April 2018 Cellar Reviews

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
bottled 09/10/13
consumed 4/29/18
poured into a 5oz mini snifter
scored a 4.04/5
rDev-3.8%

I came across this bottle in my Grandma's fridge this past December. either I left it there or my uncle did. anyone else that would have visited would have left wine or bud light. needless to say I snagged it and have been storing in my fridge upon returning home. I like pumpkin ales and think Schlafly makes one of the best out there. at 8% ABV and considering the fact that it was refrigerated during its accidental cellaring, I figured it was possible this bottle could be just fine.

I wasn't exactly wrong. poured a nice burnt orange / light brown color with a very decent amount of dirty white head (way more than expected). plenty of bubbles and the feel was nice, however, smell and taste lacked a bit compared to fresh bottles. taste was somewhat one-dimensional and malty. smell a bit subdued. final pour had quite a bit of sediment in it but that's never bothered me like it apparently does some folks.normally this would not be a candidate for cellaring to me but this was a pleasant little experiment even if it was by complete chance. mainly just made me yearn for autumn months and weather.

 

Weyerbacher finally legal, bottled last year (I believe it said april) It's a 13.5% beer, but the year has mellowed it a bit. What it's lost in barrel hotness and coffee it's gained in dark fruit and a marshmellow like creaminess. The vanilla stands out more than I remember too. An interesting transition (from my memory of it fresh) to a year later.

 

Sitting on a bottle of this, was thinking to age it longer as I hated this fresh but maybe I should open sooner?

 

I didn't hate it fresh, but it was a bit too hot for me. Hard to say the exact changes since I haven't had it fresh in a year, but I think it mellowed. The creamy aftertaste was something I don't remember from before. Can't hurt to try it. If you hated it then, probably no amount of years will fix that. But I do think a year changed it a bit, so might as well crack that puppy. My 4 pack was just bought in a liquor store, so they may have aged a little faster depending on the conditions.

 

Not true I can think of a few beers in which I hated fresh but loved with a year or more on it. Had this experience with DFH Palo Santo Maron, Arbor Brewing Violin Monster, and DFH 120. But I think I will continue with my original analysis and enjoy Finally Legal at the 3-5 year mark. But I did enjoy your take on it after a year.