Frolic Shipwreck Ale
Mendocino Brewing Company

 

Thanks, Bobby, for sharing such a wale. This is one old beer.

A: The pour is an opaque dark amber color with a few tan bubbles cropping up, but it's pretty flat otherwise.

S: A strange nose, but not exactly surprising. I seem to get caramel, prunes, cherries, toffee, cardboard, and fish sauce. It's mostly cardboard, though.

T: The flavor packs a bit more punch, but it's still very oxidized. Caramel, brown sugar, and toffee provide a mild sweetness. Moderate fruit notes, the same as those on the nose. It's a bit watery and perhaps even a touch salty.

M: The body is medium, maybe a bit light, with almost no carbonation.

D: Eh, I don't know what I really expected from a 15 year old (or thereabouts) beer. But, this one is definitely way over the hill (assuming it was ever at the top of one).

Thanks, Bobby. Supposedly bottled in 1997.

Opaque dark brown with some clarity around the edges. Pours with little head, low carbonation.

Lot of prune and cardboard on the nose. Caramel, too. Pretty light aroma that's dominated by oxidation.

Palate is also very ozidized, though not terrible. A bit of cardboard and prune, some sherry, soy sauce. Body is rather thin at this point. Finishes with dark toasty malt, practically no bitterness. Clearly past its prime, but it's not awful.