Would you drink 2012/2013 BA speedway...

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by Fordcoyote15, Jul 20, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Fordcoyote15

    Fordcoyote15 Pooh-Bah (2,368) Nov 19, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I began discussing a trade for a personal want - BA speedway but found out the bottles are 2012 and 2013. I'm not personally a huge advocate of aging beer so unless there are reports that this one is quite nice at 4-5 years my inclination is to pass.

    What say you?
     
    #1 Fordcoyote15, Jul 20, 2017
  2. youradhere

    youradhere Initiate (0) Feb 29, 2008 Washington

    That's a tough call man. Do you want them, or just speedway Stout in general? I see you in the cellaring forums a bit- you know what time does to barrel flavors.

    I've had Speedway Stout before, it's good, but I recall not thinking it had the body or sugars thick enough for aging. Just my $.02
     
    #2 youradhere, Jul 20, 2017
  3. Fordcoyote15

    Fordcoyote15 Pooh-Bah (2,368) Nov 19, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm not sure I understand the question. Regular speedway is a shelf beer here, so no I don't just want speedway stout in general. But liking speedway stout I've wanted to try BA speedway specifically.
     
    #3 Fordcoyote15, Jul 21, 2017
  4. Fluteswell

    Fluteswell Zealot (633) Feb 15, 2011 Maryland
    Trader

    I drank one I had recently and it was really good. It was refrigerated since I traded for it in 2013.
     
    #4 Fluteswell, Jul 21, 2017
  5. youradhere

    youradhere Initiate (0) Feb 29, 2008 Washington

    Sorry- what I was getting at is that barrel flavors fade with time, and I was insinuating that a 12/13 BA beer is basically going to be normal Speedway nearly 6 and 5 years later respectively (assuming the brewer takes 6 months to make a BA). I would think there would be more dryness and possibilities for barrel funk to develop (not a bad thing by any means, but an unknown gamble) with those BA beers.

    I would say that if you have never had BA Speedway, trade for it fresh so you can taste the level of barrel character the way the Brewer intended at release, and then decide if you think it needs 5 years to mellow out the barrel characters (heat, vanilla, tannins, smoke/char, bourbon flavor, etc).
     
    #5 youradhere, Jul 21, 2017
    ColdOne likes this.
  6. Fordcoyote15

    Fordcoyote15 Pooh-Bah (2,368) Nov 19, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Solid input and it's much appreciated mate!
     
    #6 Fordcoyote15, Jul 21, 2017
    ColdOne and youradhere like this.
  7. maximum12

    maximum12 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,686) Jan 21, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I had the luck to have a 2003 BA Speedway in 2011, & another 2003 BA Speedway in 2013. The bottle I had in 2011 was excellent, & the one I had in 2013 was insanely good, & these bottles were 8/10 years old at consumption. The second I popped at a sharing & the consensus was "wow".

    I'm have no idea if Alesmith is brewing BA Speedway exactly the same as it was in 2003, but if it were me, I wouldn't hesitate a moment to jump on 4/5 year old bottles...assuming they'd been stored properly. Good luck.
     
    #7 maximum12, Jul 21, 2017
    wilymobastardo likes this.
  8. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,966) Mar 12, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I would definitely pass on that. I don't think that Speedway is the best candidate for cellaring to begin with so I would try to find a fresher version of BA Speedway
     
    #8 unlikelyspiderperson, Aug 4, 2017
    youradhere likes this.
  9. Yellowlt4

    Yellowlt4 Crusader (428) Sep 21, 2016 Texas

    This, I've had it 5-6 years and it's amazing.
     
    #9 Yellowlt4, Sep 2, 2017
  10. ericwo

    ericwo Zealot (624) Aug 21, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    Drink it, YES. Trade for it, NO.
     
    #10 ericwo, Sep 18, 2017
    ColdOne likes this.
  11. reefer_bob

    reefer_bob Savant (1,010) May 13, 2014 California
    Trader

    #11 reefer_bob, Sep 18, 2017
  12. SDReaper

    SDReaper Pooh-Bah (2,174) Aug 15, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    As someone that constantly seeks out vintage BA speedway, trades, and drinks them...I would say yes go for it. However, speedway tends to not really have much in terms of a "secondary" value aside from cost...so don't trade away a lot for them. It sucks to say that, but it is what it is.

    So far I have only had one bad one...an '07 that got oxidized....but that was a single bottle out of the 7-10 I have drank. Odds are it wasn't stored properly.
     
    #12 SDReaper, Sep 19, 2017
    reefer_bob and Beer_Economicus like this.
  13. Fordcoyote15

    Fordcoyote15 Pooh-Bah (2,368) Nov 19, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks guys. I guess I should have checked back in on this. I did end up trading for it and drank it recently thereafter. I did a brief review on it back in July.

    ---------------------

    "L - 4.25
    S - 4
    T - 4
    F - 4
    O - 4

    2013 bottle now aged 4 years.

    For the first time I'm appreciating oxidation in a beer. It certainly is but I'm strangely not put off by it. The coffee in its original form is long gone, but a shell of where it was remains with outlier elements of char, roast, and pepper.

    There is still a large amount of sweetness and barrel in this beer. Loads of vanilla, carmelized sugar, toffee, brown sugar and bourbon.

    It's leaves you dry, spicy, and satisfied

    Overall it's a shame I didn't get to try this fresh but even with such age it's entirely evident what a carefully crafted top tier beer this is."

    -----------

    I guess "spicy" wasn't clear. That was in reference to the lingering alcohol bite.
     
    #13 Fordcoyote15, Sep 21, 2017
    maximum12 and Beer_Economicus like this.
  14. SDReaper

    SDReaper Pooh-Bah (2,174) Aug 15, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Based on your review....that bottle was not kept well.
     
    #14 SDReaper, Sep 23, 2017
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.