Alesmith Old Numbskull 750ML

AleSmith Old Numbskull 750ML is a 750ml, 11% ABV American barleywine from San Diego's AleSmith Brewing Company. A multiple Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal winner (2013, 2014, and 2016), Old Numbskull stands as one of the most decorated barleywines in American craft brewing, backed by a BeerAdvocate score of 92.

Quick Facts: ABV: 11%  |  Origin: San Diego, California  |  Style: American Barleywine  |  IBU: 96  |  Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Company

Production & Heritage

AleSmith Brewing Company operates out of its facility at 9990 AleSmith Court in San Diego's Miramar district, a neighborhood widely recognized as one of America's densest craft brewing corridors. Old Numbskull is brewed on AleSmith's custom Steinecker 85-barrel brew system, which provides the precision needed for a beer of this intensity. With 96 IBUs and 11% ABV, this barleywine demands careful balance between aggressive American hop character and a substantial caramel malt backbone—a balance that develops notably around the five-month mark, when hop bitterness becomes more prominent from mid-palate through the finish.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with exotic fruit and clean ethanol before giving way to layers of caramel, honey, and toasty malt. Oak and fortified wine notes emerge underneath, along with a floral American hop presence that signals the considerable bitterness to come.

Taste: The entry is malt-forward and impressive, with oak and rich American caramel malts taking center stage. Mid-palate, the 96 IBUs begin to assert themselves as floral, bitter hops rise through the sweetness. The interplay between fruity malt and assertive hops creates a deliberate tension that keeps each sip dynamic rather than cloying.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering hop bitterness balanced against residual caramel sweetness. The alcohol is well-integrated, and toasty, slightly resinous notes persist well after the final sip.

How to Drink Old Numbskull

Serve Old Numbskull at 50–55°F in a snifter or tulip glass to let the complex aromatics fully develop. This is fundamentally a sipping beer—its 11% ABV and layered flavor profile reward patience and a slow pour. For cocktail-curious drinkers: try it in a Beer Flip, where the caramel and oak notes pair naturally with egg and nutmeg; a Boilermaker alongside a pour of bourbon, where the shared oak and vanilla notes complement one another; or a Barleywine Float with vanilla bean ice cream, which tempers the hop bitterness while amplifying the malt sweetness.

Best For

• Cellaring alongside a vintage collection of American barleywines
• Gifting a craft beer enthusiast who appreciates high-gravity, medal-winning ales
• After-dinner sipping as a dessert beer on a cool evening
• Side-by-side vertical tastings comparing fresh versus aged barleywine character

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Old Numbskull taste like? Old Numbskull leads with rich caramel and oak flavors that transition into assertive floral and bitter American hop character at mid-palate. Exotic fruit, honey, and toasty malt notes provide depth, while the 96 IBUs deliver a long, warming finish.

How does Old Numbskull compare to Sierra Nevada Bigfoot? Both are flagship California-brewed American barleywines built for aging, but Old Numbskull at 11% ABV and 96 IBU tends toward a more oak-driven and caramel-forward profile, while Bigfoot—a cult classic since 1983—is often cited as more aggressively hop-bitter and slightly drier. Old Numbskull has earned three GABF Gold Medals compared to Bigfoot's own storied competition history, making them peer-level expressions in the style.

Is Old Numbskull good for cellaring? Old Numbskull is an excellent candidate for cellaring due to its high ABV, substantial IBU count, and malt complexity, all of which evolve meaningfully over time. AleSmith's own notes indicate that the flavor profile shifts notably around the five-month mark, with hop character becoming more prominent from mid-palate through the finish.

Where is Old Numbskull made? Old Numbskull is brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company in the Miramar district of San Diego, California. The brewery operates a custom Steinecker 85-barrel brew system at its facility on AleSmith Court.

What foods pair well with Old Numbskull? Aged cheddar or Gruyère, where the cheese's sharpness cuts through the malt richness; braised short ribs, whose caramelized exterior mirrors the beer's toasty notes; dark chocolate truffles, which complement the malty sweetness and warming alcohol; blue cheese, where the funk contrasts the hop bitterness; and pecan pie, which echoes the caramel and nutty undertones.

What sizes does Old Numbskull come in? Old Numbskull is available in 750ml bottles, a format common for high-gravity ales intended for sharing or cellaring.

Is Old Numbskull worth the price? Old Numbskull positions as a premium American barleywine, and its multiple GABF Gold Medals, 92-point BeerAdvocate score, and 11% ABV place it firmly among the top tier of commercially available barleywines in the United States. For the style, it represents strong value relative to its competition pedigree.

Why Old Numbskull?

Three Great American Beer Festival Gold Medals across three different years (2013, 2014, 2016) plus a 2012 World Beer Cup Bronze make Old Numbskull one of the most consistently awarded American barleywines in production. The 96 IBU bitterness level is unusually high even within the barleywine category, providing both immediate complexity and real aging potential that rewards patience. Brewed on AleSmith's custom Steinecker system in the heart of San Diego's Miramar brewing district, it reflects a brewery with deep expertise in high-gravity, malt-intensive ales. For anyone serious about American barleywine, Old Numbskull has proven its place through competition results and critical scores that few peers can match.