22nd Anniversary
Eel River Brewing Co.

draught
IBU: 80
2017 edition
Moderate amount of creamy, off-white head. Medium caramel look, with an auburn highlight, for the look. Slightly sweet, caramel, bourbon and bit of woodiness, for the aroma. Some brightness to the deep caramel and slightly woody flavors, with bourbon involved in the woodiness, and a bit of sweetness, for the taste.

A one year old bottle of unknown storage history. Just showed up in our market (quite frankly, the distribution system on the West Coast can be mysterious and abysmal). Fortunately, this is a big enough beer to survive the indignities of poor distribution. Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing nearly opaque black in the glass with a half finger dark khaki head with great retention and thick lacing. Aroma of dark biscuit, lightly toasted malt, whiskey, plums, dates, and light oaky vanilla. Flavor follows, with dary biscuit malt, dates, light dried plums, vanilla and whiskey. Slightly astringent in the finish, but overall seems to have mellowed well for a year. Medium bodied with light to moderate mouth feel and some pleasant silkiness. A very nicely brewed robust old ale that overlaps with the dry biscuit malt style of English barleywine. The fruit notes are more dates than plums. Barreling added good whiskey notes to the very supportive malt base. I liked triple exultation and this bigger barreled version proves it be an excellent precursor for the treatment. Very enjoyable.

 

 

From the 22 oz bomber in a snifter. This solid old ale/barley wine
pours a rich and muddled mahogany with a nice head of off white foam
that subsides to a thick ring, thin layer, and sports some nice light sudsy lacing.
Nose of dates, brown sugars, oak, and mild vanilla. Flavors hit the right note
with dates and fig flavors mingling with brown sugars and toffee with
mild bourbon interlaced into a background of subtle cherry and cola
flavors with oak and vanilla giving a fine finish to a great ale. Excellent
mouth feel; low carbonation, moderate warming, medium body, and
a subtly dry warming sweet finish.

Overall, a fantastic brew and a GREAT way to finish off a Monday
full of humid nasty heat....in air conditioning of course.
Worthy of getting a few bottles to cellar in your own
doomsday beer closet.

Cheers!

Bottle from Bottle Barn-santa Rosa. Aroma is dry and dusty. Taste is very strong malts, with an initial ABV assault, astringent, medicinal. Strong, and boozy