Alesmith Aleschmidt Oktoberfest

 Alesmith Aleschmidt Oktoberfest. Gernan-style märzen lager. Clea. Malty. Elegant.

(“Schmidt” is the deutsch for “Smith”, get it?)

5.5% ABV, 13 IBU. Alesmith Brewing, San Diego, California.

Clear, amber hued, small white, soon gone.

In the nose: sweet and malty, caramel-ish, toasty. Highly likable.

In the mouth: more smooth malty flavors ensue. A sweet treat that can’t be beat. Mild hops, mostly for balance. Medium bodied, long malt finish. Delicious.   More caramel-esque-ishness, lightly toasted, excellent Oktoberfest.

This classic German-style amber lager has been brewed in Germany and Austria for hundreds of years, though it was made famous for being served at Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration since 1872. Modern versions exported to the United States are often labeled Oktoberfest and the name has become synonymous in the minds of most brewers and consumers with the traditional Märzen style, though modern iterations of the style in Europe are considerably lighter. Our take on this classic is characterized by a clean, elegant, and toasty malt character. Prost!

AleSmith .394 Pale Ale

AleSmith .394 Pale Ale. San Diego style pale ale. A collaboration with Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.

6% ABV. Alesmith Brewing, San Diego, CA. Hand-forged Ales. 

Here's a beer that I'm trying for the first time for reasons utterly unknown to me. I should have ordered a keg of it when it first entered our market, many years ago,while I was in the business of ordering kegs for a bar,  but never did. Because I like Alesmith and I enjoy pale ales, there's no reason that I should have missed out on buying a 6-pack in the intervening years. But now that they have it in 19.2 ounce cans, that's when I finally plop down $3.99 to give it a whirl. Wait ...four bucks for a single 19 ounce can when a 6-pack is 9.99? I did not play this one correctly. Anyway, who cares, let's drink it. 

Clear, bright golden/amber hue, large and lasting pure ivory head. 

In the nose: bursting with citrus and a dose of caramel malt on the side. 

In the mouth: Crisp, clean, light bodied, smooth. Lightish bodied. Slightly malty. Just enough caramel malt. Sweet and bitter in perfect harmony. Super drinkable. Yeah, I'd drink a few of these at a Padres game, if that ever happened. Why not? 

In early 2014, Tony Gwynn’s team approached AleSmith to create a distinctive beer for the baseball legend. A meeting was called at the Gwynn household, which included a sampling of AleSmith beers to identify Tony’s preferences. He wanted the beer to be “light with a kick” which he elaborated further to mean full of hop character and light in body and color. The result of the Gwynn family’s feedback on test batches rendered a golden pale ale full of American hop flavor and aroma, with a subdued bitterness and a malty sweet finish. AleSmith San Diego Pale Ale .394 pays tribute to the city that Tony loved and the career-high batting average that he achieved in ‘94. Discover what happens when a Hall of Fame perfectionist crafts a beer with a world-class brewery. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Tony and Alicia Gwynn Foundation (TAG).

Alesmith Oso Under West Coast IPA

Alesmith Oso Under West Coast-style IPA. With Aussie and New Zealand Hops. 

7% ABV, 65 IBU. Alesmith Brewing, San Diego, CA. Collaboration with Alvadado Street Brewing (Monterey, CA.)

A West Coast IPA from Alesmith? No brainer, there. But is it still a West Coast IPA using Aussie & New Zealand hops? Let's see.

Lightly hazed, bright golden hue, small white head. 

In the nose: Stone fruit and citrus. Peach fuzz and orange peel. Nice, but quiet. 

In the mouth: Feeling a bit more on the palate, with a great blast of bitterness starting it out. There's a snappy citrusy spark that goes from bitter to sweet before turning dry. Notes of grapes, too, and a touch of tropical. 

Medium bodied, light, drinkable, refreshing. Quite tasty, and enjoyable. But, again, I have to ask if it's still a West Coast IPA if it doesn't use West Coast American hops. I guess it's close enough. I'm certainly not going to make a fuss over it. Except...well...sometimes marketing moves make for false advertising. I'm happy with it, but it's missing that overly bitter, extra citrusy thing that real West Coast IPAs have in spades. 

These California bears have gone down under! We partnered up with our buddies at Alvarado Street Brewery to make this bright and dry West Coast-style IPA featuring Galaxy, Vic Secret, and Nelson hops

Alesmith Speedway Stout with Espresso and Madagascar Vanilla

Alesmith Speedway Stout with Espresso and Madagascar Vanilla.

12 % ABV, Alesmith Brewing, San Diego, CA. 

Stygian blackness, thoroughly Stygian, (can't get more Stygian) completely opaque, under a rich brown head. Looking great. 

In the nose: Earthy, malty, cocoa, vanilla. Deep chocolate and espresso. Decadence awaits. 

In the mouth: Starts out smooth, small bittersweet drops, then comes the cocoa, the coffee, and last vanilla.  Creamy smooth, while deep, dark and delicious. Needless to say: yum a dum yum. Malt is king here, though hops are also on top, and the alcohol won't hide, it rises up and takes command in time. All the while, vanilla, cocoa and hazelnut notes play on the palate. 

Creamy espresso and lush Madagascar Vanilla add to the robust chocolate and coffee flavors Speedway fans already know and love and that classic 12% Imperial Stout punch will have you feeling juuuust right.

Ommegang/Alesmith Philosophy and Velocity: East Coast Edition

 Ommegang/Alesmith Philosophy and Velocity: East Coast Edition.

10.8 % ABV, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY.

Round Two.

Utter darkness. Lush brown head. Opaque. Looking fine.

In the nose: Fruit, fruit, then Belgian yeast. Dark malts. Touch of sweet.

In the mouth: A little sweet, a little tart, with a good dose of fruit. Coffee rises up, with attendant dark,  chocolate malts.  It’s definitely a unique and intriguing combination. Full body, smooth, and overflowing with flavors. High ABV starts to show. I’m basking in the overglow. Ever so nice. It’s an effortless marriage of the parts. Tasty stuff.

Philosophy and Velocity combine two iconic imperial beers from East and West: Brewery Ommegang’s Three Philosophers, and Alesmith Brewing’s Speedway Stout.  For this project, each brewery crafted a singular blend to release through their own channels.  From the East Coast, Ommegang brewed a Belgian-inspired version of Speedway Stout to blend with their Three Philosophers Quadruple Ale.  From the West, Alesmith brewed an American ale variant on Three Philosophers to blend with their robust, coffee-infused Speedway Stout.  Philosophy, meet Velocity

Alesmith / Ommegang Philosophy and Velocity: West Coast Edition

 Alesmith / Ommegang Philosophy and Velocity: West Coast Edition.

11.5 % ABV, Alesmith Brewing, San Diego, CA. (Collaboration with Brewery Ommegang)

And here we have the first part of a collaboration between Cooperstown, NY's Brewery Ommegang and San Diego, CA's Alesmith. They've mixed together two of their famous beers: Alesmith's coffee imperial stout Speedway (that's the velocity), and Ommegang's Three Philosopher's Quad/Kriek. Let's get to drinking.

Dark brown coloration, complete opacity, staple ring of cocoa-tan froth. 

In the nose: fruit first, then Belgian malt and yeast, followed swiftly by coffee. Malt is in command, and coffee soon dominates. 

In the mouth: Rich, smooth coffee flavors takes center stage right from the start, but there's no mistaking the Belgian quad just below. Coffee melds beautifully with the kreik and the quad. Big boned imperial malt flavors share the spotlight as well. Cocoa climbs it's way into the footlights, to take a bow. A successful marriage. All the actors are here, and playing their roles beautifully. Yum. A dum. Dum. 

Amazing stuff. Next up: the Ommegang version. 

West Coast Edition - Blend of Imperial Coffee Stout (Speedway Stout) and an American Ale variant of Ommegang's Belgian Style Quad (Three Philosophers).

Alesmith /Pizza Port Logical Choice 3X India Pale Ale

Alesmith/Pizza Port Logical Choice 3X India Pale Ale, brewed and canned by Alesmith Brewing, San Diego, CA. 12 fl. oz. 10% Alc. by Vol. "An epic crew makes an epic brew."

There's a whole lot of copy on the back of the can. Let's try to read it: ...uh, no, it's gobbledygook. We'll stick to what I had to say.

Clear, bright golden, lush white head, looking utterly beautiful.

In the nose: Fresh tropical fruit notes start it off, pineapple, guava, mango.  Lemon, grapefruit, and pine climb on afterward. Sweet and lovely, with just enough bitter.

In the mouth: Big, bold hoppiness here. Brassy, ballsy, and a treat to drink down. Gritty, complex, yet sweet, tasty, and a lot of bitter. Needless to say, I like it.

Alesmith Nut Brown

Alesmith Nut Brown English-style Ale. Alc. 5.0% by vol. AleSmith Brewing Company, San Diego, CA.

Solid brownness, slim off-white head.

Nose pops off with cocoa notes, big, fat malt. Sweet, but balanced.

In the mouth: bitterness starts it off, quickly caught up by malts. Well-structured beer, here, giving us what we want, just enough, not too little, not too much. Rich, tasty, and drinkable. Hoppiness always keeps time with malt in this.

Want a good brown ale? Go ahead and drink this.

Alesmith Vietnamese Coffee Speedway Stout

Alesmith Vietnamese Coffee Speedway Stout. Alesmith Brewery, San Diego, CA. 12 % ABV. On tap at Acadia Cafe.

Impenetrable blackness. Rich, cocoa brown head, leaving lace and lovely.

Utterly complex aromatics. Vanilla and cream, cocoa and toffee, coffee galore. Hazelnuts and bittersweet hoppiness.
.
Just divine.

In the mouth: Cream and cocoa and coffee hit first, with vanilla notes aplenty. Smooth, sweet, strong, delicious. Massive malt, slowly creeping alcohol. Delicious. Not much more to say. Flat out yummy.

Gobbledygook: This Vietnamese coffee version of Speedway Stout is and continues to be AleSmith's most popular variation of the ever-growing Speedway Stout collection. Since 2012 we have been adding this blend of four Vietnamese coffees, known in Vietnam as cà phê sa đá, to our popular imperial stout. The coffee beans were slowly roasted at low temperatures and then brewed by AleSmith with a traditional phin-style filter that gently percolates water through the ground coffee. The result is an intensely aromatic and bold tasting coffee that complements the notes of chocolate and roast in this massive stout.

Alesmith Double Red India Pale Ale

Ale smith Double Red India Pale Ale, Brewed & Bottled by Alesmith Brewing Company, San Diego, CA. 8.5% ABV. Winter Seasonal.

Clear, bright crimson coloring, huge, creamy, ivory head.

Big malt plus big fruit in the nose, lots of citrusy, earthy hops. Pulls more to the sweet side than the bitter.

In the mouth: brisk, bold, snappy and hoppy. Intense hop presence. Long lasting bitterness on the palate. Bigness and boldness meet richness, and the alcohol rides high. Drinks down tremendously easy, despite all that. Tastes a lot like a barley-wine, this one. I am enjoying it. Damn, it's delicious.

Alesmith X Extra Pale Ale

The sample man continues to rain Alesmith bottles on me. I should consider buying some, shouldn't I? That's how they get you, the sample men, give you all the samples and make you feel obligated. There are a lot of considerations, but I will keep them on top of my lists. Considering that I wrote this back in July, 2003 about Alesmith X Extra Pale Ale, from Alesmith Brewing, San Diego, California, American Pale Ale, 5 % ABV.

Appearance: very pale, lightly orangey color, with a nice, blooming white head.

Aroma: big with the fruit, sweet rich with peach, aprricot, grapefruit, citrus, in that order, and a touch of spikey pine sensation.

Taste: mellow, sweet, yummy, bowling over with fruitiness, and never too hoppy.
Decent texture, light/medium bodies, moderate bitterness.

A very acceptable American-style Pale Ale, easy coming, easy-going, tasty, and a pleasure to throw back.

Alesmith Anvil Ale ESB

The first bottle of this beer I ever had was from a trade twelve years ago. The last bottle I put past my lips was last night (this morning), from a sample from the local distributor. At last, I don't have to trade or go to Wisconsin for Alesmith. Here are those notes from July, 2003:


ESBs have never been among my favorite styles of brew, often too bland and unmemorable, but I give everything it's chance and soldier on, investigating my first Alesmith bomber.

Appearance: dull red color, fairly tight white head.

Aroma: slightly citric, fruity, but otherwise arid.

Taste: niiiiiice, and tangy, zippy, fruity, very much enjoyed.
Light to medium body, decent finish, good, tangy texture.

Sweet, fruity taste rings through and through the length of the large bottle's contents. A surprising treat, though I've heard so many good things about Alesmith, I shouldn''t have been shocked. One of the best ESBs to have met my lips.

Alesmith Olde Ale

Alesmith Olde Ale British-style Ale MMXIV, Brewed and bottled by Alesmith Brewing Company, San Diego, CA. Alc. 11% by Volume.

Appearance: darkly cast, deep burgundy, cream-toned head, slimmed, but lasting, and beautiful.

Aroma: spills out of the glass, with a prototypical old ale nose, plums, dates, grapes, brandy, leather, wine. Some pepper to match the fruit. All those delights and more in plentitude. Mmmm. Yeah.

Taste: mouth-filling. Senses-engaging. Palate-thrilling. Dazzles the tongue and mouth with full-on fruit and spice, rich and delicious. Malt forward for sure, a little bitter, and a little sweet. Big, though, big is the main word here. Another little-big word I cant lose hold of is yum. Just yummy. And just a little burnt. But beautiful. Dark, deep, delicious, and beautiful.

Alesmith Decadence 2014- Wheat Wine

Alesmith Brewing Company Decadence 2014 Anniversary Ale Wheat Wine. 10% Alc. by Vol.

Appearance: Hazed, bold orange hue, slim white head.

Aroma: bright, brash orange-y hop nose, some lemon and lime and other citrus, with alcoholic fire burning beneath.

Taste: Smooth and strong. Bright and beautiful. All these things and more. Goes down easy, but packs a punch, with plenty of hop flavor. That's the San Diego way, as we know. Mmm,mm,mmm, mm. Yeah.

Notes ended there. It was late, and it was beer #6, and I had said enough.

Now for the Gobbledygook: Alesmith Decadence Anniversary Ale was originally brewed in 2005 to celebrate our first de ade in business. Our brewers had such a great time creating it that they decided to brew a new style each year to commemorate our anniversary. Now, nineteen years after we started, we're proud to present another great addition to this ongoing series, Alesmith Decadence 2014 is our interpretation of a wheat wine-style ale. The generous amounts of wheat used in this beer impart a heady aroma with hints of honey, ripe fruit, and a spicy graininess. In the finish, a pleasant and malty sweetness from the wheat is balanced by the addition of German and American hops. Enjoy this special brew now or…blah, blah, blah….

I checked BeerAdvocate to see if I've had any Decadence previously, and there was a checkmark by the 2010 edition, about which I wrote this:


Chestnut-hued, under tight, tan top.

Earthy, nutty aroma, caramel flavor, mixed with spice and fruit esters. A heady, burgundy-esque blend. Noice.

Delectable and deep at once, a bold entry on the palate, hanging full with weighty flavors. Sticks long on the tastebuds, rolls around with imperious aplomb, a brilliant mix of delicious malt, and just enough hops. Lip-smacking delight.

11%? I can feel it coming on...this is a fine, fine barleywine that will put an excellent close to the day. Half the bottle left...means I'm gonna feel twice as good when it's time to hit the hay.

When did I write that? April, 2006. Something's fishy there, or did I dabble in time travel somehow?

Alesmith Horny Devil Belgian-style Ale

On my last visit to Dave's BrewFarm, we made another stop at Casanova's in Hudson, WI for more beer we can't get here. This time, I had actual money I could spend in the actual bank, so there were more choices to make. What haven't I had in a while from Alesmith, I wondered, and I found this one.

Alesmith Horny Devil, Belgian-style ale brewed with coriander. 10% ABV. Brewed and bottled by Alesmith Brewing Company, San Diego, CA.

Notes from my first bottle, March, 2005:

Appearance: Bright orange/peach color, small offering of foam.

Sweet, fruity aroma, pronounced spiciness, from the coriander and Belgian candi sugar. Very nice.

Taste: big, big,big, and bold in the mouth, slick and delicious, though it drifts away off of the palate quickly, though never exactly leaves. Fat fruit, utterly tasty, though it could stand to be a bit more complex. Like an extra-strong tripel, with a fuller body. Alcoholic strength becomes heavier and more predominant in the overall feel, and I actually like it better as the bottle drains. Funny, that.
Full-bodied, long, fruity, spicy finish. A nice brew for sharing with friends, celebrations, nice dinners....wish I had a bottle for every happy occasion that comes my way.

Here's the label gobbledygook:

Horny Devil is our interpretation of a Belgian-style Golden Ale. Brewed with authentic Belgian ingredients including candy sugar and a trappist yeast strain, it's fruity and spicy aromas include notes of orange, banana, and peppercorns, coriander seeds add refreshing citrus notes which meld seamlessly with the beer's delicate malt sweetness. Horny Devil finishes with a lively carbonation and a refreshingly dry finish."  That's white letters on a brown bottle. Then commences red letters on brown glass, and I'm not going to struggle through that. It's probably not that important.

Alesmith Yulesmith Winter Holiday Ale

Alesmith Yulesmith. All of the Alesmith beers I've recently purchased have been beers I've already tried, via trades, over the years. I thought this would be the same until I noticed that the Yulesmith that I sampled so many years ago was listed under Alesmith Yulesmith Summer, not Winter. This appears to be winter. And why shouldn't it? I bought it in winter. The brand wasn't available in Wisconsin in summer. And the label has Winter Holiday Ale on the label. And away we go.

Clear, bright crimson hue, , large and long head, puffy, creamy foam, leaving lace.

Aroma: malt-tastic, fruit-ariffic, a touch of vanilla, a whiff of cherry. Cocoa lurks below, caramel, too. A mystical mix. Ever-so hoppy.

Taste: Big fat mix of malt and a generous spattering of hops. Lots of caramel malt and toffee tastes below, with cirtus-y notes up above. yum. Big, chocolately malt, prodigious hoppiness. It's a So-Cal Christmas. Tast-ee. Yum-ee. So terribly complex and delicious. Love it.

there's a lot of red ink on a brown bottle. I can't read it. On the bottom, above the web address it says: "Serve in a pint at 50-55 degrees." I think the temperature is okay, but is a "pint" really what you want to recommend? Whatever, I did it in a "tulip." So sorry.

Alesmith IPA

More delicious West Coast IPA magnificence brought over from Wisconsin, the India Pale Ale from Alesmith of San Diego, CA. Notes were originally written in December of 2003:

Lovely bright reddish hue, a full, opaque orangish color, with a good, whitish head.

Aroma: lively hop component, fresh, alert and awake, buzzing with grapefruity notes, full with fruit.

Taste: mmm, buzzing with nicely fruity hops, a constant hoppy delivery on the palate, yum, yum, yum, sharp, bright, delicious, juicy...did I say "yum"??

Nicely lingering finish, fully flavored, unstoppably delcious...seriously, this is one IPA you can sit down and get familiar with.

Alesmith Speedway Stout (Coffee Imperial Stout)

the last of the Alesmiths brought back from Wisconsin, a wonderful 12 % Imperial Stout brewed with coffee, a terrific  treat I was happy to reunite with for the first time since I took these notes almost 10 years ago, November, 2003:



An Imperial stout that's also brewed with coffee? This must be the beer designed just for me!

Dark as the blackest night, with a head that, on this pour, stays small, but lasts for the duration as a fine, brown-tinged ring.

Aroma is thick and viscous, a twisted, motor-oily smell, wrapped up in licorice, molasses, dark rum. Deeep, dark, delectably intoxicating. Potent stuff, wicked, but delicious: I love it!

Taste: an intensive barrage boards the senses, thick, chewy, immense, the flavor quickly dominates the senses, slays any opposition, rearranges the furniture, makes itself completely at home in the mouth. There's a new King in the Castle. Devastating, amazing!

Coffee flavor is there, for certain, but isn't dominant, rather it seems to be the skeleton that holds this incredible flavor together. And a never-flagging flavor it is, too, every element continue to roll luxuriantly in the mouth. I was in a state of beery blissdom, brought on by this bottle.

Alcohol is so well-concealed by the flavor, it's largely unfelt until halfway through the bottle. And I made a mistake, not realizing that it's a whopping 12%, until I was well into it. My sobriety took a definite hit in this sampling.
A most impressive stout. If I were a very good boy indeed, I'd love to sink into one of these every night, as my reward.

Alesmith Old Numbskull barley-wine

Notes from January, 2004, and a bottle just brought back from Wisconsin:


Cloudy appearance, a dep amber, a light burgundy, a soft orange playground for the delight I know wait within, and the foam is a sturdy well-retained creamy cap.

Aroma, sharp, ripe fruit, brandy, like boozed-up cherries, sharp, strong, utterly fruity, ...fantastically glorious, so inticing that I need a drink, and wait, here is one, under my nose!

Taste: a hell of a mouthfeel, oh, it fills you, with a full, lush malt, pow, pow, powerful, no baby-steps in the sipping here, no kid-gloves, the ripe fruit, plus intense flavor and full alcohol starts right off, with no relenting. And it continues, ever hotter, like warmed-up cognac, and it nearly stings, it's spicy, kicky, wow, wow, wow...much more than I expect, going into any barleywine. Rich, ripe, tasty fruit continues...I almost run out of things to say, this pleases so generally and so well, ...you've got to be serious about it, with a 750ml of this bomb-a-long-a-ding-dong! Taste gets richer, riper, fruitier...ever-more delicious, if not terrifically strong, too...my last tipple of the night, if that was a question.
Tasty, lip-smackingly delicious...I've got to end it there.

..I'm still drnking it, the jury's still out, except that I'm sure that is among my favorites. Serves as an above-average nightcap....good night, everyone!

AleSmith Grand Cru

The wave of Southern California/San Diego-area breweries continues to crash into our Northland shores. In the case of Alesmith, however, it doesn't come close enough. I had to travel to Wisconsin to get some, but was I ever glad I brought them back. My first taste of their 10% ABV Belgian-style strong dark ale, Grand Cru, was nine years ago, back in October of 2004. I took one down last night and it was still as tasty as it was then:

The looks of it: rich ruby hue, opaque, slim, beigish sliver of foam.

The smell of it: port wine meets cognac, dark fruits meets a mature, well-mannered alcohol burn, sophisticated and almost sublime, a jammy medley of berries and booze.

The taste of it: surprisingly mellow and light on entering the tongue, satisfactorily full on the palate, merrily leaving it's tracks all over the mouth, tingling the senses from the start. Very snappy, this, brimming over with tasty, cherry brandy flavor, figgy, bready, grapey. Sits prettily on the palate, spilling over with juicy, boozy goodness.

The sum of it:This is a late-night relaxer kind of beer, a swirl-it-in-the snifter during quiet ruminations, and complex contemplation kind of beer...the kind I need right now.