Cellar Review Thread (2025)

Starting to dig into my old Trillium sour stash beginning with some big bottles. This is the old Trillium New England wild ale in a 750ml bottle from either 2017 or 2018 after they switched the recipe from a normal farmhouse ale to a wild ale


After 6-7 years this is definitely getting a little lambic-esque as I like to say, that is a little barny, horsey, vinegary funk in a good way similar to what a gueuze typically smells like to me. Even fresh this had pretty strong tart cider notes and a bit of mixed culture funkiness to it, right now a little more enhanced with some horseblanket, barnyard cobweb funk, toasty hay, straw, farmhouse notes, some peppercorn spice, slight acetic apple cider, pale wheaty malts, grainy rye, lemon acidity, and some earthy herbal grassy floral hops.

Tastes really cider-like, tart, dry, crisp, acidic, some lemon, green apple, white grape notes, apricot, hint of banana, subtle clove, peppercorn spice, toasty hay, straw, barnyardy farmhouse funk, pale wheaty malt, grainy rye, slight sweet vinegar, with earthy herbal grassy floral hops. Feels medium plus bodied, slick and smooth with moderate carbonation and high acidity. Overall a really nice and balanced tart wild ale that gained a little more barnyard quality over time. Real cider-esque and lambicy and I’m enjoying. Cheers all!

 

I bought this on Sunday locally. I knew it was old, but I have no idea how old it is.

John John Dead Guy Ale - Rogue Ales - Newport, OR - Maibock - 6.4%

Oh, my, this has become a mess. I have a feeling it was good fresh, but this has fallen off Mt. Everest.

Review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/132/55317/

2.54/5 rDev -33.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2
From a 22oz bottle. No date on the bottle. Not sure how old it actually is. Local purchase on Sunday 3-23-2025

There was a nice hiss upon opening the bottle. The color is a dark brown color. The beer looks quite murky. There's a lot of carbonation in this beer and there's a steady stream rising in the glass. The head is 2 finger in size and a bit tan colored. I like how frothy the head looks and it is long lasting with great looking lacing on the glass as it dissipates.
The aroma isn't very strong, but I'm getting tart and sour notes in it. I am not sure what to think about it to be honest. I am also getting black pepper notes. Again, not sure what to think about it.
The beer has a bit of tartness and sourness up front. I get some green apple notes in this beer. The beer does get some wet cardboard notes to it on the back. I am not getting any hints of being aged in whiskey barrels.
The body is quite bubbly feeling. Somewhat clean feeling. The tart feeling lingers.
This beer should not have been aged. I would not recommend buying it if you see it in a store, and I hope you don't. I have a feeling it was good fresh.


Do not recommend if you see it.

 

This beer was a local purchase and had a best by date in 2016. I bought it on Sunday, 03/23/2025.

Saxo - Brasserie Caracole - Belgium - Belgian Blonde Ale - 8%

I wouldn't age this beer, but it worked. I am lower than average with this beer because of the aroma, but it tastes great.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/753/2585/#navigation

3.67/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
From a 750ml bottle. This beer has a best by date of 3062016. This version is 7.5% ABV

There was a nice pop when I removed the cork. This is a slightly murky golden pouring beer. There's some sediment in the beer. The head is white, 1 finger, and long lasting. There's no lacing on the glass.
The nose really smell sour and tart. Lots of green apple notes. I am not sure this is what the beer was supposed to be.
Well, the flavor isn't anything like the nose really. I get a malty grain character to the flavor. There's some floral elements to this beer which are interesting and good. Lots of yeast flavor in this beer.
The body is bubbly feeling and crisp. Smooth and a nice body to this beer.
This was a local purchase, and I'd never recommend aging a beer like this as long as this one was, but it did work. I am impressed that a beer that was best by in 2016 is still delicious.

 

Trillium - Red Stonington (2017)

Still vibrantly fruity on the first pour with a thick dense milkshakey head and a beautiful dark ruby red color, the aromas are fresh raspberry jam, dark berry preserves, red fruit, some candied dried fruits, raisin, fig, prune, molasses, dark toffee, nutty caramel, charred brown sugar, toasted browned bready wheaty malts, honey, hints of chocolate, subtle leather, mild vinegar, oak barrel, peppery spice, and earthy herbal grassy floral hops.

Tastes really sour and acidic with fresh jammy raspberries, dark berry preserves, tart red fruit, candied dried fruits, raisin, fig, prune, molasses, dark toffee, nutty caramel, charred brown sugar, toasted browned bready wheaty malts, mild vanilla, honey, hints of chocolate, subtle leather, acetic vinegary lemon, oak barrel, peppery clove spice, and earthy herbal grassy floral hops. Feels medium plus bodied, thick, slick and smooth with moderate carbonation and moderately high acidity. 7+ years later this is pretty dang sour and still drinking well nevertheless. Like a few of their red fruited and/or darker wild ales, it’s almost comparable to a Flanders style red ale or oud bruin. Really nice and rich with unique malts, fresh fruit, sour acidity and oak barrel funky complexity. Cheers!

 

Kilter Immortalis IV
2022 old school imperial stout, rated 4.0 overall
Heaven Hill Bourbon.
Deep good body. attractive sipper. Great malt, smooth mouthfeel. Excellent old school imperial stout. This Aged well for three years. A bit of coconut from barrel.
Best brewery in Manitoba, Canada by far

 

Horal Master Blend Geuze 2022
rated 4.04
Masterful geuze, and edges have eased in blending and with some patient cellaring. A lovely drinking, good fragrance (to geuze fans anyways) and smooth drinking texture.

 

Crooked Stave pure SPON 2022
rated 4.01
An excellent spontaneous wild ale, that mesmerized us with it's smooth drinking and nuanced notes. Likely cellaring calmed the beast because it opened with some lively carbonation.

 

Trillium - Apricot Stonington (2017)

Bottled 17-Oct-2017, pours a nice hazy golden amber orange with a dense creamy foam head. Smells like rich fruity peach cobbler, fresh apricots, orange stone fruit, pie spice, toasted bready biscuity grainy graham crackery malts, some honey, light caramel, a hint of vanilla, oak barrel, subtle leather, acetic vinegary lemon, white wine, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops.

Taste follows with big peach cobbler stone fruit vibes, fresh fruity apricots, cinnamony baking spice, peppery clove, hint of vanilla, oak barrel, subtle leather, farmhouse funk, toasted bready biscuity grainy graham crackery malts, some honey, light caramel, white wine, lemon acidity, mild sweet vinegar, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops. Feels medium plus bodied, creamy slick and smooth with moderate carbonation. This is still drinking good more than 7 years later, less malty than the Red Stonington and possibly more fruity and fresh, working really well actually with the apricots. Really nice brew from Trillium. Cheers all!

 

Barncat Artisanal Maple Wheatwine
Bottled July 2023
Global rating on untapped 4.19
My rating on untapped 4.0 March 26 2025.
Closed brewery owing to economic pressure of a more than doubling of rent in growing metropolitan area
A very nice barleywine, British base that was properly aged for three years, and an understated maple context of flavour. Very pleasant drinker still, enjoyed at tasting.

Barncat Artisanal Seven
Bottled March 2023
Global rating on untapped 4.51
My rating on untapped January 1, 2025 4.25

A blend of imperial stout and BW, Barncat was one of very few doing this blend. Sweet for sure, but everything you would want from a big beer, flavour, mouthfeel, aroma.

Cannot rate their last beers on BA as brewery gone, but not forgotten. Matt has started to brew at Willibald brewery, and consults to a nano brewery Sparrow to bring back some of his greatest hits in small batches with tweaks for production and ingredient availability.

 

Trillium - Wild Broken Angel (2017)


Bottle dated 012017, at over 8 years old I figured this one would still be pretty good and interesting to drink, though they all have held up well so far. Right now the aromas remind me of something between an Orval and Allagash Curieux, some barnyardy funk, hay, straw, fresh oak, vanilla, coconut, some white wine notes, lemon, pear, yellow apple, apricot, subtle banana, white grape, honey, light toasty bready biscuity crackery malts, hint of leather, mild peppercorn spice, wildflowers, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops.

Compared to the complex and perhaps rather delicate aroma, the flavor here is just bursting with intensity and juiciness, fresh woody oak, vanilla, coconut, hay, straw, barnyard funk, hints of leather, white wine notes, lemon, pear, yellow apple, apricot, subtle banana, grapes, lychee, honey, light toasty bready biscuity crackery malts, mild peppercorn spice, wildflowers and floral earthy herbal grassy hops. Feels medium plus bodied, smooth and slick with moderate carbonation. Overall a really nice beer that remains complex and stands up to the test of time. Something along the lines of a Wild Belgian Strong Golden Ale aged in Oak Foeders, I’m really enjoying this one right now. Cheers!

 

Back again today with a Trillium - Wild Sinister Kid aged in Sherry casks

750ml bottle dated 26-Oct-2017, this beer pours a maroon dark red-brown with a light tan colored foam head. Smells real complex and unique with prominent sherry wine cask notes pairing with the darker caramelized malts, some slightly meaty lightly salty roasty charred oak, tart funky dark fruits, dried fruit, raisins, prune, fig, plum, cherry, apricot, grapes, apple, pear, dates, molasses, mild chocolate, toffee, dark caramel, brown sugar, toasted malts, subtle vanilla, hint of vinegar, peppery clove spice, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops.

Tastes really tart and acidic, vinous and acetic, juicy, rich and complex with notes of sherry wine, oak cask, mild leather, hint of tobacco, char, roast, tart dark fruits, dried fruit, grapes, plum, cherry, apricot, apple, pear, fig, raisin, prune, dates, molasses, milk chocolate, toffee, dark caramel, brown sugar, toasted malts, subtle vanilla, peppery clove spice, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops. Feels medium plus bodied, creamy and slick with smooth moderate carbonation. Overall a really nice and interesting, rich, malty and sweet Wild Belgian Strong Dark Ale aged in Sherry wine casks. Cheers!

 

Another aged bottle from Trillium tonight, from their old experimental program the Permutation series: Number Fourteen, an American wild ale brewed with apple juice and aged in oak foeders.



6.3% abv, packaged 16-Jun-2017, at almost 8 years old this may have transformed a little bit smelling a bit leathery now, light and grainy with mild spice, some fresh apple juice, lemony citrus, oak barrel, subtle vanilla, hint of straw, toasty hay, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops.

Tastes like candied sour apple, tart lemony citrus, grainy malts, toasty hay, straw, some leather, oak barrel, subtle vanilla, mild peppery clove-like spice, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops. Not super complex and might have lost some fruitiness at least on the first pour. Feels medium plus bodied, creamy and slick with smooth moderate carbonation, finishing dry and crisp. Overall a pretty nice oak foeder aged wild ale with apple juice. Cheers all!

 

Reverence Barrel Works Basic
Bottled January 2021
My rating 3.96 Global Rating 4.15

After 4 years,over 50 months, this pastry stout bottle still amazingly delivers pretty good ice cream flavours, pumpkin spice ice cream, expresso ice cream or topping, and vanilla. Miss these guys early day beers that those of us who knew them.

 

Trillium - Permutation Series Number Nine: amber wild ale aged in bourbon barrels, 11.2% abv, bottle dated 020317. Over 8 years old now and still drinking mighty fine with sweet rich and toasty malts pairing with bourbon barrels and a tart red fruit wild acidity.

Pours slightly hazy ruby red amber with a dense creamy off-white foam head. Smells like tart red fruits, berry, cherry, lemon acidity, some red wine vinegar, vanilla, bourbon oak barrel, caramel, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, mild chocolate, dark toasted malts, slight leather, char, pipe tobacco, hint of spice, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops.

Tastes real nice and balanced, sweet strong smooth and sour, with notes of rich dark toasted malts, tart red fruit, cherry, berry, mild chocolate, brown sugar, molasses, toffee, caramels, vanilla, bourbon oak barrel, slight leather, char, pipe tobacco, hay, straw, hint of spice, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops. Feels medium-full bodied, thick, smooth and rounded with moderate low carbonation. Overall a really nice bourbon barrel aged imperial amber wild ale.

This is a pretty interesting concept that worked really well imo. The high abv rich toasty malts and sweet bourbon barrel are balanced with a mild tart wild acidity that isn’t too sour and still holding up well 8 years later. A unique and tasty beer. Cheers everyone!

 

this 2017 solera old ale from the Bruery is drinking wonderfully! notes of wildflower honey up front, into an oxidized rocky road of walnut, milk chocolate, and marshmallow fluff.

 

Trillium - Permutation Series Number Eleven: American Sour Blonde Ale aged on peaches

Bottled on 31-Mar-17, pouring hazy golden peachy orange amber with a frothy white foam head. Smells like fruity peach cobbler, baking spices, oak, lemony orange citrus, hay, straw, toasty wheaty malts, mild vanilla, yogurt, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops. Taste follows really fruity with tart peach cobbler notes, sour peaches, lemony orange citrus, peppercorn, baking spice, light toasty wheaty malts, hay, straw, oak foeders, subtle vanilla, slight creamy yogurt, and floral earthy herbal grassy hops. Feels medium plus bodied, creamy smooth and slick with moderate carbonation and high acidity. Overall a nice oak foeder aged sour blonde ale with peaches even 8 years later. Cheers all!

 

Trillium x Stillwater - Trillwater (2017)


A New England gose ale with Stonington sea salt and Chenin Blanc white wine grape juice dry hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Motueka.

Bottled 17-May-2017, pouring a slightly hazy golden orange color with a creamy frothy white foam head from the first pour. The rest of the bottle looks pretty opaque and juicy. I usually try to get a “cleaner” expression first and then follow up with the later pours and add on if necessary. Smells a bit pickled actually with sea salt brine, mild earthy funk, slight dill weed, some dusty floral hops, white wine grape juice, lime, apple, pear, passionfruit, tropical citrus, stone fruits, and pale wheaty malt.

Tastes pretty elegant and nice, lightly tart with crisp wheaty malt, slightly briny sea salt, juicy and fruity white wine grape juice and aromatic floral hops that together give off a wave of extra subtle fruity notes like green apple, pear, citrus medley, peachy stone fruits, and zesty tropical fruits like passionfruit and starfruit.

Feels medium plus bodied, thick and creamy with smooth moderate carbonation and light to moderate acidity.

At almost 8 years aged this is actually still drinking really well and I’m enjoying it more than expected. The aroma is slightly off probably due to the aromatic hops aging, the other ingredients held up well though with the Chenin Blanc grape juice holding up really well and shining alongside the wheat and sea salt. A subtle maritime nuance can be felt throughout almost like an oyster brine most likely from the Stonington sea salt. Even the final pour that is definitely juicy and opaque is still refined and tasting really nice. A really interesting and thoughtful beer from Trillium and Stillwater Artisanal. Cheers!

 

Courtesy of @Bishop a few ounces of 2023 Sam Adams Utopias via the NBW Imperial Stout/Barleywine BIF#2



Tasting notes on NBW. Plenty of fire left that one, I am sure you could age that for a crazy amount of time

 

Been a few years since I checked in on this.

Cork comes off with minimal resistance but no need to wear protective eyewear like when removing the cage in a 50th.

Smell of funk permeates with cork removal

Pours with a moderate fluffy white head that settles quickly

Nose of funky wet barnyard with no stale oxidation

Taste is sublime. So funky, rich, and acidic but not overbearing or too puckering

mouthfeel is rich and full but not creamy like goldackeral or selectie c

overall still so good. I have always preferred Millennium to this but this is aging so well