Parallel 49 / Category 12 Brewing Comfortably Numb Old Ale at 9% ABV (C$2.29 at Willow Park Wine & Spirits, 341 ml, no bottle date or best before, acquired 16-Apr-2016, reviewed 2-Jun-2016)
Appearance: clear medium to deep amber with one finger of fluffy beige head diminishing rapidly to a thin skim, patchy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: vinous, dark and stone fruit, toffee, earth. (7/10) Taste: moderate-high sweet, moderate-high bitter. (7/10) Medium-full body, moderate carbonation, boozy bitter slightly astringent and spicy finish. (4/5)
What’s the difference between an Old Ale and a Traditional Ale, anyway? Because this is an awful lot like Traditionals I’ve had. Regardless, it’s an interesting beer, and drinks surprisingly easy for 9%. The booze is there, certainly, but it’s polite and well-behaved, manifesting more as a warming than anything else. Of course, it may be that you simply don’t notice it, between the spicy rye and the astringent Brettanomyces assaulting your palate. Finishes a tad harsh, with a slightly astringent quality to the bitterness, but otherwise a decent sipper. (14/20)
7/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
