When you pull out that murky cognomen “strong ale” it’s kinda like seeing an “action adventure” video game: that shit tells me nothing. You can end up with something like Double Bastard, some boozy garbage, a trifling old ale with smoked malt, who knows. With component blends it’s like picking a jelly belly and just hoping it isn’t buttered popcorn.

When Fremont says old or strong ale, like a teenager with the prospect of feeling up some malty tits, I lean forward. Regular ass BBOMB is already in that Sucaba orbit of world class quality converging with staggering accessibility. AO BBOMB took shit one step further like a New Game+ that upped the complexity and depth with greater rewards, now enter this circumspect blend of “Matt’s” three of them, presumably.

The coating and heft is the goldilocks in between the regular BBOMB and the AO, it sheets dramatically but the substantial legs take just as soon as it conveys. The booze is mitigated by a dizzying barre profile that reminds me of a component blend of PNC and Kuhnhenn BBBW. There is nougat and agave nectar, a leather saddle dryness and touch of bakers chocolate, with a lingering American oak profile that imparts cohiba tobacco. 

For a blend of rusty nail, bbomb, bing cherry and a smoked b2000, it is incredibly seamless in the transition between the elements. I will take no great joy than watching blunt palate dumb fucks complain that there isn’t enough stout, like we don’t have enough of those readily available. 

The net result is a phosphorescent display of barrel strength, like a stave wheelie just to show what is possible from smoked barleywines to fruited stouts and stick the landing with a result that drinks like Bells BA 9000. Don’t question it. Just marvel at what you just witnessed.

I don’t even know any of the Matts’ses.