranger,1,darkstar,2,dave,1,Dawkins Brwery,1,de dochtor,1,De Dolle,2,De Kuppe,1,de molen,2,dead centre,2,dead pony club,1,delirium,1,delirium cafe,1,demographics,1,Den Bosch,1,dentist,1,denver,2,denver pale ale,1,derry,1,designated diver,1,deux amis,1,devil's backbone,1,diablo,1,diageo,2,Dicey Reilly,1,dingle,1,dipa 3,1,DIPA V9,1,dirty bastard,1,dirty dicks,1,Discovery IPA Series,1,diy,1,dobber,1,Dog Schwartz,1,dogfish head,3,Dogfish head Indian brown ale,1,doggie style,1,dogma,1,Don De Dieu,1,donegal,3,dopey dick,1,doppelbock,1,dot brew,1,double dog,1,double stout,2,double swan,1,down n outz,1,downstream,1,Dr Rudi,1,Dreamsicle Wheat,1,druids brew,1,drunk,1,dubbel,1,Dubbel Jeopardy,3,dubbel whammy,2,dublin,2,Dublin City Brewing,1,Dublin Live Bloggers Crawl,1,Dukes of Burgundy,1,Dulle Teve,1,Dungarvan brewery,4,dw,1,e,1,early bird,1,east india pale ale,1,east river lager,1,easterfest,4,easterfest special,1,Eau Bénite,1,ebbc,1,ebbc12,6,ebbc13,9,ebbc14,2,ebbc15,2,ebbc16,1,edinburgh,2,eggenberg,1,eight degrees,2,ekstra,1,elbow lane,1,elgoods,1,emelisse,1,Emerald Pale Ale,1,english bitter,1,equity for punks,1,erlangen,1,esb,1,eskdale,1,eureka,1,Event,1,evil twin,1,excellent beer,38,exodus porter,1,exp431,1,Explorator,1,explorer,1,Fässla,1,fat tuesday,1,featured,1,festival,1,Finesse,1,firestone walker,1,FlavorActiV,1,florence,2,floris,2,flossmoore,1,flying dog,6,food,1,football pub,1,fort collins,2,founders,3,france,1,Franciscan Well,16,fraoch,1,Fraoch 20th anniversary ale,1,Fred And Ken's Bock,1,french beer,2,frog and rosbif,1,frog pubs,1,Frothingham Best,1,Fruh Kolsch,1,fuck art,1,fullers,15,Fullers Old Winter Ale,1,funkwerks,1,fyne ales,3,Galway,2,galway bay brewery,6,Galway Hooker,4,galway hooker pils,1,garage project,1,garde dog,1,gardeners tipple,1,gem,1,George Gale and Co,1,georgia brown,1,georgia salpa,1,ghent,1,ghost ship,1,glasgow,1,Glenmore hotel,1,gluten free,1,Glutton For Punishment,1,Goats Butt,1,gold reserve,1,golden hare,1,Golden Pheasant,1,golden pints,4,Golden Valley,1,goldings,1,golf,1,gonzo,1,Good beer,1,good friday,2,good juju,1,goose island,6,goose island Demolition,1,Goose Island is Mild Winter,1,Goose Island Oatmeal Stout,1,Gordon Biersch,1,Gouden Carolus,1,grafters,2,grain mill,1,grainne walsh,1,grand cru,3,great divide,5,Great Newsome,1,great white,1,greece,2,greene king,2,gretel,1,grimbergen,1,grisette,1,Grisette Traminer,1,Grottenbier,1,growler,3,grozet,1,gruit,1,Guayabera,1,gueuze,2,guinness,4,Guinness Nitrosurge,1,Guinness Open Gate,1,Guinness Surger,1,gulden draak,1,Gyvas Tamsusis,1,h41,1,Hagstravaganza,1,hal900,1,halloween,1,hansel,1,happy friday,1,hardknot brewery,5,harrington's,1,harvest ale,1,harvistoun,3,hashigo zake,1,health,1,heather ale,1,hefe ryzen,1,heineken,1,Heinoweiser,1,hellfire club,1,helvick gold,1,Hemp Hop Rye,1,hercules,3,hero,1,herold,1,hibernicus,1,Hildegarde,1,hilden,4,hillstown,1,hipster,1,history,1,hitachino nest,2,hobgoblin,2,Hoegaarden Citron,1,Hofbräuhaus,1,hogsback,1,home bar,3,homebrew,72,hook norton,3,hooky bitter,1,hooky gold,1,hop adventure,5,hop bomb,1,hop garden gold,1,hop house 13,1,Hop Ottin',1,hop rocker,1,hopback,1,hope,1,Hopfen Weisse,2,Hopfenweisse,1,hophead,2,Hoppety Hop,2,hopping hare,1,Hops,2,hops kill,1,hopsecutioner,1,hopsfume,1,hoptimum,1,Hoptimus Prime,1,Hopus,2,horal,1,hot press,1,Hotel Welcome,1,Hotteterre,2,How do they make us buy their beer?,1,howling gale,1,hsb,1,hullabloo,1,hurricane,1,hurricane jack,1,I hardcore you,1,IBU,1,icbcf,2,ice bucket challenge,1,iceland,1,idaho 7,1,ihp2012,2,ihp2014,1,ihp2015,1,iipa,1,Illawarra Brewing Company,1,imperial brown,1,imperial stout,2,
ltr
item
The Tale Of The Ale: It's amazing what a little age can do to a beer
It's amazing what a little age can do to a beer
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8soZN8auZm1qwJ66SpLHvBFT1LVb1iS9ZAFZ8fPiRDXyzLK6BEksTNXUL8icrz2Z2gx03ImQ7_LLh3eziPfhwNwnIkMwddwBwNP120JIoTrRVbTqmMnC2KssnBRJy6LeAJiBRpri09E5/s200/DSCN0635+%28Medium%29.JPG
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8soZN8auZm1qwJ66SpLHvBFT1LVb1iS9ZAFZ8fPiRDXyzLK6BEksTNXUL8icrz2Z2gx03ImQ7_LLh3eziPfhwNwnIkMwddwBwNP120JIoTrRVbTqmMnC2KssnBRJy6LeAJiBRpri09E5/s72-c/DSCN0635+%28Medium%29.JPG
The Tale Of The Ale
https://www.taleofale.com/2009/10/its-amazing-what-little-age-can-do-to.html
https://www.taleofale.com/
https://www.taleofale.com/
https://www.taleofale.com/2009/10/its-amazing-what-little-age-can-do-to.html
true
9188731842335528276
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Readmore Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share. STEP 2: Click the link you shared to unlock Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy