George Gale Jubilee Ale

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 2 | Overall: 2

well.. To be honest I am scared to drink this one. It does look very weird in the class and with the research I have done this beer is 7 years old....

Smells musty and high in alcohol, some earth tones and wood. Pours a very hazy and cloudy and chunky pale brown with no head at all. Has a funny light body with no carbonation. Taste like MRs. Dash seasoning salt. this is like a a ranch dip packet. I find this hard to believe that this was beer at one time.. WOW.... .it might be drain poor..

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 7

2002 bottle.. Pours a brownish red color with no head at all. Tart aroma of dark fruit and malt. Chocolate, toffee, caramel, with an alcohol finish. Although it did not have any head, it did leave some lace on the glass.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

This was one of several excellent finds from my latest trip to Hi-Times in Costa Mesa (my future sister-in-law and her husband gave me a generous gift certificate for Christmas, so naturally I *had* to spend it on beer...!).

To be honest, I've had poor luck with the George Gale beers I've had in the past. And while I didn't expect a huge amount of carbonation from this beer, it wasn't a good first impression when I poured this rather anonymous-looking, completely flat-and-lifeless looking beer into one of my 2002 San Diego Strong Ale Festival glass. Malted scotch-like in appearence -- not a single bubble or hint of carbonation.

But with the aroma, that's when things start to get interesting. Kind of a blend of vanilla/almond sweetness, with the under-lying layer of the massive malt, and hints of fruit that I've noticed in other British Barleywines. And yes, the alcohol is there too, but not nearly what you would expect for a beer that clocks in at 12%ABV.

With my glass showing that I have exactly 4-oz left, I guess it's a good time to describe the flavor of this beer, before it's too late and all gone! Much of the same sensations first noted in the aroma are also easy to pick out in the taste of this beer. Massive malty sweetness, with enough girth to balance out the alcohol, and the neccesary weighty hop load. This beer first hits the toungue sweet, then hot (with the alcohol), and later mellow and warming.

Not as "chewy" as I expected from an old-school brewery doing a truly massive beer, but certianly substantial enough to make it worth your while to sit up and take notice.

I find this quite drinkable, in the same way that some folks can easily pound down fine Single Malt Scotch all night long. It boils down to if you're a true Barleywine fan or not. If you're on the fence, this probably wouldn't be too appealing, me'thinks.

A grand beer, for a once-in-a-lifetime event (the Queen's 50th year). I couldn't give a rat's rear about that, but do have to admit that Gales has a truly worthy beer for such an occasion. Recommended.
//TB

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 4 | Overall: 5

clear dark amber colour with no foam, strong aroma of salty cheese, very oily and sweet, full-bodied, dry bitter finish with notes of alcohol and fruits - very unusual, unbalanced and hard to evaluate

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

2002 Vintage, sampled 8/7/04. A spectacular brew. Pours a dark cinnamon color, with no head and no carbonation. Aroma is sweet, fruity and alcoholic. Like sugary raisins soaked in alcohol. Flavor is very fruity, with the bulk of the flavor being raisins and figs. Alcohol follows, and a very slight but obviously diminished hop presence finishes. A full bodied beer, which is an excellent nightcap. I know I'll return for a couple more bottles.

Aroma: 4 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

This brew pours with an amber body with no head or lacing. The aroma is slightly sweet, caramelly and slightly sugary with a slight bitter note, some alcohol and a wierd note. The flavor is slightly sweet yet slightly bitter with notes of candy sugar and a wierd hop note. Medium bodied and smooth with a slight warmth.