Cellar Reviews (2020)

2014 Bell’s Expedition Stout
13504 PKGD 09/18/14 C stamped on back label. Cellared in box In basement at 60-65F. Poured into a snifter.

A: Jet black with beige ring of head that lingers and leaves dots of lacing.

S: Amazing dark malt aroma — black coffee, prunes, roast but not ashy, lightly sweet caramel, touch of oxidation, tons of toffee in the retronasal.

F: Flavor is also stellar with none of the licorice notes (maybe slight in the finish but ignoring) that older vintages sometimes have a high amount of. Delicious decadent dark malt and toffee notes with raisin, prune, light roast, espresso, and vanilla sweet notes in the finish. Really a treat —I was expecting a licorice bomb but this is a spectacular cellared beer. Alcohol is very well-hidden but the flavor is dense. Aftertaste with smoky dark coffee and burnt raisin.

M: Full-bodied but not syrupy with some residual carbonation.

O: I am going to be hitting these ExpStouts hard over the next 6-12 months if they taste like this. I am going to try a few older ones I have saved back to see if they tend to have more licorice like I remember.

 

2018 BCBS Vanilla


I never cracked a fresh bottle, but heard the vanilla was overwhelming at release. I honestly was a little underwhelmed. It still had all the best qualities of BC, with an enhanced vanilla frosting finish that gets a little stronger as it warms. I would drink this ASAP if you’re looking for a Vanilla forward stout. It seems to be dropping off quickly.
I did have Cycle Blend 1 the night before and thoroughly enjoyed it. I actually rated it higher. Granted BC had an extra 6-9 months on it, but take that as you will.

 

Schmaltz Jewbelation 21 (2017)

Pours slightly murky dark brown with ruby highlights at the edge of the glass. Tan colored head that fades fast. Aroma of dark caramel, plum, fig, and raisin. Taste is similar flavors, pretty sweet. A touch of earthy hops. Medium to full bodied, lower carbonation, slick feel.

 

Are.they still around out in the north east. 10 years ago or so they were a regular presence in my fridge (the uncle something rye something was my jam!) But they've disappeared from shelves out here and I always wondered if it was just contracting their footprint or they went under

 

2010 North Coast Old Stock Ale
Cellared at 60-65F. Served in a Duvel tulip.

A: Kind of prune juice looking with small off-white head that sticks with the beer in a rim of bubbles..

S: Fig, prune, raisin, and red grape with low note of vinous alcohol in the background.

T: Delicious with no oxidation character which is amazing to me. Flavor is divine with fig, raisin, date, and plum all glorified with a sustained underlying bitterness and light herbal hop note. Some medium crystal malt flavor provides another layer of complexity without being cloying.

M: Smooth with medium body and low carbonation.

O: Amazing cellared beer — I don’t know how much longer this can go but this bottle was spectacular.

 

So if I understand correctly, they finally had their own brewery in upstate NY, but then sold it to Single Cut. So I guess they are back to contract brewing a few beers. But they still have a little bottle shop in Troy NY. I was there a month ago and they were selling a bunch of these vintage Jewbelation beers.

The beer you remember is probably this one:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/262/30970/

 

thats the one. im a sucker for rye ipa

 

Yeah, I am bummed that Founders Red Rye went draft only. Haven't seen it since.

 

I have one bottle of this left. The other bottle that I did have was no less than fantastic.

 

Here ya go!

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...rewed-for-mi-series-with-reds-rye-ipa.636043/

 

Thanks, but that's only in Michigan

 

This is that emergency that we've been cellaring beer for all these years. Today dug out a Bruery GFAR from 2011. Not noticing any signs of being 9+ years old. Has held up extremely well. If this isn't a time to work on your cellar, then there never will be one. Cheers!

 

This beer was released a few months ago and is readily avail on shelf’s here in MI.

 

We had a discussion in a different thread recently about coffee beers, so I thought I'd pull this guy out. I know coffee is supposed to be one of the flavours that falls off most quickly, so lets find out, shall we?

I was BIGLY enamoured of this one when I first had it fresh back in January 2017. Unfortunately, I did not write down what year this bottle I'm about to open is, and I can't find any indication anywhere on the bottle from the brewery itself (that's a bit of a pet peeve of mine), so I'm going to assume it's likely that same year (2016/2017), though it's possible it could be older.



Still a pretty little pour. Head retention is not quite as strong, though it does maintain a steady fuzzy presence.
Nose has fallen off a fair amount. What was, 'clean coffee and chocolate,' is now largely faded overall. Some generic roast and light fruitiness that reminds me of unroasted coffee beans.
I get a similar impression with the flavour. What was originally creamy smoothe chocolate and coffee has now been dominated by the lactose, a flavour component that I once really enjoyed, but I find myself largely turned off by at this point in my beer-drinking career. The chocolate that once straddled the line between bitter bakers chocolate and rich fudge now tastes more like chocolate syrup, and where once was artisan coffee-shop java, it's now just kind of a general acridity that is subsumed by the lactose. I think the chocolate and the coffee (the chocolate more so) could have carried a decently pleasant course forward, but the lactose just rolls up and dominates everything and I no longer find that an appealing characteristic.
Body is no longer the creamy smoothe experience I had three years ago, but a sticky thin carbonated thing.



I'm sure at least some of this is evolving tastes on my part, but a lot of it is undeniably the aging of this particular bottle itself. I wouldnt say this is a 'failed' experiment as it's still drinkable (and even somewhat enjoyable once you get past the overwhelming lactose), but it is not one I feel the need to replicate any time soon.

 

They canned it for release in Michigan only. Just hit last week. It's really nice to have in the fridge once again.

 

Opened after missing #cellarsaturday with a bunch of virtual friends. This is my last 2013.

Popped in the fridge for 15 minutes after pulling from the cellar.
After a somewhat aggressive pour this is about all the head I could muster. Faded fairly quickly leaving only a small ring around the glass. Nose is just as I remember it, but smoother. Bourbon, roast, fudge, a touch vanilla.
My oh my. I’m almost regretting opening this.
This beer is so smooth. Fudgey but with bakers chocolate and walnuts. Coconut, vanilla, the smoothest bourbon and oak, toasted dark breads. It retains a chewy and velvety smooth mouthfeel.
This is an absolute pleasure to drink. Cheers!

 

Cigar City Marshal Zhukov - Sherry Barrel Aged

I loved this fresh, but had no idea what four years would do to a sherry barrel beer. Popped it open during family movie time last night (thus no detailed review) with no expectations, & holy crap. Even better than fresh, this has edged up to phenomenal. The sherry is still strong, but has retreated just enough to let the base Zhukov start to shine through. The balance is exquisite & I was sorry to see it go.

If you're still hanging onto one of these for whatever reason, go get it. Clear A+ beer for me at this stage of its development.