biggest surprises, both good and bad

I agree totally about the Jubel.

The biggest surprises, in a good way, were bottles of coffee Stouts that I aged to see what would happen. Yeah, the coffee went away but some, like Terrapin Wake-and-Bake in particular...ha, I even updated my original review, well...here's what I wrote: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2372/21950/?ba=Bitterbill

 

Biggest surprise that was good would of been a tiny bottle of English ale from the 1970's. Me and my friend opened up the 25cl bottle expecting it to be terrible but is was very nice indeed. I can't remember what the beer was and we could find no information about it. The abv was only 7.5% so it had done remarkably well for the strength.

Worst surprise was a 2005 bottle of Stille Nacht sampled in 2010. It had been stored perfectly yet was very oxidised and bad. After we tried the 2005 Stille Nacht Reserva and it was unbelievably good. They were stored in exactly the same conditions.

 

I have had only a few cellared beers compared to others (less than 50), and most of them were aged by someone else, so I never tried the fresh version. IIRC, I had a ~3 year old Shipyard Prelude winter warmer (it had been in a store's cold case for 3 years), and I thought it was great. Had a nice, smooth sweetness, but wasn't syrupy or too sweet IMO. Also found a 7 year old Blanche de Chambly in the same store and it was gross.

I am about a month away from completing a small PtE experiment. I will have aged and tasted PtE at 3, 6, and 9 months of low quality cellaring. I did the 9 months first on a whim, and was pleasantly surprised. I think almost everyone will think it's better fresh (and by style it is). But there was something nice about reducing the hop taste a little bit and letting the malt play a bigger role; although I love the fresh smell and that weakened a bit too. As to which one I'd prefer, it depends on what I'm in the mood to drink (a great fresh DIPA or something more like a slightly malty IPA).

 

Totally agree. Bought two bottles back in December 2010 and thought it was some rare stuff. (Once a decade right? RIGHT?) Popped it a few months ago- I don't think mine was oxidized, but just totally blend and passable.

The Deschutes and Hair of The Dog's Conflux #1 Collage is also another disappointment. It wasn't oxidized nor going downhill...I think it didn't even start out as a great beer and cellaring it didn't improve anything.

 

Espresso oak yeti and mephistopheles both made me happy to try this cellaring gig, lost abbey judgementt day had me ready to dump my whole cellar. Okay, not really, but it was pretty terrible.

 

How long did you cellar the yeti?

 

Jubel 2010, ugh, planned to open one a year, and, if still alive, drink one next to a 2020. Instead have drank most of mine, and the last couple were getting really, well, not bad, but such sad shadows of their former selves.

Not shocked, but kinda surprised to see how well Weyerbacher Heresy improves with a couple years on it. Palo Santo is well known as a good cellar candidate, but I have finally had a chance to taste mine 2 years old and they are even better than I could have dreamed they'd be.

 

Best positive surprise to me has been KBS, I've done verticals of it from several years and it's always great with a year on it. I'd say the biggest let-down has been 120 Minute. I had it 3 years old and it was sweet and gross, when I tried it fresh it had lots of hops and was 10 times better.

 

Yeti had a year on it and it tasted great. Still a lot of coffee flavors, but not as bitter as she is fresh.

 

Another vote for Jubel 2010. It was fantastic for a while but it's nose diving in my opinion.

 

How it was terrible? I have few...

 

Came here to say espresso yeti was my biggest disappointment, it smoothed out after a year but no coffee. Best aged beer I've had is backwoods bastard.

 

As far as I remember I found an after taste off putting, similar to the one I find in most of unibroue's beers as well.

Really? Mine still had a TON of espresso flavor.

 

Yeh I agree it taste like bb but more dark fruits, it's kick ass

 

Hopefully it is just you. They were quite pricey, but I guess I should try soon.

i have had only La Fin Du Monde from Unibroue and it was long time ago. I liked it though if remember correctly.

 

Brooklyn Monster Ale is probably the most surprising for me so far. It's not such a great beer fresh but it ages very well.