December 2018 Cellar Reviews

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by CaptainHate, Dec 2, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 2 of 3
  1. CaptainHate

    CaptainHate Initiate (0) Apr 22, 2006 Ohio

    2017 Jackie O's Oil of Aphrodite Bourbon Barrel Aged with Coffee

    4.28/5 rDev -1.8%
    look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

    Poured from a 2017 12.7 ounce bottle bought in the middle of the year into a DFH tulip. For once I did the right thing and let the bottle warm to room temperature before opening (breweries please take note for your big stouts)

    Very dark brown body topped by a small hot chocolate colored creamy head which dissipated quickly but left a tight bubbly lacing on the glass side. Sweet barrel boozy chocolate smell with other flavors coming in and out. Can taste the coffee faintly but maybe the year plus cellaring has faded it back with the walnut and dark fruits. Booze is there but not overly hot. Feel is perfect for a stout like this as the tastes linger in the mouth. I had the regular Oil of Aphrodite relatively fresh and don't recall it being nearly as good as this.
     
    #21 CaptainHate, Dec 16, 2018
    Bitterbill, kemoarps, BigIslandfarmer and 3 others like this.
  2. strohme2

    strohme2 Pooh-Bah (2,001) Nov 3, 2007 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    [​IMG]
    Bottled 10/5/2017 Drank at cellar temp.
    Black, healthy cap of dark tan head.
    Still quite roasty, vanilla, burnt marshmallow, dark roasted coffee. Mellow bourbon with a bit of heat in the finish.
    Creamy mouthfeel, albeit thin.
     
    #22 strohme2, Dec 17, 2018
    Number1Framer, Bitterbill, kemoarps and 7 others like this.
  3. DIM

    DIM Grand Pooh-Bah (4,788) Sep 28, 2006 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I love this idea, count me in as well.
     
    #23 DIM, Dec 17, 2018
    kemoarps, CaptainHate and bl00 like this.
  4. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Sounds great!
     
    #24 Beersnake, Dec 17, 2018
    kemoarps likes this.
  5. brother_rebus

    brother_rebus Pooh-Bah (2,512) Jul 28, 2014 Maine
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    liking the sounds of this for the Boofig
     
    #25 brother_rebus, Dec 18, 2018
    kemoarps and bl00 like this.
  6. brother_rebus

    brother_rebus Pooh-Bah (2,512) Jul 28, 2014 Maine
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    thanks to @leaversuch I cracked an Expedition Stout from 2014. It was far better than any fresh or earlier-opened variations I've had. kept cool and dark like momma's strongest mushrooms. drunken from a snifter at 55ºF. the roast backbone was there still, some chocolate flavor. zero hint of booze. vanilla flavor, with no oxidative metal taste. carb just right. too bad I'm all out.

     
    #26 brother_rebus, Dec 18, 2018
    Budlum, Bitterbill, kemoarps and 5 others like this.
  7. riotontheroad

    riotontheroad Savant (1,211) Apr 7, 2010 California
    Trader

    jesus, 2 cases!! what year?
     
    #27 riotontheroad, Dec 18, 2018
    deadwolfbones, Beer_Economicus, kemoarps and 3 others like this.
  8. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    2010 Old Ruffian. Poured from fridge temp but allowed to warm. Pours dark brown with a thin layer of head. Nose is fantastic. Hoppy, resin, toffee, dark fruit, candy apple, and a bit of malts. Taste is outstanding. So much toffee with a slight bitterness in the aftertaste. It's a perfect mix of flavors that have aged beautifully. Definitely picking up the dark fruit - mostly cherries. Some leather and pine, and a touch of nuttiness. Mouthfeel is medium bodied. The alcohol is slightly detectable. Overall, a amazing beer. I have one more bottle (from 2012) that I will enjoy in a few years.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    #28 Beersnake, Dec 20, 2018
    CowsandBeer, jmdrpi, wilymobastardo and 9 others like this.
  9. Superheatnsubcool

    Superheatnsubcool Initiate (0) May 31, 2016 Washington

    2002?
     
    #29 Superheatnsubcool, Dec 20, 2018
    kemoarps likes this.
  10. toolbrew

    toolbrew Pooh-Bah (1,600) Feb 26, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Drank my only 2014 Expedition Stout tonight. Agreed with the above but got no vanilla. Was very smooth and held up well. Also drank 16, 17, and 18 this week. 18 is very good! Truly enjoy buying a sixer each year.
     
    #30 toolbrew, Dec 21, 2018
    kemoarps, strohme2, brother_rebus and 2 others like this.
  11. liquorpig

    liquorpig Pooh-Bah (1,964) Sep 6, 2008 Massachusetts
    Society Pooh-Bah

    [​IMG]
    2004-2018 Anchor Christmas Ale vertical minus '13. The '04 held up surprisingly well. Well carbonated and nice spice flavor. The '05 & '06 seemed much flatter. Upon closer examination, we noticed that the bottles those years were made with screw tops. The '07 through '12 were all similar in flavor and carbonation. Slight metallic notes in all of them. By the time we made it through '14 through '16, our taste buds were overloaded by the spices. The '17 and '18 were similar in taste and freshness. We all thought the '04 was in the top 3 of the vertical. Lesson learned was cut back on the vertical number with this beer. Spices can be overbearing.
     
    #31 liquorpig, Dec 21, 2018
    Bitterbill, kemoarps, toolbrew and 4 others like this.
  12. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    2013 Suede Imperial Porter by Stone. Now 5 years old. Aged in a fridge since new. Pours black as night. Nose is coriander, honey, mint, grapes, chocolate, and some roasted malts. Taste is not great. A strange bitterness up front. A crappy coffee grounds kinda taste. A bit of sweet honey on the aftertaste. Overall, this hasn't aged very well.

    [​IMG]
     
    #32 Beersnake, Dec 21, 2018
    Bitterbill, kemoarps, BigIslandfarmer and 4 others like this.
  13. macrosmatic

    macrosmatic Pooh-Bah (2,735) Mar 9, 2006 Florida
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well...it wasn't very good to begin with :wink:
     
    #33 macrosmatic, Dec 21, 2018
    CowsandBeer, oldbean and Beersnake like this.
  14. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Very true! I think I was hoping it would magically turn awesome!
     
    #34 Beersnake, Dec 21, 2018
    kemoarps and macrosmatic like this.
  15. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    2007 JW Less Harvest Ale. Poured from fridge temp but allowed to warm. Almost no head on the pour. Nose is full of nuts, toffee, raisin, and port. Really amazing. Taste is definitely a sweet spot. Full of toffee, raisin, cherries, walnuts, and bread. This is fantastic!

    [​IMG]
     
    #35 Beersnake, Dec 22, 2018
    Budlum, wilymobastardo, Bitterbill and 7 others like this.
  16. strohme2

    strohme2 Pooh-Bah (2,001) Nov 3, 2007 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    [​IMG]

    Once, long ago, I swear I saw something at Short’s that said aging these “would” work.
    It is labeled as a high gravity beer. This is a ‘13.

    Pours an amber red/ orange, touch of bubbles. Cloudy body. Spotty lacing.
    Nose of caramel, ethanol, essence of peach (like how La Croix has the essence).
    Taste is corn syrup, red berry, peach cake, artificial peach candy. Caramel, brown sugar, and sweetness. It’s nowhere near what it was fresh (duh) but it’s not bad or a drain pour.
    As always, slick mouthfeel, syrup my feel. That has never changed.

    This used to be a favorite beer, hope it comes back to bottles soon.
     
    #36 strohme2, Dec 23, 2018
    landrewg, Bitterbill, kemoarps and 3 others like this.
  17. CaptainHate

    CaptainHate Initiate (0) Apr 22, 2006 Ohio

    2017 10 Lords A Leaping - The Bruery

    4.14/5 rDev +4.5%
    look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

    Before I review this, I think this is miscategorized as a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. It's just not the same as a Corsendonk, Maudite or Scaldis Noel; it's lighter than they are and just gets lumped in with the rest of the dark Christmas ales by default. As the label accurately describes it's a dark imperial wit with spices.

    Now that's out of the way, I poured a 10/3/17 750 ml bottle into a DFH tulip. Dark brown body with a small light tan head that falls away quickly with a fair amount of lacing. Smell is just a carnival of flavors with coriander, allspice and orange peel predominating, particularly as it warms up. Taste replicates the smell but with a malty component that didn't reveal itself in the smell. Mouthfeel was a bit thin at the suggested serving temp of 50 degrees but filled out as it warmed up.

    This was a nice addition to a very well thought out multi year holiday concept by The Bruery. They recommend aging up to two years and I can't imagine it getting much better than this. But that's why they play the game.
     
    #37 CaptainHate, Dec 23, 2018
    Bitterbill, kemoarps, BigIslandfarmer and 1 other person like this.
  18. BalancingBrooms

    BalancingBrooms Pooh-Bah (2,894) Aug 22, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    [​IMG]

    BCBS 13, 14, 15, 17, 18

    Was a wonderful spectrum from standard BCBS with bright bourbon and distinct chocolate to a subdued blend of chocolate and bourbon. Favorites of the group were between 13 and 15.
     
    #38 BalancingBrooms, Dec 23, 2018
    AirBob, wilymobastardo, Bitterbill and 8 others like this.
  19. SiepJones

    SiepJones Maven (1,304) Nov 20, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    2010 East End Gratitude

    [​IMG]

    Deep amber/brown with a surprising amount of carbonation left. Leaves a quick layer of head that dissipates into a cloudy froth. It looks like a murky apple cider.

    Syrupy nose of figs and raisins. Surprisingly sweet.

    Carmel and toffee notes make up much of this beer. Raisin and fig are present as well with the slightest hint of sherry on the finish.

    Great legs on this beer. Lots of carb on the sides of the glass but not noticible in each sip. Very chewy mouthfeel.

    This beer has aged well. I worried that it was going to taste like cardboard instead it was a well balanced Carmel Bomb.
     
    #39 SiepJones, Dec 24, 2018
    CowsandBeer, jmdrpi, 4DAloveofSTOUT and 10 others like this.
  20. brother_rebus

    brother_rebus Pooh-Bah (2,512) Jul 28, 2014 Maine
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    120 min from 2012.
    Caramel syrup. Not awful. Minor carb. Smooth. Yet boozy. Not hot.

    Thankfully had 7 people.
     
    #40 brother_rebus, Dec 24, 2018
    CowsandBeer, Bitterbill, BalancingBrooms and 5 others like this.
Page 2 of 3
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.