June 2015 Cellar Reviews

Had an odd one last night. Bell's Cherry Stout from the 2014 batch. Some background: Have been aging in my cellar since it was purchased in early December. I had a year old 2013 batch and it was nice; the malt and cherry melded together to create a syrup-y drink.

From the 2014 batch, I was getting a malty, smoky taste. I could have sworn it taste BBQ like on the finish. Weird and not what I expected or wanted. The other 5 will be drank with a year on them.

 

I sampled a bunch of their beers while volunteering at EBF, as I was stationed right next to them and their line was pretty short. Good stuff across the board and their barrell aged stout was amazing. The guy poured me one, had me drink it, then poured another one and let it sit and warm up for 20 minutes. It was like drinking a different beer. Eye opening experience for me.

Now when I open an older bottle I definitely try to drink it over a longer period and see how warming up changes the character of the beer.

 

2013 BCBS, cellar temp into a snifter. Pours fairly thick, very dark, with a light brown head that dissipates quickly. Smell is chocolate, brown sugar, bourbon. Also brighter notes—spice, alcohol, cherry (almost medicinal). Taste is chocolate, bourbon, a little coconut, hint of BBQ sauce. Just this side of too sweet, alcohol heat (but reads more like 12% than almost 15%). Feel is medium to thick, very very solid—possibly the best element of the beer. Overall, I like this a bit better than fresh; it's clearly a very good BA stout, but not worth the craziness it inspires. 4.45/5.

 

2008 Monster Barley Wine. I found a a six pack of this languishing on a bottom shelf covered in dust, in a store I had never been in before. I bartered the owner down to $9.99 from $15.99. I wax capped the bottles and put them in my cellar. This one has been sitting at cellar temp for a month now

Considering the conditions this beer was kept under the last 7 years, it has held up remarkably well. Carbonation has faded, but is still moderate. The beer is more viscous than I remember. The taste is very sweet and earthy with just a touch of hops remaining. The beer finishes with that familiar Monster warming.

I am extremely happy that I stumbled across this six pack. I left the last six on the shelf and posed to the Midwest forums that it was there. I hope another BA got the last six pack and will enjoy it as much as I am enjoying this.

Cheers

 

Drank a 2013 Olde School Barleywine last night.

The balance has certainly shifted on this one. From the super hoppy and boozy beer it is fresh to an awesome balance between rich sweet malts, strong dark fruits, earthy and woodsy hops, and a nice kick of booze. This is a beer I love at all ages for different reasons. Here the maltiness is really starting to break through, whereas older vintages begin to show more signs of oxidation. The sweet spot for those looking for balance in their barleywine should drink it at 1.5-2 years old and those looking for the delicious oxidation affects to come in should wait closer to 5 years if not longer.

 

2012 Sierra Nevada / Russian River Brux

I bought this beer as one of my first cellar beers. I have had it for a long time and I finally opened it.

The nose is all pineapple, banana, and the grassy funk that brett beers can have. The taste is pineapple, banana, stone fruit, and the same funk as in the smell. I get those bratwurst notes that I get in a lot of brett beers, wits, and hefeweizens. This is refreshing, but it is not a light beer. There is a definite heaviness to the beer. The mouth feel is rather carbonated (who would have thought that would ever be possible with a brett beer?????????), which keeps the flavor in your mouth for a while after finishing a sip.

I feared opening this bottle for the few years I have had it as reviews were not the best. I have always enjoyed what brett does to beer after a while and decided to just keep this guy tucked away. This was worth the wait.

 

Yesterday, I opened up a bottle of Bruery/Noble Tout Mais Le Coller from November 2013 that had been hiding, unnoticed, in the back of a box surrounded by higher-octane, BA Bruery beers.

As expected, this one is well past its prime. For a gimmicky, orange creamsicle beer, I actually really enjoyed it fresh on draft. Now, most of the adjuncts are still there and noticeable, but muted. There were some musty, cardboard/wood notes from oxidation, though, so maybe now the creamsicle finally includes the stick. Even without the off flavors, though, ageing hasn't introduced anything new and exciting to overcome the fading of the primary flavors. Probably would have rated it around a 2.75 now.

 

2014 Double DBA into a Teku at cellar temp. I can't believe how little notice this beer gets; I actually slightly prefer it to Parabola. Looks like Grade B syrup in color, and somewhat in viscosity: just gorgeous. Minimal off-white head, very fine bubbles. Smell is oak, syrup, vanilla, molasses. Taste is somewhat hot still, but with fantastic rounded notes that follow the nose after the initial heat moves aside. Feel is damn near perfect. Overall, I like DDBA with more like 2–3 years on it, but I'd take this year-old offering over 95% of all other BA barleywines regardless of age nonetheless.

 

2013 Sucaba. My first one ever. Reviewed at cellar temp.

A: Very dark brown. Very light tan colored, frothy head that settles to a thin layer on the beer.
S: Musty, bourbon, cherry, vanilla, caramel, cola, leather. There's a lot going on here!
T: Decadent. Bourbon, cherry, cocoa, toffee, vanilla, caramel. All the desserts.
M: Thick, but also very drinkable. Sweet, but not cloying.
O: This was a great experience, drank for a special occasion that made it even better. I haven't had it fresh, but the cherry (dark fruits) flavor that I love was helped along with age, I'm sure. I see why this beer is sought after. Very nice.

 

Props for the excessively manly opener. That thing must weight 10 lbs.

 

Oh, my opener is my way of compensating for sure!

 

2011 Dogfish Head 120 Minute





Completely murk-a-riffic with what I can best describe as a contrived head through a really hard pour.

Color is dark caramel with encapsulated air bubbles that can almost be confused for yeasty bits.

Smell is sweet with hints of dates, nougat and lemony spiciness, as well as just a touch of alcohol.

Taste is very reminiscent of on English Barley Wine but so damn hot. Four years have not tamed this hot beast! Once you pound past the violence, raisins, and maybe the most faint molasses imaginable.

Upon exit we have sweet layered with massive alcohol left over.

Wow. This thing is meant to punish, clearly.

 

What are your cellar conditions like? I opened one on Saturday as well and it was rediculous orange creamsicle with no signs of oxidation and age. I never had this beer before and for the life of me I cannot imagine what it would like if the adjunct flavors were any more bold than what they were. Of the dozen or so bottles we opened during the share, that one was the most talked about and favorite of the night for a majority of the attendees.