Cellar Reviews (2020)

2012 Goose Island - Pere Jacques

Pours a cloudy brown color, cream colored head that fades eventually. Pleasant malty aroma - caramel, bread, a bit of raisin. Similar taste, with an earthy finish, not overly sweet. Medium bodied, lower carbonation. Still drinking pretty good, but I'd probably stick with the 5 year best buy dating GI gives it, although I don't think they brew it anymore.

 

Sad but true, last time I’ve had this was on Prop Day I believe in 2017, saw it a few years earlier in the wild at a steakhouse in I believe Tampa or Orlando.

There were many great offerings brewed out of Chicago, wish they would return some of the classics like this one.

 

@Beersnake1 Little late to the party but this is one of my absolute favorites. I only have a couple 2015 and 2016 left that are sitting in my collection. I pop one every now and then on special occasions and it's always a true delight. Glad they brought it back and hope to see it re-released more often in the future.

 

2012 North Coast Old Stock

Pours a clear very dark amber in color, cream colored head that fades. Caramel, brandy, pear, a touch of earthy spice. Similar depth in the malty flavor, but finishes drier. Medium bodied, lower carbonation.

 

2011 Green Flash Barleywine

Pours dark brown with cream colored head. Aroma is earthy and herbal along with the bready malt. Taste is slightly sweet, a lot of fig and black cherry but dry finish. Slick feel, lower carbonation.

 

2013 BA Behemoth w cherries added. Bought this beer at Floyd’s myself when it first came out. Was quite the rage or Instawhale right out of the gate. I’m continuing my deep dive into the cellar during quarantine.

Slight carbonation that fades quickly

Smells of carmel, maple, and roasted nuts. No cherry on the nose

very thin mouth feel

taste is sweet carmel w slight cherry on the finish

overall decent but not great

 

I thought "helles" meant pale, is that wrong? Is it a bit of Belgian brew humor.I'm missing?

 

I remember having Pete Jacques at 3 years and it phenomenal. Really wish they still brewed this one. I remember it was a shelf turd though where I was,which honestly was kinda nice as they all came at least 6mo to a year old.

 

I WANT some. Give it up!

 

Wow, 14 years! I don't know where to begin. Would have thought that is too old, but apparently not. What is the limit, more or less? Also, how could you wait for such an eternity?! Do you have a vast cellar collection and this one got lost, lol? If not, you have impressive self-control.

 

Tonight’s offering is a bottle I am quite excited about, 2013 Pannepot. I really (yet for some reason rarely) enjoy this beer fresh. Looking back at my original rating, I was such a noob at the time btw, but it was a fresh 2011 and I commented several times about thinking it could benefit from some years in the cellar. I guess I took my own advice, so let’s see how it turned out.





Aroma is quite sweet at first, fig and caramel. Perhaps some oxidation taking note in there. A very unique character that I can’t place, it’s somewhat herbaceous. Super subtle cocoa. The big spice aromas have definitely faded substantially. The aromas are fairly muted as a whole, but they open up more as it warms with a fairly big almost totsie roll like chocolate character and some anise. Taste is also somewhat muted but again develops as it warms. I may have popped this one open a bit too cold but hey I haven’t had a beer in like a week so I was ready. Taste has very nice dark fruits with fig and dates, followed by a very long lingering semi-sweet bakers chocolate on the finish. No oxidation in the taste. Like the nose the previously prominent spice characters have faded quite a bit. All in all, it’s an enjoyable drink but safe to safe it’s probably past it’s prime.

 

I have two of these 2013 left, from what I remember is the original vintage of this beer. One of them is part of a 5 year vertical (I stopped my beer chasing/cellar collecting around 2018) , but I may pop the other soon. Sounds like it’s drinking as good as ever!