"Ye Ole Assyrian Ale" was my first try at an Old Ale (named after the old brewing practices in Germany which used Ale yeast for fermentation before the introduction of lager yeast in the 19th century). Being impatient, I bottled it too soon and quickly found that bottles which didn't explode in my closet were all foam when opened. Despite the fact that I had to use a few pitchers to pour a bottle of this beer, it tasted fine. I used a prehopped malt syrup for the first and last time and learned later what fresh ingredients could do for a beer.