Cellar Reviews (2022)

From last Friday night actually. SAN night
(Stout Appreciation Night) There was 5 of us and none of these were under 10% ABV.
Really good beer, really, really too much alcohol for one night. But oh, it was good while it lasted!

 

What was the favorite? I'm going with BAE for sure if I gotta pick one of those.

 

It was a “Best Of” so we already knew we really liked them, and the BAE was exceptional, even among that group. Seriously not certain I could pick a favorite, that one, Speedway hits the right switches for me, Ten Fidy, non BA, is up there and the BAPT5th is deserving to be there too.
Good question, I really had to think!

 

Pollyanna Brewing Imperial Fun Size toasted coconut aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels. Canned 01/05/21

I somehow lost this in the door of the fridge, aka:right in front of my face. No complaints here. I also find it interesting/confusing that I reviewed it originally in December of 2020 and that can, likely their first can packaging, was dated 12/09/20. ? It is unusual for them to release this variant twice in a month.

Either way, I still love it.
The 1/8" head I noted in 2020, even if briefly, does not quite form. The cap barely collects enough to completely cover the surface and reverse to a couple of faint islands. On agitation, any tiny bubbles that form on the glass, quickly leg it back to the edge ring. Just an observation, it does not alter my appreciation.

Aroma remains an alluring vanilla fronted cocoa, peanut, and bourbon within which I could lose myself.

Flavors are all there, marshmallow, cocoa, peanut, wet oak, a hint of ash and tobacco (those last two might be new, which I would not expect, but I cannot confirm the temperature of my 2020 review sample.).

Just enough carbonation to keep it from just being syrup, but plenty of silky viscosity.

Overall 19 months in the fridge has at worst done nothing to this fine dessert, and at best, the bourbon peeks out a little more.

I'll take it.

 

2015 Southern Charred
Not from my Cellar cuz i bought this shit last qeek or so, but i have been looking at it for the past 7 years sitting there so it's pretty much the same

It is really tasty

 

It’s a cool, rainy night tonight, which is a welcome break from the hot, humid weather we’ve had the past couple of weeks. Which prompted a trip to the cellar for something that was a change from all the lagers and witbiers I’ve consumed lately.

A quickly receding head left a nice collar which has lingered as I’ve worked my way through the glass. Some bourbon on the nose, lots of dark fruits, tobacco, and a general sweetness. Mouthfeel is full and sticky. A bit of a sour twang when cold, which disappeared as it warmed. Taste is bourbon, figs, maybe licorice. Reminds me a bit of the Guinness West Indies Porter and Foreign Extra Stout I enjoyed in Ireland a few weeks ago. Overall, holding up nicely!

A lonely beer that

 

Greetings fine cellar dwellars. Very long time no see. Glad to be back. Sipping a 2020 Caramella, bottled Sept 2nd 2022 so essentially at two years. As a point of reference Caramella was a show stopped beer for me and I purchased a metric ton of it to slowly consume over time. Let’s see where it’s at currently.

Pours a rather opaque dark caramel color with about 1/2 fingers width of head that dissipates quickly to a thin outer ring. Aroma is sweet, fruity, boozy. A plethora of fruity esters with huge green apple including some tart apple notes. Fairly big caramel, loads of cinnamon, charred oaky vanilla barrel notes. The aroma on this beer is just amazing. Taste remains quite tasty with layers of sweetness balanced nicely by a spicy boozy. Caramel, fruity, and fusel ethanol for the most part. Some of the adjunct flavors have faded, and I hate to say it but is the oxidation monster creeping in? There a building bitterness and perhaps the slightest metallic notes which are concerning. Would be strange if it’s having oxidation issues already as I’ve had other BCB variants near a decade without any issues. Will be interesting to track as I continue to drink these over time. Mouthfeel and drinkability wise, not much as changed and it’s still dangerously drinkable. Overall, this remains excellent. Based off both memory and a review of my notes (and rating) I have preferred it at the 1 year mark over both this and fresh. I do feel like it has the potentially to continue to substantially change over time, and time will tell if that change is for the better or worse.

4/4.75/4.25/4.5/4.5
(1 year old review: 4.25/5/4.5/4.75/4.75)
(Fresh review: 4.25/4.25/4.75/4.5/4.5)

 

They need to stop messing around and bring this damn beer back. Coffee needs to be an every year variant.

 

Psstttt, it's back for 2022 lol

 

You sir, just made my day.

 

Happy to help brotha! I can’t wait to try it fresh, I had a 2017 bottle last year for the first time and even aged that long it was quite good. I look forward to trying it fresh

 

So based on past cellaring experience I would say that for me personally the sweet spot for St. Bernardus Abt 12 (which is one of my favorite beers) is between 3-5 years which makes sense based on their 5 year best by date bottle dating. But I had a 2010 bottle get lost in the mix in my cellar and now seems like a good time to compare that 12 year old bottle with one that is in it's prime at 3 years. Drank at cellar temperature.

The 2010 bottle is on the left, the 2019 on the right. The 2010 is a little clearer, I guess maybe some solids have settled out during the decade+ sitting in my cellar. Head retention is much better on the 2019 which is no surprise. Aroma on the 2010 is heavy on the raisin, plum, black cherry as time and oxygen has worked on those dark malts. 2019 aroma is brighter, toasty bready malts and a bit of herbal clove-like Belgian yeast phenols. Taste of the 2010 is definitely a bit past it's prime as it's a little dull but not unpleasant. pretty dry. 2019 is a bit sweeter but only by comparison as it finishes off-dry. Some nice mild toffee. Mouthfeel on 2010 is a bit thinner. 2019 is nice medium bodied and creamy smooth mouthfeel.



#88jmdrpi, 47 minutes ago

 

2017 Free Will Brewing (Perkasie, PA) - Olly, their Oud Bruin.

375 ml bottle, corked and capped. Pours a medium brown in color, thick cream colored head. Pretty good head retention. Aroma is fairly tart, a lot of dark fruit aroma. Taste is good balance of dark bready malts and a refreshing sourness. Mouthfeel is very nice, creamy carbonation.

 

Really loved this side by side. I was out of town for the St. Bernardus tasting, and while their brewery and retail beer scene has improved greatly over the past dozen years, I could not find a bottle in Vegas. They are having an event at The Silver Stamp, with five of their beers on draft in September.

I also have found the 2-3 year old version as the sweet spot for this excellent beer.

 

Allagash Brewing - Hive 56. "Ale Brewed with Honey and Brettanomyces". Bottled 6/22/2017. This batch is 9.2% abv. Label indicates it was aged 18 months in an oak foudre with Brettanomyces bruxellensis after the initial fermentation with their house yeast.

Pours almost black in color, with thick cream colored head. When held up to the light, it's brown around the edges of the glass. Aroma of roasted malt, lemon, buckwheat honey, earthy straw, a touch of cocoa. Taste is not so much tart but extremely dry, the Brett has definitely eaten up all the sugars it can over the last 5 years. Similar flavors as the aroma, complexity increases as it warms.