Odd Side Black Friday Bottle Release

I haven't acquired a single bottle of the 2015 release. (thank god i came across this thread before trying to trade for some; 2014 was great)

There's absolutely nothing wrong with sitting on stouts. I got 8 bottles of 2013 BCBCS and I'm still working my way through it, and it still tastes great. Could care less about the sanctimonious cicerones and their, "Bu-bu-but, you must drink it fresh."

 

That's cool. Reasonable people can disagree as to what a "reasonable" amount of time is. Unless it's a super hop-forward brew, most of us assume that a beer that is only released once a year will hold up over the course of a year.

 

There is nothing wrong with that, but you have to accept the risk that some of the stuff you sit on is going to turn for the worse.

 

Turn for the worse in what way? Some beers are expected to turn sour? If that's the way it's brewed, a "heads up" would be appreciated.

 

Based on what we've seen with several different beers lately, that is probably not a safe assumption.

 

I bought 2 bottles each of Hipster, BBAIMM and Mokka. By all means, if OSA had placed a warning on the label to "drink within 3 months", then I would have drank mine already. However, I don't drink that many heavy stouts that often, and given that previous years' batches held up well, in the same storage conditions, why would I think this years vintages would be any different.

 

Expected to turn? No? Safe to assume they won't turn after an extended amount of time? Also No.

 

Why does the consumer assume the risk? In the case of tires, TV's or other goods they have warranty's. Most food has expiration dates. All we have to go by for barrel aged stouts is what is normal in the marketplace. I think we all agree that Hipster turning less than 3+ months out is not "normal". If normalcy for the category is the gauge, then Hipster does not hold up to that measuring stick. Is there another way you would like to measure the time period it should last?

 

I guess this is where most will probably disagree with you. A few months is not extended in the realm of cellaring stouts.

(You can tell who has vested interests in protecting OSA from these replies, especially considering the 2014 Hipster is drinking just fine)

 

I don't disagree with any of this. I agree that those beers should still be okay after 4-5 months.

 

I agree, a few months is not extended. I was referring to those who have cases of the stuff who intend to drink it over the course of a year or two. If you are doing that you then you have to realize that you are assuming some risk (especially when talking about beers that are loaded with adjuncts and aged in barrel).

I take exception to the implication that I have some sort of vested interest in protecting OSA. I have no connection to them, and have been quite critical of them many times on these forums. The fact that these beers are infected reflects very poorly on them, and their handling of the situation is even worse. I'm merely speaking in generalities about the culture of loading up on large quantities of these kinds of beers with the intention of sitting on them for an extended amount of time. I've always maintained that this is a bad idea, and this Odd Side situation is just another reminder as to why.

I will also disagree that 2014 Hipster is "just fine". I drank one recently, and while it certainly isn't sour it is no where close to being as good as it was when fresh.

 

Then what was your point here?

What about the people that bought a reasonable amount and are still stuck pouring out $20-$30 worth of 5 month old beer, is that still acceptable? I mean, I get that you don't like the hoarder mentality, I don't either.

I ended up with a couple of 4pks of Hipster and a 4pk of BBIMM last fall, the last BBIMM that I "tried" to drink a week or so ago was sour/tart/gross. And I was down to about 4 Hipsters when I started to try and drink them over the past few weeks, also drainpours. I have a couple bottles left. I don't know, maybe some of you go hard on high ABV stouts but I generally reserve them for a weekend night.

There is no precedent set for BBA stouts having to be consumed in less than 5 months, it is simply unheard of in the craft brew industry. Those of you claiming this isn't infected and defending the brewery will eventually look foolish, if not so already.

 

How much of this beer has "turned"? I keep seeing like the same 5 or 6 people complaining about it, and I'm wondering if it's just a vocal minority whose beers have gone bad. I've drank a lot of BBAIMMS and Hipster recently, and all of mine have been fine so far.

 

I'll preface this by saying I drank all 4 of the bottles of Hipster Brunch I managed to acquire fresh, because apparently that's how I roll these days, so I've not experienced any of these issues first hand. Having not experienced any of the 'sour' bottles, I'm in no position to weigh in on the matter. The following is not directed at OSA directly, or the situation, only the concept of risk associated with buying bottles to cellar.

Last year I opened a bottle of DFH WWS from 2011 that had turned so badly it was a drain pour...I mean, bad in the sense that my dog would've turned her nose up to it, and she eats her own poop out the back yard. That's on me...the bottle was 4, approaching 5 years old, so shame on me. But we're talking about oxidation in this case, not infection.

On the other hand 3 months is barely enough time for the advertised flavors of maple/bacon/coffee to fall off, much less to find a noticeable souring. The risk assumed by the consumer is the gamble that a cellared beer will remain somewhat stable, at the very least resemble itself at its freshest, and in some [rare] instances improve with time. Infection is not a risk that should be assumed by the Consumer.

 

Maybe I should have left that opinion out of this particular thread, as obviously emotions are high and pitch-forks are raised. To be clear, I am NOT claiming that some of these beers aren't infected, and I have no interest in defending Odd Side in this matter.

 

Bought a case of Hipsters, BBAIMMS, 2 4packs of Mokka and Hazels Nuts between the two releases last fall, tried everything but the BBAIMMS and the results are the Hipsters has so much cherry tartness that it is basically a drain pour. The Mokka and Hazel Nuts have enough cherry tartness that it is not a pleasant experience drinking the beer and are falling off so fast that they will soon be drain pours, still have to try the BBAIMMS but I not holding out hope that it will not taste like a sour. OSA starting producing a lot of Sours last year and it is no coincidence that the BBA beer program starting having these issues at the same time. Looks like a case plus of beer will end up getting poured down the drain from all the releases last year from OSA because of this flavor change of a stout into a cherry sour in five months or less.

This will not stop me from cellaring beer just from buying beer from a brewery that refuses to stand behind their product. Just drank a year old Plead the Fifth, Backwoods and a six month 30th Anniv Ale with no drop off in quality and the Octoberfest from Dark Horse in the beginning of October has lost a little bit of flavor but it is only a 7.5% non BA beer and is still drinkable.

 

It most definitely seems like you're defending OSA. How can you imply that 4 months on an imperial stout is not a reasonable amount of time?

 

I'm just going to add that Oddsides was once my favorite small Michigan brewery. The response that their "tasting panel" says their beer is fine and their bba stouts should not be aged has changed my mind. I've been very loyal to them for over 2 years. As a result, this whole situation is disappointing.

 

Don't care for the way the response comes off but decided to chime in and say I had a hipster yesterday and am drinking a myan right now and I don't have any off flavors. Mine were in the basement since they were purchased.

 

I never said or implied such a thing.