2009 Mirror Mirror

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by normyk, May 5, 2012.

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  1. normyk

    normyk Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2007 Ohio

    Once upon a time I heard rumblings that the '09 Mirror Mirror was every bit as infected as the '09 Abyss (which I found 60% infected in me experience). I took a fairly long view and hid a bottle in the back of the cellar, hoping I'd be rewarded in time. I actually thought I had biffed it away for a while, but today I found it.

    My bottle? Not infected. Just shy of glorious. I'd like a little more depth, but that's just my tastes. I've had a few of the more badass barleywines recently and while this was no Wooden Hell it was pretty badass in its own right. Last bottle I had was an '09 in '10 and this was clearly better for the time. Enjoyed it across nearly three hours.

    Not going to issue any sweeping statements regarding the beer or it's future potential or anything, but IMHO it's drinking pretty good about now.

    Cheers to the cellar dwellers!
     
  2. libbey

    libbey Initiate (0) May 18, 2008 British Indian Ocean Territory

    I've had very good luck with the case that I had cellared. No signs of infection and so far the six or seven I have opened or shared have all been excellent or well received from trading partners I have shipped bottles to.

    I would also agree that the beer is tasting fantastic as of this moment.

    Cheers
     
  3. Jerriko

    Jerriko Crusader (432) Jan 6, 2008 Washington
    Trader

    The bottles I've opened haven't been infected in the slightest and I'm hoping it's the same for the rest of the bottles I have. I was thinking of opening one soon so this is good news as I think it's a great beer. Glad to hear it's aging well.
     
  4. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    i wish i hadn't opened the bottle i traded for so quickly (i traded for it like a week before the infection talk started coming out in full).

    i was kind of disappointed with the beer, because i didn't like how the citrusy hops blended with everything else (everything else was absolutely delicious). i bet if i'd rolled the dice on the infection and just waited until around now to open it, i'd have had the same glorious experience as you. [edit: i'm 99% sure my bottle wasn't infected to begin with.]

    p.s. this seems absurd, because cascade hops work in barleywines all the time... but somehow it just clashed for me. meh.
     
  5. libbey

    libbey Initiate (0) May 18, 2008 British Indian Ocean Territory

    The hops have faded way to the background and the overall barrel characteristics have become much more integrated. I opened one when it first came out and thought it was a giant boozy mess but have been real happy with the results a couple of years down the road.
     
  6. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    We had one as part of a blind BW tasting and it was super infected. That being said, the bottle I opened in the past by myself was delicious. However, there are infected bottles floating around.
     
  7. Kopfschuss

    Kopfschuss Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2009 Oregon

    Gf and I had one about 6 months ago and it was incredible. However, it was mostly refrigerated at my dad's house :slight_frown:
     
  8. youradhere

    youradhere Initiate (0) Feb 29, 2008 Washington

    Might have to crack one open to see how it is doing. Haven't ever come across an infected one, but I am curious about the lifespan on this.
     
  9. Sebowski

    Sebowski Zealot (613) Jan 11, 2010 California

    Drank a shit load of this last month while it was on tap at a local place. Loved it. Going to buy a ton of it when it comes out again.
     
  10. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    especially now that they flash pasteurize or whatever, so infection probability is pretty much 0%. once it comes out again, i'm fairly sure i'll take a short break from my "trade hiatus." i was disappointed in it the one time i had it, but i've always sort of not believed that that happened... i still don't fully believe it; i think something must have been off with my palate the day i drank my bottle. it just doesn't make any sense that mirror mirror could be bad.
     
  11. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,036) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    This happens more often than people realize.
     
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  12. cLin

    cLin Initiate (0) Jul 21, 2010 California

    I've had it several times and it has been great every single time. It continues to improve with time.
     
  13. maximum12

    maximum12 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,686) Jan 21, 2008 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Thanks for the post. I also felt it was just a decent mess shortly after its release, but still have a bottle hoping it would improve. Those hopes are usually futile, glad to see it might pay off in this case.
     
  14. jegross2

    jegross2 Initiate (0) Jan 3, 2010 Illinois

    I have only once vomited from taking a single swig of beer sober: 2009 Mirror Mirror. Made the mistake of taking a big gulp without smelling first.
     
  15. jegross2

    jegross2 Initiate (0) Jan 3, 2010 Illinois

    The infection rate is very prominent. You're lucky to get an uninfected bottle, and im jealous! I had an uninfected 2009 Abyss at DLD. It was a delicious lotto ticket.
     
  16. Devi0us

    Devi0us Savant (1,136) May 3, 2011 California
    Trader

    I've had 3 in the past week and about 15 this year so far and none have been infected...knock on wood...

    Cheers!
     
  17. PALMEJ1

    PALMEJ1 Initiate (0) Dec 8, 2008 Alabama

    I opened my last 3 bottles back to back and all 3 were infected. This was in March.
     
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