The Bruery - Sucre

I assume you mean "how long to cellar this one?"

Since this beer was just released this year, no one can really tell you how long to cellar Sucre. Most reviewers suggest it is drinking well right now with medium carbonation and not too boozy. Those two complaints are usually why I cellar a beer.

Do you have a reason you want to cellar it, based on what other people have said about how it's drinking right now?

 

For me, it's a toss up. I have been fortunate enough to have had a glass without opening mine and I can tell you that it is drinking fantastic! Bois was one, straight off the bat, you could tell needed some time in the cellar. The booze was overpowering and the flavors were a tad disjointed. This one, however, is a delight to drink. I'd say, if you have a special occasion, open it and enjoy. If you don't get around to opening it for a while, it's not going to hurt. Again, this is just my opinion. Enjoy!

 

Most of the reason I cellar beers is based on price and rarity, not necessarily because I want to see how it drinks after a couple years. For some beers (SN Big Foot, Stone IRS, etc), I'll buy a couple bottles to actually see what it's like in a couple years.

If I had Sucre (I actually have a bottle of Bois I'm waiting to open), I'd save it for a special occasion.

 

I have had a number if different variants of sucre and they are drinking wonderfully. For all we know time will hurt this beer. Why wait.

 

It's incredible right now. Should hold up very well, but if it's your only one, drink it.

 

All of the Bruery Anniversary beers are the same recipe and include small amounts of previous batches thanks to the Solera Aging method. The 100% barrel aged versions (Cuir was the last year that offered a partial barrel aged version) all age fantastically. Last week I cracked a bottle of Fruet from two years ago and it was fantastic. Everyone's tastes are different but I feel that the two years really treated the bottle very well. If possible, you should convince a friend to purchase one and together you guys open one now and save the other for a few years and crack it open on a special occasion.

When ever you decide to drink it you will be glad you dropped the cash on it. (At least I always am.)

 

The optimal time is probably when the wife isn't around, since that silly wax is pretty recognizable.

 

I really enjoy the bruery's anniversary old ales. However, having recently consumed several of the different BOIS barrel variations, I thought they were pretty heavily oxidized for only being in the bottle for a year. I think their solera method is reaching a point of diminishing returns (in prior years I dont recall tasting that much oxidation.)

 

I wouldn't be so sure that necessarily has much to do with the Solera method. The amount of retained beer is relatively small.

 

Can any help me out and what is the wax color for each variant

 

I would welcome more input on this.

 

this post has a picture with all of them listed and corresponding abv
http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...-rs-hs-allocations.172320/page-5#post-2439777

 

That pic looks to be missing two:
New American Oak - dark brown wax
Tequila - pale-greenish-olive-ish-sea-foam wax

 

I don't think the oxygen input from the Solera method of barrel aging will necessarily have contributed to your perception of advanced oxidation in year-old Bois, compared to it simply being a barrel aged beer that's sat for a year.

I certainly could be wrong, but I'd think bottling / being in barrels / aging, generally would all contribute more significantly to advance oxidation (as you describe it) after a year. Whatever oxidative notes were introduced by the Solera method should be present, initially. I don't see why it would necessarily jump-start the aging process, as there's not necessarily any more oxygen present than in a traditional barrel aged beer.