Thoughts on Victory Java Cask?

Is it even possible to bottle a "cask" beer?
Is Victory playing loose with the meaning of "cask"?

 

$30 for a 4pk is pretty steep. Especially considering your in Pa. I personally think Java Cask is fantastic and I prefer it to KBS but not for $30.

 

Last year's was fantastic. Won't spend $30 for this year's though.

 

Yes it is possible to bottle a beer aged in a cask. While the beer is not being served "on cask" it was aged in a cask (which is a synonym for barrel, firkin, etc., etc.).

 

Had it last year. It’s imperial stout aged on bourbon barrels. What a concept. It’s good but fuck $30 a 4 pack.

 

I have fond memories of cask "real ale" while visiting England in the 80's. My question is, is it possible to bottle a beer to achieve the same flavor complexity you get from a "real ale" on cask? I seriously doubt it, since the cask ale "ages" (if you can use that term over such a short time period) with an evolving flavor.

 

IMO, it is great. Arguably THE best BA Coffee Stout I've had. This year's is really chocolatey with loads of dark roasted coffee. Definitely a big, bold beer.

Now, at $30 a 4pack you have to make the call in terms of value. Really, is any beer worth that? I find that nearly all beers one buys with price trepidation end up being disappointing if he/she allows perceived value to remain on the mind.

Personally, on the occasions where I buy expensive beers I forget about the price before I walk out the door. On the flip side, I do take note of beers that I find to be an exceptional value.

 

Ahh, that question was not clear.

With a fair amount of "real ale" on cask both in the UK and OZ I'd say it's possible to bottle a beer and have it be a snapshot. As for the evolution of a beer being served on cask over multiple days, which I have experienced as well, I do think that there are some bottled beers that evolve with time in the bottle. As for comparability of the evolution in cask or in bottle, some will make assertions, but I'm not sure there is anyone who knows for sure. (I'm don't even have any good ideas about how to set up a fair tasting comparison.... )

 

For a straight comparison Lagunitas Willitized stout was $12 a sixer. so yes, java cask is very over priced. KBS is a little different since it incorporates chocolate and oats, still overpriced, compared to lagunitas, especially since they are making more than demand lately but maybe they use really expensive chocolate.

 

I thought the 750 ml bottle I had last year was very tasty, etc. but I bought it as much out of curiosity as anything else and because it came highly recommended.

But I don't feel any strong urge to buy more this year so I'd suggest that if you want to try it out of curiosity look for a shop that is selling single bottles.

 

I love this beer and was very happy to hear about the move to 12oz bottles...until I saw the price. I was thinking it would be sub $25 for sure, especially when you look at where Lagunitas priced theirs.
Like others have said, great beer but $30 is tough to swallow.

 

I'll add to the chorus: it's an excellent beer. It's a personal decision whether any BA stout's worth $7.50 for twelve ounces.

 

You can always execute a nice pour, sit on a stool at a counter, fry some food for the olfactory effect, play some music, put something sticky on the floor, invite some obnoxious friends (or strangers) over, and pretend you're at a bar and getting a GREAT value at $7.50 for a BA Stout.

 

Technically, the restrictions of ‘real ale’ are not confined to a cask. Something like Duvel, made with the big 4 ingredients, and allowed to naturally carbonate in its serving vessel, qualifies as real ale. That being said, actually bottling off a cask sounds like a terrible idea.

 

I think it's a great beer and I paid $28 for a 4 pack, but I'm also the guy that has about 50 bottles of Prairie Barrel Aged beers in the fridge at any given timem

 

Yeah I lucked out and caught it in a store, pulled the trigger and thought shit that was a lot for 4 bottles, especially since I dig the $12 Lagunitas BA beers. It wasn't for naught, think of it like @Hoos78 did at $7.50 a bottle, you couldn't get it on tap for 12 oz any cheaper at a bar. Enjoyed it and glad I did it, I just drank a local BA breakfast stout last nite I dropped $8 on and am regretting the shit out of that purchase. If it fits in your budget get it, I thought it was worth it.

 

Yep, I've definitely justified a lot of bottle purchases based on that ten dollar Heineken I bought at an airport bar once.

 

Java Cask is awesome... The Rye variant last year was so delicious, as well.

Pricey, sure... But it's comparable in price with BCBS for example (2-3 cent different per ounce). Yet people don't complain about the pricing on that!

I think Java Cask is superior to BCBS, FWIW.

 

As with many beers in this price range, I'd be happy to buy a bottle, but probably not a 4 pack. $8 is what I'd spend for a good beer at a bar, and I don't mind the price for a (potentially) great beer at home. That said, just saw BA VoS for the first time at the Bevy for $14.99. I will be picking up a 4 pack of that tonight