October 2014 Cellar Review

Steel Toe Lunker, December 2012

I thought this was excellent when it was released, & it's gotten even better. A caramel bomb with a lit fuse of bourbon, even after almost two years this is boozy enough to make me sweat. The smell alone is enough to make you know you're in for something special. Lacking a touch in the carbonation department. Damn, I hope they make this one again this year, because it just reached my special "better with age than fresh" list. It's a short but very dignified bunch of beer.

 

Think the 2012 will get better with more time or is it peaking now?

 

Bell's Expedition Stout - Batch 9512 (December 2009)

black, with thin dark tan head. pleasant aroma of soft milk chocolate. all hops have faded. very smooth yet rich taste - cocoa, a touch of espresso, caramelized sugar. lingering aftertaste. great thick, silky mouthfeel. gentle carbonation. excellent.

 

I doubt it's going to get any better. I like heat in my beer, but if you don't, I'd leave it lie for a while yet, it's still one of the booziest beers I've ever tasted.

 

AleSmith Speeday Stout 2011

This was well balanced and as good as it had ever tasted. Still getting coffee notes, but not bitter. Wonderful mouthfeel and no noticeable oxidation. A far cry from the bottle of Bolt Cutter I just had, not so good.

 

Yeah, definitely one to drink fresh. Still have a bunch of the 2011 that have clearly fallen off (don't ask). Given that NBB pasteurizes this beer (boo), the highlight of this one is really about how the dry hops complement the sour base. It's a well done beer, but I wish they dry hopped it just a little bit longer.

 

I had a bolt cutter last month and I thought it was aging nicely, but still a little hot. Hops have definitely faded, but the caramel, vanilla, and barrel character are really coming together nicely. Im excited to try this with another couple of years on it. I had an 07 DFH 120 that was sublime, nothing like fresh. Not that hot at all, no vegetal/grassy notes like when fresh, sweet malts, caramel, vanilla, it was just perfect. I see a lot of the qualities of 120 in Bolt Cutter and I think this will be amazing in a couple of years.

 

North Coast Old Stock 2008

One of the first beers I bought to intentionally put aside & it's something of a dud. Caramel, boozy, sweet - not much else. Not bad, but pretty routine. I am disappoint.

 

Russian River Supplication Batch 6. Musty oak and cherry pits in the nose. Acidity is assertive up front but well rounded. Mild tannin in the finish. After all this time still leaves an aftertaste of sorts of cherry pie.

 

Which year was batch 6?

 

According to the bottle log it was bottled in January 2011.

 

Rodenbach 2007 vintage oak age ale

This was really nice. It is so smooth and the blending is superb. The intensity is, obviously, greatly reduce, but in my mind it is more than made up for in the assets. There is fruit, tartness, soft woodiness and a mild funk. The aroma isn't at peak, but the flavors are really good.
I'm not sure I'd wait much more. This seems just about right.

 

2007 Samichlaus Helles.
A shade or two darker than fresh, more of a dark amber than the normal burnished gold. Almost no head, just a wisp of large bubbles clinging to the edges. Definite sherry-like oxidation, lots of brandy soaked raisin, with a touch of toast; smells and tastes reminiscent of fruit cake. Not as creamy in body as fresh, but still full, and the alcohol is well hidden. It is a touch solventy in the nose, more so than the newer bottle I'm trying with it oddly enough. Fantastic nevertheless, and could definitely change and possibly improve further.

 

2013 and 2009 Westvleteren 12

Didn't notice much difference on the 2013 vs. a fresh 2014. However, the 2009 was incredible. Some elements of the alcohol had faded, but were replaced by an almost bourbon note--as if it had been aged in barrels. Dark fruit flavors were also more at the forefront. I have one more 2013 that I'll definitely be waiting a couple of years on.

 

Weyerbacher Fourteen (2009)

I loved this beer fresh, I loved it with a few months on it, & I continue to love it. The carbonation is mostly gone (not that there was much to begin with) & the sediment could form a small island. But it's still like drinking liquified wheat bubblegum with a shot of raw sugar cane. It's scarcely changed in five years, which is both remarkable & good. I don't recall another beer that's stayed so consistent.

I only have four left in the cellar, two regular/two dark. I likely won't open another one until 2015 sometime. It has to begin to evolve someday...right?

 

Drank a 2009 last night and it was really good. Still had decent (albeit low level) carbonation. Totally smooth though, nice brandy and woody notes. Wish I had more.

 

Yeah, I agree that black note is very smooth and not really boozy. Just hanging onto a few bottles to see what it does. I will be opening up a bottle every 4-6 months of this vintage just to see what happens. I think that the beer is getting a creamier mouthfeel as the time goes on; that is what I have noticed so far.

 

2013 HotD Matt

Nice looking pour: 2 full fingers of head with decent retention and lots of lacing clings to the glass. Still smells slightly boozy. Smoke, Chocolates, and flavored liquor in the nose. The flavor profile is really awesome right now. Tons of cherry wood notes; meaty, peaty, and earthy smoke. Moderate sweetness; I would say that this is not as sweet as it was when Matt 2013 was fresh. Tobbaco, leather, prunes, and hint of soy sauce. Very complex and Its pretty smooth drinking right now, not much booziness. Slightly thin yet creamy mouthfeel. Sticky and palate coating.

Matt is a beer from HotD that has never disappointed me. I will always be coming back for more of this brew. The way 2013 Matt is drinking right now I would say that it will be flawless in 3-6 months. It is in my top 3 Hair of the Dog beers.

 

2012 Sour in the Rye

Drinking about as perfect as I can imagine this one drinking. The pucker factor and vinegar found in a fresh one is most definitely gone, and instead is replaced with just a slight tartness and some great funkiness. I really enjoyed this one, and wish I had more from 2012 laying around.

 

Good to know! I'll hold onto the most recent release for a while then, I've had it fresh and wondered about its maturation.