| Style: | Old Ale | |
| Brewer: | North Coast Brewing Co. Fort Bragg, CA | |
| Country: | ||
| Container: | Bottle | |
| ABV: | 7% | |
| Description: | December 24th- Old Ales, originally known as Stock ales or Strong ales, became popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Early versions of the old ales were very similar to barley wines however, the style has evolved greatly since its first appearance. Originally old ales were brewed using the parti-gyle brewing process. The brew was fermented from the first, super high gravity running of the mash. This would result in a high ABV brew around 6-7%. Due to the high alcohol content of the beer, it was often left to age for months or even years in oak casks. The continued fermentation of the beer in oak casks allowed the bitterness of the brew to mellow and take on some of the flavor from the raw wood. Over time the brew would slightly stale from oxidation and often take on a mild sourness from the wild yeast, primarily Brettanomyces, and lactic acid bacteria. Often times old ales were blended with young “running ales.” This would allow the running ales to take on some of the rich and more mature qualities of the old ale and taste more desirable. Old ales are quite different from those original ones and have evolved dramatically since their debut. While they still have their original dark appearance and fruity qualities, there is rarely any wild or lactic acid presence in the brew and they are rarely aged in wooden casks. North Coast Old Stock pours a mahogany red, caramel color with a minimal head. The aroma has ripe fruit notes with noticeable alcohol. The flavor is somewhat sweet with perhaps some prunes and hints of chocolate with a long lasting bitter aftertaste. | |
| Search: | Search Google for Beer Advocate | |
| First Seen: | 2025-12-23 | |
| Last Seen: | 2025-12-23 | |
| Available at: | Raleigh since 2025-12-23 | |
| Style Traits: |