Old ale
Dark, malty strong ale historically aged for depth.
Old ale is a type of strong ale. In England, the term usually refers to dark, malty beers with an alcohol content above 5% ABV, while in Australia it can describe dark ales of any strength. It is sometimes linked to stock ale or, in older usage, keeping ale—beer that is aged at the brewery. Today, the distinction between old ale and barley wine has become unclear.
Historically, old ales were served alongside mild ales. In pubs, the landlord would mix the sharper stock ale with the fruitier, sweeter mild ale to suit the customer’s taste. In London especially, the aged ale developed a tart flavor from a secondary fermentation with Brettanomyces yeast, which was present either in the pitching yeast or in the wooden equipment. Because aging took time, some investors bought mild ale from brewers, aged it into old ale, and sold it at a higher price. Eventually, brewers began aging some beer themselves at the brewery and selling it to pubs. In some cases, old ale was a blend of young and old beer. The “stock ale” was the brewery’s very aged ale, used to add an old character—and sometimes acidity—to the blend.
In London, “Burton” was a synonym for old ale.
A winter warmer is a dark, malty-sweet strong ale brewed during the winter months. Its average alcohol by volume ranges from 6% to 8%, with some reaching 10% or more. Christmas beer is a type of winter warmer, similarly strong and usually spiced. Mac’s Brewery in Hertford has brewed a Christmas beer called Bootwarmer since 1995, and an old ale called Stronghart since the 1850s.
Some brewers make a strong old ale for bottling. These can mature for several years after bottling and may or may not be bottle-conditioned. The “October” keeping ales are thought to have been the basis for India pale ales shipped by the British East India Company. Another historic version was “majority ale,” a strong ale brewed around the birth of a child and intended to be drunk on the child’s twenty-first birthday.
Some old ales were blended using older vintages with fresh beer in vats, following the solera system. Burton Ale brewed by the Ballantine brewery in Newark, New Jersey, was such a beer, kept in production as a gift item for distributors and VIPs until the brewery closed in 1972. The only surviving representatives are Greene King 5X and The Bruery’s anniversary ales.
- Abv range
- generally above 5% ABV
- Winter warmer abv range
- 6% to 8%, some reach 10% or more
- Weaker sussex old ale examples
- King and Barnes (4.5% ABV), Harveys (4.3% ABV)
- Surviving representatives
- Greene King 5X, The Bruery's anniversary ales
- Surviving british sour example
- Gales Prize Old Ale
Lore & Background
Historically, old ales served as a complement to mild ales. In pubs of the era, the landlord would serve the customer a blend of the sharper stock ale with the fruitier, sweeter mild ale to the customer's taste. In London especially, the aged ale would take on a tart note from a secondary fermentation with Brettanomyces yeast present either in the pitching yeast or in the wooden equipment. Because of the time required for the aging process, some investors would buy mild ale from brewers, age it into old ale, and sell it at a higher price. Eventually, brewers began to keep some beer behind at the brewery, age it themselves, and sell it to the pubs. In some cases old ale was a blend of young and old. The 'stock ale' was the brewery's very aged ale and was used to inject an 'old' quality, and perhaps acidity, to the blend.
In London especially, Burton was a synonym for old ale. A winter warmer is a dark, malty-sweet strong ale brewed in the winter months. Christmas beer is a type of winter warmer, similarly strong in alcohol and usually spiced. Some brewers make a strong old ale for bottling; some of these can mature for several years after bottling, and may or may not be bottle-conditioned. The 'October' keeping ales are thought to have formed the basis for India pale ales shipped by the British East India Company. Another historic version was so-called 'majority ale', a strong ale brewed on or around the birth of a child, intended to be drunk on the child's twenty-first birthday. Some old ales blended older vintages with fresh beer in vats, on the solera system.
Reader's Guide
Old ale's significance lies in its historical role as a complement to mild ale, with a blending tradition that allowed pub customers to tailor their drink. The style's aging process, sometimes involving Brettanomyces yeast, gave it a tart character that was especially prized in London. The practice of investors and later brewers aging beer for profit established a market for matured ales. The style's legacy includes the winter warmer and Christmas beer traditions, as well as the solera blending system used by some breweries. Sour old ales fermented with Brettanomyces were popular in 19th-century Britain, though the style is now more associated with Belgian brewing, with one surviving British example. Weaker versions of old ale, resembling mild ale, are produced by some breweries in Sussex. The style's influence extends to the 'October' keeping ales thought to have inspired India pale ales, and to the 'majority ale' tradition of brewing a strong ale at a child's birth for consumption twenty-one years later. The only surviving representatives of the solera-style old ale are Greene King 5X and The Bruery's anniversary ales.
Did You Know?
- Some old ales were blended on the solera system, mixing older vintages with fresh beer.
- Gales Prize Old Ale is a surviving British example of a sour old ale fermented with Brettanomyces.
- A historic 'majority ale' was brewed at a child's birth and intended to be drunk on the child's twenty-first birthday.
More in Beer Styles 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced