Cellar Review Thread (2025)

HOPPIN FROG 15TH ANNIVERSARY ALE. Bottled August 20, 2021. 3.87 score.
Much of a Belgian strong, as I was getting malt not much in hops. Neutralized fish course of meal, spicy pepper steak, and great accompaniment to dessert pie with coconut cream.

 

2010 Kuhnhenn BB4D sorry for stock image
Foil comes off and a bit of rust on the cap, a bad sign. Opens silently, and the pour produces zero bubbles of any kind, giving it even a thicker look than in memory. Smell is beautiful, but no barrel notes, which were strong at release, save a touch of vanilla, with honey bread, caramel, and light hints of hoppy bitter which has an edge of citrus pith. No cardboard or other bad smells of age. Taste is a simple rendition of the notes in aroma, balanced, delicious. As it warms the slight herbal hoppy bitter becomes stronger in the mix, which hides the other flavors in the finish, not in a good way, but not off-puttingly. Big surprise is zero carbonation doesn't diminish the drinkability, it drinks easy with perfect amount of coating linger, though finish has suffered from when it was released. Again, not off-puttingly, but this beer was heaven in a glass when it was new. Held up well, became a simple treat full of enjoyable flavor, but not a success story for sure. Cheers y'all.

 

Trea House Tree of Tranquility, Released September, 2022, Rated 3.99

Yes, syrupy oil, lots of Sherry and some Spanish wine dominated sweetness, drops of pineapple in some drops - that was the best. Dark and rich looking, richness is from oiliness. Held up well, did not know what to expect but hoping Tree does more of these interesting ones.

 

Kilter Brewing Immortalis Blend 3, Released May 2022. Rated 3.89

Old school stout, roasted barley with lots of bourbon, circa May 2022. Almost all head gone, but still some carbonation. Worth sharing with another person or two. Decent mouthfeel.

 

Bottled in 2021. Rated at 3.7
so we are beyond four years. Good plum flavour, however overwhelming brett like funk in the flavour, in the smell. Some colour. Still very drinkable,but most people would not want to.

 

Tree House Double Baked. Released January 2023. Big bourbon taste held by complex malting, dark colour. Rich and thick. Deep bourbon and malt aroma. Undercover level of carbonation. Really good. Rated 4.14

 

Suarez Parlance-Shiro PlumBottled in 2021. Rated at 3.7
so we are beyond four years. Good plum flavour, however overwhelming brett like funk in the flavour, in the smell. Some colour. Still very drinkable,but most people would not want to.

 

The Path of the Angel - Clown Shoes Brewing - Boston, MA - American Brown Ale - 11.4%

It wasn't bad, but I bet it would be better fresh. I don't know if it is still being made, but I wouldn't recommend putting age on it.
Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22951/276793/
3.77/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
From a 22oz bottle. Bottled on 02/16/2018. Consumed on 07/08/2025

There was a nice hiss and a bit of smoke upon opening this 7 year old bottle of beer. The color is a fairly clear amber color with hints of brown in it. There's a lot of carbonation in this beer, way more than I'd expect from a beer this old. The head is, on the first part of the pour, 4 finger and tan in color. The head retention is decent. There's minimal lacing on the glass.
There's nutty notes to the aroma. There's some caramel notes. Since this beer is old, I am getting some wet cardboard notes. I am not getting barrel notes, but, again, the beer is old.
Well, there's a nice nutty flavor up front. The nutty flavor does last and does build toward the back. The nuts are added to by notes of caramel and a hint of chocolate. I am also getting some oak and vanilla notes from the barrel. Since this beer is a vintage, I do get some wet cardboard notes, but they aren't too distracting.
The beer is quite bubbly on my tongue. The beer has a crisp feeling to it. Nice fullness to the body. There's a faint burn on the back from the ABV.
This is not a bad beer by any stretch of the imagination, but I wouldn't recommend putting age on it. I have never had it fresh, but I bet it is better fresh.

 

Paradise Pucker - Rogue Ales - Newport, OR - Fruit and Field Beer - 6.0%

It has a few slight issues from age, but it is tasty.
Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/235466/
3.9/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a 22oz bottle. No date on the bottle.

Great hiss and pop upon opening the bottle. Nice wafting carbonation smoke coming from the bottle. The color of the beer is somewhere between golden and amber. The beer starts out clear, but gets murky when I get the rest of the beer into the glass. There's just a huge stream of carbonation bubbles rising in the glass. The head is 2 finger in size and slightly off white with decent retention. There's no lacing on the glass.
The aroma is very tart smelling. There's issues because of the age of the bottle with wet cardboard notes in the aroma. I am getting some citrus, but it's hard to differentiate the aromas, though orange does stand out a bit.
Taste - faint wet cardboard flavor hits my throat, but goes away right away. The flavor then goes to - Woah! The beer has a ton of orange in the flavor. Wow, it does make me pucker slightly, in a good way. The guava shows up with a hint of sweetness to cut the tartness slightly. I think I am also getting passion fruit, but I don't know that flavor too well.
The tartness of the beer does linger in my throat and coats it. This beer does have a nice full body for the ABV.
Well, I didn't know what to expect when I bought this old beer a month ago. I am quite happy with the results. I would wager it has held up well.

 

Sorry for the stock image which has wrong harvest year, but this captures so well what it looks like. Enjoying this favorite to celebrate the best day of foraging this 35 year veteran forager has had since the day the mushroom club foray filled six bushel baskets with morels. Suarez Parlance-Japanese Shiro edition harvest year 2018


Plenty of carb. and the aroma hits the instant the cap opens, a delightful blend of fresh plum and light sourdough. From the glass the enticing notes of Suarez mixed ferm join the bouquet, adding light sour fruit funk and even lighter acetic and bitter notes. Taste, which is a balanced, delicious blend of the aroma notes showcasing sweet plum also shows no signs of age. The mouthfeel is as remembered six years ago, coating but light and drinkable, just right carb., and a plum and light funk finish that begs for the next sip. In fact it is all I can do not to finish this much too quickly, its amazingly easy drinking, Suarez' trademark feature. This beer not only held up, it tastes pretty much exactly as remembered. Cheers, y'all!

 

De Cam Mirabel Lambick (2020 or 2021) rated 3.94

Funky, edgy, with very tart finish. How and what I do not know, but enjoyed it over many slow sips. The barnyard must was in the taste and a bit in the smell.

 

KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge. Bottled August 2022, rated July, 2025 @4.0

Fudge and coffee hit you at once, maple in the finish. Oak on aftertaste. Not the biggest fan of maple, but it worked here by not overdoing it. Very good sipper. Bottled August 2022.