Oskar Blues Old Chub

[Joe Riley]

From Oskar Blues

Old Chub is a Scottish strong ale brewed with hearty amounts of seven different malts, including crystal and chocolate malts, and a smidge of US and UK hops. Old Chub also gets a dash of beechwood-smoked grains imported from Bamburg, Germany, home of the world's greatest smoked beers. Old Chub is 8% alcohol by volume.

While Dale's satisfies our hop addiction, Old Chub takes care of our deep affections for malt.

The cola-colored beer (almost black) features a tan head, a creamy, skim-milk mouthfeel, and rich, semi-sweet flavors of caramel and chocolate throughout. The addition of smoked grains gives Old Chub a delicate kiss of smoke on the finish.

Old Chub is the beer equivalent of a lightly smoked single malt scotch, or your favorite dark chocolate. We call it Rocky Mountain Mutha's Milk. People who tell us defiantly, "I don't drink dark beer," often fall deeply in love with Old Chub. We can't blame them.

Like Dale's, Old Chub has won a boatload of big ink and praise from the Wall Street Journal, Celebrator Beer News, All About Beer, Alestreet News, and other publications around the US. It has also won glowing reviews from consumer reviewers at Beeradvocate.com (where it recently landed the top-rated Scotch Ale position) and Ratebeer.com.

Here are a few glowing reviews from Beeradvocate.com and Ratebeer.com beer nuts who've flipped for Old Chub:

"I guess I didn't expect much from a beer in a can. But, wow-- when you crack it open, you immediately get a whiff of that peaty, smoky aroma characteristic of good scottish ales."

"Lots of caramel, a bit of chocolate, roasted malts, smoke…and a nice creamy mouthfeel. Beer this good shouldn't come from a can. I like it."

"…some smokey and sweet chocolate aromas. Flavor was smokey (light peat?) sweet chocolate malts with molasses and brown sugar in the mix. Body was heavy-moderate with light to medium carbonation. Yum."

"Very full initial taste of caramel, toffee and chocolate. Slightly smokey followup. Very smooth, silky, almost luxurious mouthfeel. Summary: A hugely rich, full, hearty--& above all TASTY beer. DO NOT be put off by the can. Most excellent."

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway!) I'm DYING to find a bar that serves this so I can ask a pretty female the following question:

"Excuse me, Miss - could I possibly interest you in an Old Chub?"

[monsterriffs]

From Oskar Blues

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway!) I'm DYING to find a bar that serves this so I can ask a pretty female the following question:

"Excuse me, Miss - could I possibly interest you in an Old Chub?"

You might find yourself on this blog if you drop that line!

Nevertheless, there was nothing in that description that I didn't like. Let us know if you track it down.

[Joe Riley]

Nevertheless, there was nothing in that description that I didn't like. Let us know if you track it down.

I have it to sell

[ManekiNeko]

Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway!) I'm DYING to find a bar that serves this so I can ask a pretty female the following question:

"Excuse me, Miss - could I possibly interest you in an Old Chub?"

Well, BP has Gordon on tap right now. No reason why they couldn't get Old Chub, either on tap or cans.

[Joe Riley]

I'm just now trying this beer. It doesn't have much of a head to it, thought it does have creamy, penetrating flavors, and is very long in the mouth (....must...restrain...myself...from...making...smutty..remarks..*URK!*) but it has great flavor. It really does look like cola or root beer.

If you are a beer drinker who doesn't normally like so-called "darK" beers (i.e. porters, stouts...) then this might be the one for you. It isn't going to punish you.

Live a little - embrace an Old Chub today. You'll be glad that you did

[JPW]

I'm just now trying this beer.

Drinking at 10 AM? That's a little early -- even for me.

[jparrott]

Joe is either:

1) Watching the England-Ireland cricket match

2) A trained professional

[ManekiNeko]

Drinking at 10 AM? That's a little early -- even for me.

Beer: it's not just for breakfast anymore.

I forgot to add my verbiage on this beer. It's a solid example of a wee heavy. Nice malty depths with a hint of smoke. If you're hankering for a local example, head to Vintage 50 in Leesburg and try Bill Madden's Wee Heavy. He went to the brewing school in Scotland (it's name escapes me, but the place is very prestigious), and I'm fairly certain his recipe is derived from that experience.

[Joe Riley]

Drinking at 10 AM? That's a little early -- even for me.

No, no, I'm a "professional" It's called "tasting"

Any other job and I'd be up in front of the HR people so fast, it would make my head spin.

[southdenverhoo]

He went to the brewing school in Scotland (it's name escapes me, but the place is very prestigious), and I'm fairly certain his recipe is derived from that experience.

Heriot-Watt University (Edinborough) may be the one.

Never thought I'd say this, growing up in Warrenton, but: I wish I were closer to Leesburg....

[Hannah]

Edinburgh; Heriot-Watt's a lovely place (although I have to confess more familiarity with the student bars than with the brewing department).

[TedE]

Calvert Woodley has canned six-packs of Dales Pale Ale. Had never heard of it before but I have to say it kicks ass. Theres almost a cognitive dissonance in raising a can of beer to your lips and being rewarded with such a flavorful beer!!

You should also try Old Chub from the same brewery (Oskar Blues out of CO); it's an 8.0% Scottish strong ale. You'll never see canned beer the same way again and will be in for an interesting evening if you decide to chug a few!

Both of are available at local Whole Foods as well (P St carries it and I believe Glover Park). There's really no reason in this day and age to not can beer, just as there is no reason not to distribute wine in a bag. The packing mediums do not detract anything but style points from the product (we're talking wines ready to drink, not anything that would need to be cellared). In fact cans are cheaper to produce and ship, and they chill faster.