Cellar Reviews (2021)

Mout & Mocca - De Molen.
Date on the back of the bottle is 13 JAN 2021. So I assume that is the end of the 5 years best by mentioned on the front label.

Haven't had this one fresh so nothing to compare it to but it's pretty clearly starting to fade.
Dark brown with no head to speak of.
Nose is muted with stale bitter coffee leading the pack.
Taste has a nice balance of coffee notes and some sweeter malty tones that do give the impression of a mocha. Absolutely no hint of the 11.6% abv.
Mouthfeel is quite thin, but it works in this case.

Not the best I've had from De Molen but still an enjoyable enough beer and probably suffering from a bit too much age

 

No idea how that partial post went up without me noticing but I got the full one up.

Also, @zac16125 , note the pics!

 

I have one can and one bottle of Union Jack, orphans from at least a year ago. One of these days I’ll do a side-by-side. I think FW beers in cans hold up well, so this will be a good test of that.

 

Your wish is my command.

Was cleaning out a cupboard used for liquor the other day, and came across a beer with a 10/30/02 born on date. This was not kept intentionally or in a cellar, but was kept in darkness.

I present 18 + year old Michelob



I tried getting a fresh Michelob to compare side by side, but sadly it is no longer distributed here by the AB Distributor. This is the first time I've ever feared a beer, and may result in a first ever drain pour. Here is my original review of a fresh version (3.04 overall).

Bottle Notes: 1 pint, 8 oz, Freshest Taste within 110 days of 10/30/02 born on date (oops). All imported hops, born of the finest all natural ingredients for a smooth rich taste. No ABV noted.

Appearance: Crystal Clear dark tan pour, light white head lingers briefly before leaving ring around the top, faint carbonation. 3.25

Aroma: Black tea, lemon and cardboard. Smells like the bad Jai Alai I had this summer. 2.25

Taste: Lemon cardboard. Not bad, but not really good. I don't think I'm going to get sick here, but will stop if it is no longer enjoyable. 1.75

Mouthfeel: Very thin body, faint carbonation lingers, dry with light bitterness, gladly no bad aftertaste. 2.75

Overall: Much better than I expected after 18 years without proper cellar conditions. I wouldn't do this on purpose, but I am glad I popped this open and tried it.

I've finished the first twelve ounces, feel OK. Going to finish this with a meal. Will let you know if something changes or happens afterward.

Stay thirsty my friends and be sure to properly cellar appropriate beers.

Cheers!

 

Hey there it is! USP making big moves in 2021, new year, new you!

 

If you need to get rid of any of those let me know! I do not drink enough Bruery beers that’s for damn sure.

 

18 year old Michelob? Ok perhaps my cellar duds pale in comparison to yours.....

 

I've got one 2014 Mirror Mirror left also. Maybe it's time...

 

Black Tuesday (2015)

Note that it wasn't kept properly. Third floor apartment in LA means I can't keep my place room temp or even close. It's been refrigerated for about the past year.

Head's there an gone.

Smells of mostly of bourbon but not distinct.

Tinge of acidity on the finish. In turn, fruit's pronounced in a dark chocolate sort of way. Reminds me of Bell's Expedition. Intensity is definitely dialed back. I like what I have but if I wouldn't go 5 years again unless I can get a safer, continuous temperature.

Notably thin, goes with the high ABV though. Carbonation is a touch less -- but I'm guessing.

 

2014 FiftyFifty Eclipse Elijah Craig 12 year. 22 oz bottle, purple wax

Pours jet black, thin tan colored head. The bourbon flavors are really deep but mellow - vanilla, toasted marshmallow, honey, a little toffee. Nice dark malt flavors as well, bittersweet cocoa and espresso. Very smooth mouthfeel.

 

Beer pretty good about withholding beers for this stupid diet. Lost a few lbs already, is it worth it for neglecting the joy of drinking vintage beer delights? Probably not, but at least it’s giving my cellar some time to recover from the devastation of 2020. Regardless, having a cheat day today in honor of grabbing some of one of my favorite fresh beers, Hopslam. Those are chilling in the fridge, but having this 2019 Bourbon County Mon Cheri while I wait. Almost at 1.5 years so I would say cellar thread worthy at this point. I’ve only had this one other time, probably less than 6 months ago so I am guessing it hasn’t changed much. Let’s give it a whirl.

Pours typical of most Bourbon County’s, black, opaque, and a small dark tan head. Aroma is wonderful; cherry as expected, quite a bit of cinnamon even though that’s not an adjunct, a bit nutty, notable granola which I didn’t get the first time. It’s quite sweet with lots of brown sugar and some chocolate fudge, yet it’s non-cloying as the roastiness balances things out quite well. Barrel characters present on the nose but lessso than many other BCBs, masked somewhat by the adjuncts. Taste is oh so good. Huge chocolate, both fudge and dark cocoa, paired with pretty big cherry gives it the sensation of biting into a boozy chocolate covered cherry. Barrel notes more present than on the nose, with great charred oak characters. Equally big roastiness as well. Brown sugar and some fusel alcohol rounds things out. Mouthfeel is full bodied and pretty smooth. Dangerous drinkability. This beer is really phenomenal. I only have 1 left but will likely seek out more for years of cellaring.

4.25/4.5/4.75/4.5/4.5
(Original/fresh review:4.25/3.75/4.75/4.25/4.5)



Cool spiral galaxy looking head retention here too.

 

Beautiful picture

 

Doing something a little different today, a Hopslam fresh vs. vintage side by side. I certainly did not intend to age a Hopslam this long, and it’s probably not advisable, but here we are. 2021 Hopslam vs 2018 Hopslam; 9 days old vs 1,108 days old. Both have been “aged” in a refrigerator since purchase.

Both look beautiful in the glass, translucent with a honey golden color and a large white head with great retention and lots of lacing. 2018 may be a little clearer actually, otherwise essentially exactly the same and a near perfect appearing IPA (get that hazy shit outta here for this guy).

A:
2021- citrus and tropical fruit explosion; mango, pineapple, peach, orange/tangerine; some piney bitterness, balancing malt and a touch of honey sweetness. Killer.

2018- much more American Barleywine-esque; hops are there but much less tropical fruit, lots of citrus still with orange and surprisingly lots of lemon; decent amount of pine, quite floral; burnt sugar and some subtle caramel.

T:
2021-loaded with a variety of hop flavors including piney, floral, citrus, and tropical fruit. It’s so incredibly balanced as the malt backbone and honey sweetness balance the hop characters perfectly.

2018-taste is actually really really good, I’m pretty shocked honestly; it’s aged like a great American Barleywine ages with prominent and really nice sweet malt characters balanced by residual piney hope bitterness. It tastes like a slightly sweeter but less malt-dense Bigfoot of the same age. I am shocked by this, this literally might be better than 3 year old Bigfoot and I love vintage Bigfoot; although i will say Bigfoot is def more complex. Hopslam is more drinkable and just damn good.

M/D: It’s remarkable to me how drinkable this beer is for its ABV and flavor profile. The 2021 has slightly more carbonation, a little more vibrant of a mouthfeel, but 2018 hasnt faded at all. Both very smooth and insanely drinkable.

O: Overall these are both phenomenal. Hopslam is admittedly my favorite hoppy beer/IPA/DIPA, and this year’s batch is phenomenal so the fresh review is no shocker. But the vintage, just wow. I will say if I only were able to drink one Id choose it fresh, but I wouldn’t gladly drink this aged any day of the week. Fun experiment, and I may just intentionally cellar some of these moving forward.

2021: 5/4.75/4.75/4.75/4.75
2018: 5/4.25/4.5/4.75/4.75