I’ve always loved Smuttynose beers, folks. I visited the brewery back in 1998, and although I can’t claim to have fallen in love with their beers then (I had already been drinking them for some time, which is why I took the tour), I was only more impressed with their operation after seeing them in action. One of my favorite Smuttynose beers has always been Old Brown Dog Ale, a luscious English brown ale loaded with soft maltiness and notes of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.

The other night I was sipping a mug of draft Old Brown Dog at Taco Mac and reflecting on the history of this wonderful beer, when it dawned on me that not so long ago I had bought a bottle of Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale, an old ale in style but with a lot of brown ale heritage in it as well. So, after watching the New England Patriots defeat the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Divisional Playoffs, I decided to pop this tempting New England brew to celebrate.

Here’s what the brewery says about Really Old Brown Dog on the label, with a little background on Olive, the company mascot featured on the label:

Olive, iconic mascot & spirit guide of our brewery, first appeared on our Old Brown Dog label in 1994 & returned, thirteen years later, to pose for our Really Old Brown Dog, a luscious, malt-rich, full bodied “old ale” featuring deep notes of complex fruit. Much like our beloved Olive, this beer will mellow & age gracefully.

Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale is part of their “Big Beer Series” of 22 ounce bomber bottles. They’ve been doing these since the nineties, when this size bottle was not so prevalent as it is today. Really Old Brown Dog is not always the same, either as the strength varies from year to year. In 2007, it was a mere 7% by volume, went up to 9.3% in 2008 and 10.9% in 2010. The Really Old Brown Dog that I am drinking tonight is 10.4% by volume and was packaged in 2013. In a day when bomber bottles are getting ridiculously expensive I saw a Sprecher Czar Brew for $14.98 yesterday), I paid a very reasonable $5.99 for my bottle of Really Old Brown Dog.

Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale pours to a medium brown color with shades of orange thrown in, especially when held to the light. The head formation is moderate and composed of tightly packed bubbles, and a thick layer of Brussels lace coats my glass all the way to the bottom. Taking a whiff, the nose is packed with chocolate and rich sweet fruit, pear and passion fruit I think most of all. Taking a sip, there’s more of the same in the palate, chocolate chip cookies, pear, passion fruit, and apple, with subtle phenols too. A big alcohol finish warmth dries in the finish, and just the faintest hint of minty, herbal hops aroma with a kiss of bitterness. Still, this finishes slightly sweet. 

What a wonderfully complex and delicious old ale of formidable strength and character, and at an amazing price. Not to be missed!



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