Cellar Reviews (2023)

Wow, sometimes hurts huh? Thanks for posting!

 

Great beer and a vastly underrated musician! I don’t recall this song, so thanks.

 

Hopefully this didn’t count as your one beer for the month.

 

Haha yeah I may sneak another one in this month even though I did manage to finish that Rabid Duck

 

Yeah, I mean seriously. This is NOT the month to sacrifice for science. All the best to you!

 

Totally agree! Actually, you got me thinking maybe I should open another of those infected Rabid Ducks with memory still fresh of this one, to see if the results are the same in a different bottle. For science.

 

A true man of science

 

You, my friend, are…..


NUTS!

 

I typically go off of memory, but admit I never heard of that song either until doing a search for Gordon Lightfoot's Canadian Trilogy and finding it among the recommended videos. Paired well with the beer.

Glad you get a second go. Also glad you appear to have survived that infected beer! I've only encountered one, one of my few drain pours I can recall.

Going to close out this month and the start of the next attacking some cellar offerings. I really enjoyed this about at the one and a half year mark. Hoping this second and final can withstood the test of time.

Half Acre Benthic (2019)



OG Review Link Conducted 5/15/21 - Same vintage & batch as today.

Can Notes: 16 oz canned 10/18/19, can stamp "Old Trees Just Grow Stronger". Cellared for about a year due to lack of refrigeration space, refrigerated for three years and change since. 14% ABV, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with Toasted Coconut & Coffee.

Departures (if any) from OG Take / Current Scores:

Appearance: Similar with the decreased head size the primary difference (4.25 or -0.25)

Aroma: Consistent with OG Cellar review. Coconut continues to hold on well, excellent aromas. Faint coffee and barrel as noted in 2021. (4.75 or same)

Taste: Similar attributes, everything remains in place. Coconut lead, walnuts, brownie. Coffee nearly gone the primary difference, bourbon grows with warmth. (4.50 or -0.25)

Mouthfeel: Perhaps lighter, I originally called it thick as a brick but wouldn't say that today. This is strong after diving in a bit. Let it warm for nice play between coconut and bourbon. Sticky, creamy, brownie coconut bourbon medley. (4.50 or -0.50)

Overall: This beer held up refrigerated very well. Would say 0-18 months would be the sweet spot. Really glad I opened today (4.50 or -0.25)

 

"Old Trees Just Grow Stronger" is a John Prine lyric reference from "Hello in There". A beautiful song that will make you tear up. Sadly, John passed just 6 months after this canning date.

 

Thank you so much for attributing and linking this wonderful song! He was born and raised just SW of me in Maywood. Glad he shared his talent with the world!

 

That, good sir, is a claim made by many. And never denied by me

 

2013 bcbs drinking as one of the most exquisite stouts I've ever had. I have a handful of vintages and 13 was NEVER favorite, I've previously thought 2014 has been much better. This bottle, for whatever reason is probably the best I've ever tasted BCBS topping 2009-present + 2007 (never had 2008 or inception - 2006) . It's the least sweet I've ever tasted the beer and though oxidation is definitely present, in the absence of the sugaryness, so much more comes out. All of the raisen and tobacco of the pre pasteurized versions im familiar with but so much more in the forefront. The barrel is uniquely more noticeably too. Not more "hot" but just an undeniable nuance thats clearly bourbon that seems more muddled in as liquor heat when fresh. Overall quite surprised by this 10 year old beer and didn't expect it to be half as good as it is currently.

Edit to note the no loss of carbonation. Bottle cracked open like a beer bottled last week and was fully carbonated.

 

This is my first cellar review of this vintage (2021).

Revolution Supermassive Cafe Deth (2021)



Can Notes: Canned 6/30/21 at 8:02:57 AM, 12 oz, 14.3% ABV, refrigerated since purchase.

Appearance: Looks great, rich creamy dark tan head, pitch black base, light creamy fizzy cover of tiny carbonation, creamy around the rim of the base beer. 4.75

Aroma: Let it warm about 10 minutes, strong coffee notes, dark roast, very strong and bold lead the way, consistent for the next few minutes. Enjoyable, especially if you love coffee, I wanted some barrel and base, but this is the Supermassive Coffee version, so consistent with the billing. 4.25

Taste: Focused espresso rich dark roast coffee leads, but now 15 plus minutes out of the fridge a nice smooth bourbon back is present and ab fab. Getting some nice oak notes as well, the super strong coffee subdued by the barrel to yield a strong BA coffee unlike any others I've tried. As this warms further, the base finally emerges, a rich decadent chocolate fudge. Quite distinct from Cafe Deth, which I also love, when you are in the mood for an extra coffee kick, this is an excellent option. 4.5

Mouthfeel: Creamy, rich, decadent. Pillowy gentle faint carbonation accompanies a very rich creamy mouthfeel within proper measure. Very easy drinking, though the strong ABV is present from go, drinks at the listed ABV. Nice balance between the strong dark roast coffee, fudge, smooth bourbon finish. 4.75

Overall: This beer is great both fresh and with some age. A bit more mellow at this stage, but works perfect. Always refrigerate these for max enjoyment. Really glad I selected this can today! 4.75

 

2020 Central Waters - Bourbon Barrel Stout. Poured at cellar temperature

pours with a decent head, but it fades fairly quickly. aroma is a bit boozy still, a lot of oak, a little licorice and molasses, a touch of vanilla. similar taste, fairly dry finish. fuller bodied, low carbonation level

 

2018 - Chocolate Cherry Dragon’s Milk
Still has the chocolate and cherry, though the cherry is definitely dominant. Not bad at all for a 5 year old beer.

 

I got an infected 6 pack of that as well. Notified the brewery and they never responded. Haven’t bought any duck rabbit since.

 

I have had a number of infected beers (lucky me), and gotta say Rabid Duck was one of the worst tasting of them.

At the time I was active on a lot of beer sites and I guess Philippon mistook me for what now is called an "influencer", and he contacted me personally and sent me a nice box of swag. One of the (perhaps only) advantages to having a big mouth, I guess

 

This barrel aged Behemoth is 2 weeks and 2 days shy of 2 years old. I've had plenty these fresh over the last couple of years, I like this one a lot.



Little change here I think, slightly less bitterness at the finish maybe, still lots of rich, boozy caramel and a raisin note that oddly isn't sweet plus a bit of coconut and oak. Lateral move 2 years out, not sure this will improve with more time but I don't see it dropping off anytime soon either. 2 left, think I'll let one go long term for science.