Cellar Reviews (2021)

2018 Adam from the Wood (bourbon) from Hair of the Dog. I will be tasting a bunch of HotD beers over the coming year. This brewery is in the top 3 for me. Zero carbonation on the pour, just as I like it. The nose is just incredible and complex. Old port, figs, cherries, walnuts, pipe tobacco, an earthy note, and a hint of black licorice. The barrel doesn't overpower the nose. The taste is...phenomenal. More black licorice, bourbon, sherry, leather, tobacco, very dark chocolate, a bit of coffee grounds, burnt toffee, charred wood, and oak. This is so complex and well integrated. I can't get over how much flavor comes through on these beers. The lack of carbonation clearly plays a large role in this. Just pure joy to smell and taste. Mouthfeel is medium bodied - much more of a strong ale than a stout on the feel.

 

Not a cellar review yet, but wanted folks here to see there is an online barleywine tasting event getting scheduled for Jan29-31. Sort of like these cellar reviews but everyone will be posting barleywines. I suspect many will enjoy both and I have been eyeing some potential gems in my cellar for participating.

2014 Deschuttes Mirror Mirror and Brooklyn Hand & Seal 2014 Im looking at you.

Here is the thread https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...astings-idea-submission-thread.476806/page-19

 

It will be a great tasting. Thinking of busting out some old Thomas Hardy's for the event!

 

2018 Jam the Radar. Pours pitch black with little head. Nose is dominated by chocolate and raspberries - no complaint. I'm trying hard to find other notes on the nose, but I think I would be making things up if I said I could smell other things. I keep going back and it's chocolate and raspberries - maybe raspberries dipped in chocolate? The taste is pretty insane. Again, I'm getting the chocolate and raspberries, but I'm getting more. cherries, brown sugar, bourbon, toffee, blackberries, oak, and some nice hard fruit candy. Sweet is the overall theme, but definitely not too sweet. This is just a lovely drink with a thick and creamy mouthfeel. No alcohol is detectable. This is amazing and has held up very well.

 

Polling cellaring minds....ive got a few bottles that maaaybe shouldnt have been cellared.
Im thinking of starting to open them and sampling, you know for science.
Seems like most reviews posted on this thread are for more cellarable beer styles and wonder if ye would indulge some of these more questionably, and likely less enjoyable aged beers?

 

Stone Vertical Epic, bottled on December 6, 2012. A small amount of head. The nose is full of black licorice, cherries, a bit of tobacco, bread, and brown sugar. The taste is really nice. Still a lot of black licorice, but an intense sweetness and bitterness almost immediately. The brown sugar is really evident on the aftertaste. Tree sap, pine, maple, dark chocolate, coffee grounds, and grapefruit peel. Very odd combination, but it really works. I honestly can't remember exactly how I felt drinking this fresh 8 years ago, but it has definitely retained some of the main features. No sign of oxidation, and I bet this will be fine for further aging. Cheers!

 

White Chocolate was amazing!