Cellar Reviews (2019)

Stone Totalitarian Stout. Looking at my original review I'm sorry but curious that i bought this. I must still be reminiscing on the old RIS from stone. I gave it a 3.8 fresh so lets see what 19 months have done to this beast. Bought from a store that does lots of intentional and well managed cellaring.
On the pour it is still that big dark beast it has always been with a thick mocha colored head that slowly works down in big soapy bubbles leaving great lacing as it slowly recedes.
The smell is somewhat thin and bitter, a bit like old coffee. Strong hints at dark fruits as well. There is a heavy booziness to the nose that i didn't get fresh. It's not bad honestly and looking back at my fresh review it's promising.
The taste carries through an unfortunate ammount of the old bitter coffee flavor. There is a char to it (I see that i described it as a burnt marshmallow flavor my original review and now I can't get that out of my head) and a woodiness. It's dominated by this acrid bitterness that just doesn't work to carry a beer for me. It definitely improves as it warms, more of the raisin and plum notes come up a bit to balance that acridity.
The mouthfeel is slightly thinner than I remember but still quite serviceable
Overall I think that the time in waiting hasn't hurt this beer and has maybe helped it a bit. Unfortunately it remains a tremendously pedestrian stout. Nice enough, still not worth the price of admission when it still can't even hang with that trusty ol lagunitas bomber

 

2018 Oxbow Barrel Aged Belgian Pale Ale

4.41/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Picked up this 500 ml bottle in Big Fatty's in White River Junction, Vermont; difficult choice among many outstanding potentials. Bottled in January 2018 and the label said enjoy within 5 years. Obviously I didn't make it that far but it's an unseasonably warm last weekend of September, and first weekend in autumn, and the high alc heavy hitters will just have to wait.

As soon as I popped the cap lemony funk filled the immediate space. Poured into a DFH tulip a nice large bubbled head topped a golden straw colored body. As it warmed over the cellar fridge temperature white grapes and barrel smell came forward. The taste mirrored the smell with pear tastes emerging. Feel was like drinking a dry sparkling wine.

I'm not sure what additional aging would have done but if I ever find another of these I'll put it to the test.

 

2016 Pugachev's Cobra from Hangar 24

Cellared by a local bottle shop that has a dedicated cellar and is very good about maintaining conditions.
Great head, doesn't rise up too much but sticks around and leaves decent lacing.
Boozy head with strong prune/raisin and lightly stale coffee notes.
Taste is insanely chocolatey with a solid bourbon burn with a strong undertone of raisin and charred wood.
Overall I'm definitely on the look out for this one fresh, this is a great beer and I wouldn't be surprised if it's better now than it was fresh but I'd love to know. I could easily see this hanging in there for another year or two but imbalances seem not too far out on the horizon.
I also hear these guys are going through some shit so I guess snatch em up if you see them around

 

2015 Bell's Expedition Stout:

Smell - Dark fruits and berries that includes a bit of plum. Less smoky of a fragrance from went I first had it 2015. Dark chocolate and a very heavy malty scent like burying your nose in a chocolate malt.

Taste - Wow! That is smooth like a Black Cow with made with chocolate ice cream. Very chocolate forward and coats your mouth like a melted chocolate candy. This is desert in a glass. I am imagining having a dark chocolate french silk cream pie with drink that would totally hits the spot!

Who cares about the other rating categories...this is one of the best stouts I have every had!

 

2016 Founders Backwoods Bastard

Kudos to @cavedave for his review last year pointing out how three years just might be the sweet spot for this and preventing me from drinking the last of my 10/05/2016s prematurely. This four pack was initially my entry point into the joys of barrel aging and it's only right to finish it the optimal way. The smells and tastes of the barrel, the licorice and molasses notes and other dark sugars have blended extremely well into an easy drinking sipper. And, as usual, when it warms from the cellar fridge temperature of 50 degrees to room temperature it only gets better. The carbonation and lacing haven't fallen off at all. I honestly can't think of how further aging can improve this because it's perfectly balanced now so what could be gained? Anyway I still have three bottles from 2017 and will see what I missed last year later this year or early next, but I doubt I'll touch the remaining two until this time next year.

 

Upland Sour Reserve April 2017 Batch K-17

Poured into a tulip minimal head and clear dark golden straw color. Some funk on the nose. Very clean taste, mild acidity, tart finish (slight sweet tart taste). Mouthfeel is light and really coats the mouth. Overall very solid and would seek this out.

 

Was in the mood for something big and non barrel aged, this fits the bill. Bottled 12/21/2016. I’m very excited that Founders is bringing this back later this year.

I popped it into the freezer from cellar temp for about 15 minutes before I cracked it.

Pours a solid black with a rich espresso colored head of just under a finger. The head receded but still left a thick crown around the interior. Spotty lacing too.
Still a huge aroma of heavy roast, molasses and dark dried fruits.
Heavy roast, dark roast espresso, dark fruits. That’s a given. Digging deeper reveals licorice, a medicinal taste, heavy charred marshmallow, earthy bitterness.
Feels a little thinner than I remember but absolutely no alcohol heat.
I have two more bottles. Don’t think I’ll let those sit too much longer but I’ll definitely keep one to compare to the next batch.

 

Thanks for the review. I have a bottle of 2012 that I have no idea why I kept, but it's moved out of the cellar & into the fridge for consumption in the near future. Sounds like it held up well over three years, we'll see about seven!

 

Cracked open a Narwhal bottled 8/23/2018 last night and am convinced this one is heading back in the right direction... had had one about 3-4 months ago and it seemed a little off- don’t exactly know how to describe it. Either way I think I’ll be glad that I have a handful of these left going forward.

The boozy heat is becoming more subtle and the roastieness has rounded out with the sweetness I recall from it when its fresh.

Put an order in at my LBS for a case of 2019 yesterday which inspired me to pop open the 18 last night and feel validated now lol.

 

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Wow, has this aged nicely! Bourbon still there with its goodness, dark pitted fruits, leaning towards the sherry/port side though not quite there. Amazing at 2 years old. I reckon that it could go a bit further.

 

Greetings. With game 7 I thought I'd partake in this. This isn't as big as the Batch series ones and it hasn't held up as well, as I suppose, in part due to it's size. That being 8.5%. A fair amount of oxidation with an evident cardboard quality. Decent malt complexity and mildly rich flavors. Still holds a bit of chocolate type flavors with some fruit character too. Feels a little thin and the carbonation has decrease - as can be seen with the minimal head, which left very quickly after it was poured.
Pleasing enough, but time to finish off the 1 remaining bottle I have.

 

Founders Imperial Stout from (I think) 12/15/11, so closing in on its eight birthday.

And after eight years, it isn't surprising that the beer has lost half a step. Softly sweet, mild roast, OK, maybe a full step. I drank most of these years ago & just kept one lonely bottle for fun. Still pretty good, but this time frame is clearly too long.

 

2018 Lagunitas Willettized Coffee Stout

In August I drank the next to last bottle of this and commented that the coffee hadn't faded. Welp either the colder weather has muted it, even though I consider the start of weather chill to be 100% imperial stout weather when you're not sure if you're channeling Dostoyevsky or Rasputin, or it faded away. Make no doubt about it, this is still very enjoyable but I think it passed its best by date. Oh well, the 2019s should be here soon.