What beer are you drinking now? #4472

Good morning,
anything but "dry January"... Yesterday, together with a drinking friend, one of those with whom I like to talk about beers and open important ones to then share our impressions, we opened this BOMB, directly from the depths of the past:

De Struise Brouwers (Oostvleteren, BEL) - BLACK ALBERT (Vintage 2016) - Imperial Stout (13%).

Taken the last two bottles of the 2016 vintage of 33 cl (10 € each, with the discount).
As soon as it was opened, already aromas of dark chocolate, light toasted and roasted notes and only at the end a light hint of liquor, almost imperceptible.
Once poured, the toasted and dark chocolate aromas expand and envelop with a notable breadth.
Beige foam still present in the right amount (it has not been torn apart by the alcohol, indeed it has remained as in a fresh beer).
In the mouth it is a real spectacle: compared to a younger Black Albert, the body has faded just enough to highlight all the tastes and aftertastes of this Imperial Stout.
The carbonation is practically imperceptible, but the body is absolutely not heavy or excessively oily, but leaner and less of a protagonist of the drink, although a little more light than that of a Black Albert from a young batch.
The structure that the beer has acquired over time is the ideal stage for the emergence of classic, yet valuable, hints of dark and bitter chocolate that are harmonized by a soft ("smooth") taste of toasted cereals and roasting.
The drink is quick but rich in aromatic details that come out with every sip: in the back I perceived a hint of ash and only a small hint of liquor, as on the nose, well hidden by the enveloping main notes of dark chocolate, toasted cereals and roasting.
The sweeter and more caramelly notes and the fainter ones of citrus in alcohol that I remembered having perceived in this beer that had not been aged for all this time have disappeared.
The finish is spectacular: dry, with these cereal notes that cleanse the tongue and give softness to the entire drink, leaving an even more bitter note of dark chocolate mixed with coffee on the palate.
I would never say that it is a 2016 Imperial Stout because the drink seems like that of a perfect young Imperial Stout in which all the flavors are highlighted by a body that only acts as a stage, without impacting with its sweet and caloric notes on the drink.
Nor would I have said that what I was drinking was a 13% Imperial Stout: again, this smooth and soft body does not feel heavy at all and contributes significantly to making all the aromatic ranges of the beer the protagonists, preventing alcoholic or liqueur notes from tasting this wonderful balance achieved.
Spatial balance, certainly different (and better) than that of a young Black Albert which, although still a beer with an admirable balance, is more complex, heavier and -FOR MY PERSONAL TASTE- less valuable than a product that has had this evolution.
I am not able (and perhaps no one is) to be able to say when is the perfect moment to open this beer after having aged it correctly (no temperature changes, no light), but I can say that these two bottles of the 2016 vintage, if they are not at their peak moment, are very close to it.
Spectacular how a 13% beer has had such a natural "cut" of the body, keeping absolutely intact the breadth and persistence of the flavors it releases, without having been lost in liqueur notes, Cognac or other drifts due to time.





Sláinte .
Cheers .

 

Started with a Duck Rabbit Baltic Porter from 2010-2014 (got it at DLD in person trade--flat as F but quite tasty), followed by a Founders Backwards Bastard (another from trade at DLD from between 2010 and 2013), a 2011 GI BCBS, and ending with a young 'en: 2023 New Holland Dragon's Milk. All tasty as F. Cheers LNBAers.

 

Starting with this tasty juice. Cheers all.

 

Good day BAs! Thanks @ChicagoJ for opening the bar! And @Jack_14 - excellent review!

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Cheers

 

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