Cellar Reviews (2020)

2010 Stone Double Bastard

Pours cloudy dark amber, tan colored head that eventually fades to a thin ring. Aroma and taste is nice caramel malt flavor with underlying earthy hops. Still a touch of bitterness. Medium bodied.

Its a bummer they stopped brewing this beer. I still have a couple of bottles

 

Saturdays in the cellar, yeah?
I've been sitting on this bottle of Sppedway Stout for some time. It doesn't have a date on the bottle, but based on knowing myself, I would wager this is a 2013 bottle, as that was when I went HAM on picking up big beers to 'cellar.' Next to that I've got a can (a significantly more appropriate format, lol) that I picked up probably two months ago or so.



Right away the fresher one is significantly headier, while the older one looks slightly darker for some reason, though that could be glasses and expectation.

Nose is significantly different. The 2013 is much more rich chocolate and almost licorice, while fresh is roastier and has much more of a green coffee bean thing going on.

Similar experiences flavour-wise. Fresh is much spritzier and sharper coffee tang with a base of roast, while the 2013 is much smoother and oilier with a richer flavour base to it. It HAS started oxidizing a little bit, but not too terribly, I think it would have been ideal a little younger, but it's fantastic now as well.

Out of the two, the SO and I unanimously prefer the age-d one, but I think they're both really good overall.

 

Interesting. When I first bought a growler of this years ago when I first heard of it, it seemed much less hoppy than it subsequently became. From your experience I'm thinking of just buying a sixer and leaving it in the cellar for at least three years.

 

I had this pour yesterday, was promptly knocked out, and didn't post my cellar review upon waking up after an extended nap.

Half Acre's 2017 Barrel Aged Big Hugs with Coffee.

My original review in December 2017, purchased at the same time as my pour yesterday, can be found here. This has been stored in my refrigerator ever since, I let this warm up 20 minutes before first sip, another 15 thereafter






The one area of improvement based on my review notes is the texture seemed to be a little fuller, though still on the light side for an imperial stout. The disappointment occurred with the loss of complexity over time. A smooth pleasant bourbon was the predominant aroma and taste yesterday, the nice coffee (expected) and chocolate (unexpected) dropped off completely. Very strong beer and I felt it.

Would I buy this offering again? Yes
Would I age this offering again? No

 

I would def do this. It’s ok fresh, but it’s so damn good with age. I almost never drink it with less than 2 years on it, although the one above was the oldest vintage i’ve had.

 

2017 release - Pours a dark black color with a mocha colored head that dissipates slowly. Nice effervescence. Strong aroma of cinnamon up front followed by whiskey and mexican coffee. Mexican coffee flavor with some heat followed by cinnamon and whiskey. No trace of vanilla, as expected over time. Nice smooth finish. This held up pretty well. I'd be curious how it holds up over a longer period of time.

 

So tonight’s offerings is a vintage breakfast stout side by side, consisting of a 2014 Wake N Bake and a 2015 FBS. I probably could have found a 2014 FBS in the cellar but I got these both from a lost box I recently found in the cellar, so the 1 year apart vintages will have to suffice.









In terms of how they are drinking. Both have a surprising amount of rather dense head for having 5-6 years on them. As I anticipated, the coffee is faded substantially on the nose of both, The WnB has more residual coffee aromas hanging around. Not a ton going on in the aromas with either, mostly subtle black coffee bitterness and some roasty notes. Edge in the aroma goes to WnB. Taste wise the WnB is drinking quite nice. Again, coffee certainly more subtle than fresh but it’s definitely there. More prominent sweetness, specifically chocolate, then when fresh. Decently prominent roasty characters, subtle raw oak. FBS has very little coffee characters up front but they build substantially on the finish giving it the more coffee characters of the two on the taste. Bitter, almost astringent stale coffee characters. Chocolate has faded substantially. Not very sweet at all. Kind of a mess at this point to be honest with you.

All in all, when comparing the two Wake N Bake wins in a landslide. Both past their prime, but WnB still quite enjoyable and some interesting characters developed. I’m actually in the (Im assuming rare) camp that prefers FBS with some age on it over fresh (between 1-2 years is my peak FBS preference), but at 5 years it’s completely lost it. This probably goes without saying, but I would not recommending taking your FBS out this far. Wake N Bake on the other hand is definitely worth cellaring one or two for the experience. I have at least one more 2014, will probably wait a year or so and compare again but to a fresh one.

 

I had an aged Wake N Bake years ago and it was one of my favourite beers ever!
Here's my notes on a 2007 that I drank in 2011.

Jan 9, 2011:

Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout...2007. I can't believe I let this one slip by for so long.

There's certainly nothing wrong with the sound...a nice big pop when I removed the cap, and the look...Blackest of blacks and a decent though short lived head of tan foam.

The smell has with a big Port like aroma with a ton of caramel malt and chocolate. No coffee left at all but I reckoned that would be the case.

Big milk chocolate, caramel, Port flavours with mucho dark fruits. Holy hell. This is superb! Not what the brewer intended, for sure, but at this stage in the game, it drinks very much like a beautifully aged Old Ale or English Barleywine Ale.

Still close to full bodied and there's mostly lightish carbonation until the swallow when I get some very spritzy notes on my throat.

This is the surprise of this century so far for me. I would never have guessed that a most excellent coffee Stout would evolve into something even better. I wish I had a case of them so I could share!

 

I've had many TH Ales of numerous years and they have never failed to impress me. Prost!

 

2011 SN Bigfoot

Cloudy dark amber in color, thick cream colored head. Pretty good head retention. Dark caramel aroma with earthy almost minty hops. Similar taste, mildly sweet with still a lingering bitter aftertaste. Medium bodied, a little sticky of a mouthfeel.

 

Very interesting! I am surprised it developed that way with the old ale characters. I probably have some floating around at that 4 year mark, will have to have one around that age.

 

2011 Smuttynose Imperial Stout

Pours black with tan colored head that fades to a thin ring. Aroma of dark bitter cocoa, a touch of smoke and savory. Similar flavors in the taste. Long finish. Smooth feel, full bodied.

 

I had one of my highest rated beers for the first time, Orin by Half Acre



This 22 oz bottle was purchased in 2017, 12% ABV. Unfortunately I do not have review notes from a fresh pour to compare to what I had today. Aging certainly didn't hurt this beer, the bourbon was smooth and balanced excellently with the complex tastes in this superior pour.

Appearance: Clear dark red brown pour, light carbonation throughout, tan creamy head, small bubble fine lacing. 4.75

Aroma: Very smooth sweet aroma, bourbon leads well, dark fruit, plum, raisins and cherry follow. Burnt oak lingers in the back. Very appealing aroma 4.5

Taste: Taste leads with dark fruit, raisins, cherry, plum and also caramel. Leather and oak back. Left sitting for 20 minutes and glad I did. Bourbon hanged back to start, and as this warmed the bourbon emerged silky smooth. Not sure if age mellowed this, but it damn sure works incredibly. Could feel the abv as I neared the end, but the bourbon remained mellow throughout. This is an incredible pour! 5.0

Mouthfeel: Medium creamy body, carbonation faint on the tongue. Light dryness, sweetness leads but bourbon holds it in check. Easy finish. 4.5

Overall: This is an outstanding pour. I am unsure how this is fresh, but the aging of this bottle either kept an outstanding beer incredible, or added to its excellence by mellowing the bourbon while simultaneously retaining the excellent blended taste and feel. I will definitely seek a fresh pour later this year, to further science and also celebrate beer excellence. Every time I pull a new Half Acre pour, I expect a very good beer. I am stoked that they regularly exceed already high expectations. Outstanding pour! 4.75

 

Rose City Sour from Cascade, 2016 vintage - didn't get much rose, so discounting that, but a great sour regardless. 4.28, cheers all



2016 vintage, poured from bottle into a Belgian glass

L: clear gold/amber with a nice, thick white head. Fades after a couple minutes, but some thick white lacing sticks around

S: gentle floral/herbal nose, with some melon/light berry sweetness to it. Not getting much rose, some herbal tea

T: get much more berry here, tart cranberry notes with a nice peppery spice to it. Quite flavorful and sour, but wouldn't say the rose character is coming through. Get a great amount of wine barrel, good character

F: strongest part of this beer for me. Effervescent, great acidity, delightfully drying. Each sips welcomes the next

O: if it wasn't supposed to be "rose" through and through think I'd like this more. Didn't have fresh so can't compare, but on it's own a very good sour

 

2018 Allagash Coolship Cerise

One of my favorites in the Coolship series, but I think I prefer it fresh. Cherry is present but not juicy, more dried fruit. Funk and acidity is higher as well. Allagash is absolutely the best at making american spontaneous beer.

 

2010 Lagunitas Olde Gnarlywine

Pours a cloudy dark brown, a lot of sediment. But nice head, a thin cream colored layer. Aroma of toffee, molasses, plum, port wine. Taste is similar, but not overly sweet. Medium to full bodied, coats the tongue.

 

In my experience, that TJ's Unibroue beer cellars like a champ. It's a fabulous cellaring option for value.

 

2014 Framboise Boon - Cork batch 6083

Poured into a tulip. Deep red, clear, with minimal head and slight residual ring of foam. Aroma is all jammy raspberries. Taste is sweet raspberry with a slight tart finish. Light body. Overall incredible and I should’ve had this long ago (not because I think it diminished with age - but because I’ve stared at it far too long). Would seek this out again.

 

2013 - Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti
Pours a dark brown color with a 1/2" head that slowly dissipates. Aroma is of oak, vanilla and molasses. Taste includes notes of oak barrel, molasses and some chocolate. Some carbonation is still present. Finishes smooth.