Fish Brewing Co. releases Old Woody strong ale - Weekly Speciality Beer Report - Brief Article

Modern Brewery Age, Feb 4, 2002

The Fish Brewing Company of Olympia, WA, has announced the February 1st release of Old Woody. The 2001 vintage Old Woody is the latest oak aged beer in the special Fish Tale Ales "Artist Series." Like the award winning Poseidon's Imperial Stout and Leviathan Barleywine, Old Woody has been brewed to a robust 10.0% alcohol by volume, aged in oak wine casks for at least six months, and then bottle conditioned.

The Fish brewers have brewed Old Woody in the style of English Strong Old Ales with a robust malt profile. "Maturation takes place in American oak wine casks which have a special interior ribbing that provides additional oak surface area," says Crayne Horton of Fish. "After six months in the casks, this ale has a very rich character, with hints of honey, vanilla, and roasted nuts mixed in with sweet malt flavor."

Horton reports that the Fish Artist Series of oak-aged beers has been recognized as "amongst the most desirable bottles for cult beer enthusiasts,"

These beers are brewed and bottled in very limited quantities as a single Vintage each year. Only one hundred and forty cases of 12-750 ml bottles and twenty three-liter Jeroboams of Old Woody were created for the 2001 Vintage. Once the beers have been bottle conditioned, Horton reports they "are distributed on an allocated basis to the Company's most worthy customers." He notes that Old Woody Strong Old Ale can be aged for years and could become a collector's item.

"If you are fortunate enough to find some," Horton says, "be sure to lay down a bottle of this first vintage of Old Woody in your cellar."