Cellar Reviews (2019)

I had OG BCBS vanilla over the weekend. Not too bad. Definitely had some oxidation but vanilla was still present. Body was a little thinner than the OG rare i had at thanksgiving. Had VR next and it was notably better.

OG Nilla....drink em if you got em.

 

I followed up by drinking a one year old bottle and liked it much more. I had thought BA Darkness was high ibus like regular Darkness (80 ibus I believe which I don't like fresh but really like aged) so that's why I wanted to aged it as I don't like hop bitterness, but in researching it the BA variety is actually low bus.

 

2014 Bells Expedition Stout





One of my all time favorite non “gussied up” stouts. Just all around solid without adjuncts or barrel aging.

Forced the pour and didn’t see any head for a few seconds but it did eventually erupt into the copper colored head you see pictured above. Nose is a touch hot but not so much as to mute the carob, vanilla and fig that came next. Taste is big on fig and coffee, like a coffee bomb. Never recall as much coffee when fresh. Finishes out with a solid slap of molasses before coffee returns to dominate the aftertaste. I would say that this stood up very well for being just a few months shy of 5 years.

 

That beer is amazing with about 4-5 years on it in the cellar. I have a 2014 I think I'm going to crack open soon.

Eric

 

My latest is a Great Lakes Brewing Company High Striker Single Belgian Pale Ale. The bottle I am enoying is about 4 years old. Here's a link wth my original review from 4 years ago and my review of it aged that I just added. THis is a good one. I think I lke it a bit better now.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/73/149099/?ba=neenerzig#navigation

Eric

 

Dudes... went to my buddy’s house for dinner and he cracked a 2015 BCBS
Low and behold- not the least bit infected (I’m assuming 2015 was that year)

Unbelievable. Honestly didn’t taste a whole lot different than a freshie IIRC... great bourbon and chocolate flavors, boozy but like gentle warming not hawt. Some oak and roasty notes... we were both thoroughly impressed.

 

Here's my review of a little beer called Beatification from Russian River that I aged for almost 2 years.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/863/27992/?ba=neenerzig#review

Eric

 

2012 Avery Samael’s Ale
“ANNUAL RELEASE APRIL 2012 BATCH 8 736 CASES”
Decanted carefully into a clear glass snifter after sitting at room temp for 30 min.

Clear burgundy with no head but lots of legs.

Crystal malt assault undoubtedly with toffee, burnt caramel, and Tootsie roll all on the nose with vanilla, pineapple, and coconut. Boozy without paint thinner, etc.

Flavor is a ball buster for sure, tons of candied date, rum raisin, and bourbon soaked prunes. Very fruitcake-like without the weird candied green or red bits (maybe I decanted those behind!). The toffee and burnt caramel come through like overstrong flavored frosting. Like coffee notes with more Tootsie roll in the finish. Big alcohol cherry-Berry sweetness in the finish too. Some earthy bitterness but could use more to counteract the sweetness which is intense.

Drinks pretty heavy but not ungodly. Low carbonation not surprisingly.

Crazy flavorful but intense and a rarity to pull out but highly enjoyable.

 

2014 Narwhal

About one finger of frothy khaki colored head. Disipates quickly to a frothy collar. Black body.

Nose is a touch oxidized. Some vanilla, chocolate, and dark fruit. Well integrated.

Very different than when fresh. Very little bitterness and no booziness. Starts with dark fruit and chocolate. More dark fruit in the middle of the mouth. oxaidation is very slight. Finish brings fruity, chocolatey dark roast coffee. Bitterness to balance out the sweeter notes. Some vanilla underlying.

Low carbonation. Medium bodied for the style, but a bit syrupy due to low carb. Bitterness on the backend does a good job of balancing things out.

I don't recall loving this fresh. Too bitter and boozy. 5 years in the cellar and both of these characteristics are gone. May be a bit too oxidized for some, but I enjoyed this more than fresh.

 

This makes me feel super smart. I just put some of last years up to cellar because I thought I detected cellar potential. Based on your post I'm guessing I will be in love with this at 2 or 3 years

 

Yes it definitely is cellarable, and I’d say your estimate of 2-3 years is spot on. I opened one I had for about 5 years (forgot about it after a move), it was ok, but was fading and getting a little cardboard-ey. Of course that could be a number of other issues that caused that too.

 

Narwhal is my number one beer that I cellar... definitely enjoy it fresh, but that 2-3 year mark is what cellaring beer is all about IMO

 

Sweet you guys are just making me feel smarter and smarter

 

**smarter and smarterer** we use poor grammar irregardless here

 

well you had me feeling smarter, and then a minute later you had me feeling smarter again. And then I was inspired to drink a beer and felt smarter again. The smarters and smarters are stacking up a bit too fast. Gonna have to make more room for them all in my cellar

 

Awe shoot bebe, you worry too much about I dunno what . Here have another beer, there we go, chase those brain cells away lol