AleSmith Old Numbskull Barley Wine

2013 Great American Beer Fest Gold Medal!Barley Wine-Style Ale 55 EntriesRated 100 on RateBeer.com Bottle conditioned. Old Numbskull is AleSmith’s first barley wine offering. You may find the name Old Numbskull curious. Barley wine has its origins in England and tradition is to begin the name with Old: Old Nick Old Sampson Old Jock etc. Tongue-in-cheek is often the spirit in naming a barley wine. After drinking a glass or two you may agree that Old Numbskull feels like a fitting description. It also reminds us of the Three Stooges one of the greatest comedy teams of all time so it’s meant to bring a smile even before the first taste. Exotic fruit aromas along with clean ethanol caramel honey and toasty notes are present in the nose. At five months of age the Numbskull flavor begins malty and the hops become more evident from the middle to the finish and linger nicely in the aftertaste. The aroma notes also show themselves in the flavor.