Oldies But Goodies - a Classics Appreciation Thread (2023)

I have an 04 and 05 but I'm not really feeling like opening either right now.

 

Schneider Aventinus is a classic in my book.

 

Dale's and every beer from Belgium

 

Barring La Fin Du Monde, Unibroue is one of those brewers where the names of beers will never click for me as far as what beer has what name. I have to look it up every time.

 

Hard to argue with a lineup like that

 

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale!
English Brown Ale at its best, Newcastle gets honorable mention.

Skull Splitter by Orkney Brewery for the Wee Heavy style with Backwoods/Dirty Bastard as great USA brewed choices.

Mountain Ale by The Shed Brewery.
English Strong Ale. One of the first "Craft" beers for me, I really liked it and may need another go.

Cheers.

 

Skull Splitter is delicious

 

I haven't cared for a single beer from them. Even 8-10 years ago, when I was heavy into various Belgian styles. I wonder if it's their yeast strain(s).

 

I'll give 2.

1. Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout
2. Anderson Valley Boont Amber

It is great to be nostalgic, but do the breweries even make them the same way anymore?

 

For me, Barclay Perkins Russian Stout is the classic Russian imperial stout. It survived until 1993 in some shape and form (brewed as a Courage brand at that point). Harvey's regularly continues the tradition today perhaps closer than any other brewer with their own imperial stout. Here's a post I made in a different thread on a tasting of four of these beers starting with a 1993 Courage and then jumping up to Harvey's beers in 10 year increments.

 

Cross posting from the Belgian appreciation thread. This used to be a staple for me. Today’s return trip was a good experience.

Delirium Noël - Delirium Tremens





Review from 2012:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/180/2347/?ba=SLeffler27#review

Today…

Certainly not clear, although the nucleation site is visibly at work. The head stayed creamy and is holding about 1/4” a few minutes in, and lacing is delicate.

The aroma is similar, with holiday splices, fresh fig, dried cherry, and a strong backbone of sweet malt.

The flavors do follow the aroma, although with less differentiation. Mildly sweet with faint bitterness. Mild spiced rum notes. The finish is a brief burst with a long mild tale. Warmth is definitely recommended to allow the delicacy room. This said , there is little progression otherwise.

Medium body, soft, lush silk texture, with fine carbonation. Alcohol is dramatically less apparent than previously noted, indeed it is more of an afterthought today.

Overall, this beer is much more enjoyable today. So far as Strong Dark Belgians go, this is worthy yet not quite as wonderful as this style can achieve.

 

Sante Adairius Appreciation can get into any appreciation thread on a technicality. Saison with boysenberries.
It’s current b10 and was originally brewed in 2013, so it’s not just a Johnny-come-lately.

 

Bell's Amber Ale was around before Two Hearted.

Edit, I think it predates Oberon too.

 

1985 - Amber Ale (“the beer that built the brewery”)
1986 - Third Coast Beer
1987 - Porter
1988 - Kalamazoo Stout, Best Brown, Cherry Stout, Double Cream Stout, Third Coast Old Ale
1989 - Expedition Stout
1992 - Oberon
1994 - Pale Ale
1997 - Two Hearted

 

For the first time in maybe a decade I found some new Triple Bag in a local bottle shop (Petrock's in Hillsborough, NJ).

I'll chime in with thoughts others have shared about Long Trail...before NJ had a great selection of quality breweries, Long Trail was often a regular go to for me. Especially their variety packs in the summer, Blackbeary Wheat was a long time favorite.

Other "Oldies but Goodies" - Sierra Nevada Narwhal. I try to get a six pack of it every year, but SN seems to release limited quantities of the beer to my area. I didn't snag a sixer in 2022, but did from 2017 to about 2022.

Allagash White is a beer that surprises me everytime I have it, mainly because I forget how damned good it is.

 

Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

 

In my efforts to appreciate less-expensive beers, I recently picked up a pack of Long Trail Ale. With the first sip I was transported back to the 90s when I was a 20-something thanking the beer gods for non-AAL brews. I'd enjoy it even without the nostalgia, but it really got me.

I've been meaning to revisit Harpoon IPA too. On a smaller scale, I am fond of Charles River Porter from Cambridge Brewing Company. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to be in Burlington sometime when the Vermont Pub has the smoked porter? stout? that blew my mind way back when.