Cellar Reviews (2021)

I agree they are expected in the older beers. I think in this example the beer was really good and the sediment flavor hit at the tail end. I dont think the feel or texture of the sediment bothered me too much, but Im attributing the soy&dark choco combo flavor to them too. it didnt work on my palate.
I also know some prefer the chunks, where I dont and try to pour carefully. To each their own.

 

Oh you have the non-BA version?? Very interesting! I splurged on the 2015 BA bottle when I was up at Spiteful a few weeks ago picking up some stuff. I don't regret buying it since it was a purchase that supported a brewery I really like, but it definitely is not one I would buy again.

Mine wasn't even refrigerated - just sat in the basement. Im really happy with how well it held up.

 

Cross Posted in the Online Barleywine tasting event.

Ive had this 12 oz bottle for a LONG time, actually in my fridge for 90% of that time. This is from a closed Connecticut brewery that shut down in 2002 I think and Im glad to try this as part of the Barleywine tasting event! Ive eyeballed this beer many times, this event is the time to open. Bottle has no ABV nor datestamp.


The beer is cellar temp, I took it out of the fridge about 3 hours ago and placed on cellar shelf. The beer is poured into my snifter and a deep chestnut to mahogany with rich garnet highlights when I hold up to a light source. Beer pours with almost no head and actually no sediment either. there is a thick yeast cake on the bottom of the bottle. Thinnest of edge layers of khaki foam and nothing else on the surface.
Aroma is malty and fruity, I get toffee, brown sugar, ripe plum, red grape and some cherry or raspberry too. No hint of any hops and hidden booze too.
The first sip of beer reveals a much thinner body than I anticipated and basically still carbonation. Texture is still a little sticky and coats my lips on each sip.
Flavor is rich sweet malt up front with brown sugar and toffee and some red grape and again berry sweetness. This gives way to a little bit of boozy bite and has that black pepper bite and very dry finish. the bite on the finish lingers and encourages my next sip. The body makes this easy to drink and I dont expect this to be very filling by the time my glass is empty.
A nice way to start the evening and quite enjoyable after all this time!

 

Cracked a special beer tonight. Thomas Hardy's Ale from 1978. Just shy of 43 years old!! I was 8 months old when this was bottled! I almost couldn't get the cap off. I'm pretty sure I broke my unbreakable bottle opener. Zero carbonation, as expected. The nose is....out of this world. Port, old books, vanilla, rich dark fruits - purple grapes, cherries, blackberries come to mind. Figs, chocolate, and molasses. This is just such an amazing beer to smell. The taste is crazy. Although a tad syrupy in its current state without carbonation, this has amazing depth and complexity. Thick and luscious. Sweet fruit, toffee, vanilla, Oloroso sherry. Some oxidation is evident, but it doesn't take away from the beauty. These older English barleywines blow me away. I still have a few more - a couple from the early 80's and a few from the 70's. Will open those in the coming years. Cheers!

 

Just posted this one in the barleywine tasting thread, but this was another really great beer to cellar and see how it developed - this is a 2015 vintage §ucaba.


Firestone Walker - §ucaba (2015)

This was actually bottled in 2014, but the label lists it as 2015.

Pours a cloudy, hazy chestnut color. For the first pour there was almost no head whatsoever as just a small splotch of bubbles appears around the edge then disappears almost as quickly. Poured it too cold ... second pour produced a lovely two finger sudsy tan head. The head lingered for a moment before steadily dissipating until just a thin layer of velvety foam remained on the beer.

The aroma is incredible as usual - notes of dark fruits - dates, figs, prunes, and raisins all intertwine with notes of overripe cherry, tobacco, leather, some oak and bourbon, brandy, toffee and brown sugar. Its just a lovely array of complex notes that provide this decadent aroma.

Taste follows the nose with notes of dark fruit, tobacco, ripe cherries, leather, with a woody tannic quality to the flavors. There is a lovely rich maltiness to this beer that really sets it apart for me. The oak and barrel aging presents with notes of bourbon, brandy, and charred oak. There is a mild sweetness, but its not overpowering or too strong. What Im finding most amazing here is that 6 years later, this beer is still "hot" or boozy? There is a really pleasant alcohol warmth that I would have guessed would have mellowed with time, but that is not the case. There is a touch of oxidation coming through in the flavors, but its subtle and is within that range that I actually enjoy for the style when aged.

The feel is medium to full bodied. Its got this lovely smooth, chewiness to it. For initially appearing almost flat, its actually got some lively carbonation. Pretty dry on the finish. That alcohol warmth really does warm you up as its consumed - almost like drinking some straight bourbon.

Overall this was incredible. I think I slightly prefer it fresh, but the aged version is also incredible. Once again, I am reminded why this is one of my favorite beers.

 

Cross posted in the BA barleywine tasting event

Ive got quite a few vintages of this gem from CT brewing's past. 2006 is this bottle, 500ml in size. Thomas Hooker Old Marley Barleywine. I have 2003, 2004, 2005 and a 2013 still on the shelf. Some reviews of these aged have me concerned about the quality and the swing top could be a weakness in the defenses, but here we go anyway!



this beer pours a dark cola brown color, almost stout-like in color. No light passes through my glass. No head at all and the beer appears completely still. I decant carefully to avoid disturbing the trub in the bottom, which is significant when I look inside. I dont notice any chunks flowing into my glass as I pour.
The aroma is pleasant, which is a good sign. Loaded with dark fruit, I get figs, raisins and dark cherry notes. I also have some port wine character and rich sweet molasses. Hops absent and the ABV is not present either.
First sip reveals a medium body with slightly syrupy texture. Coats my lips with sticky coating on each sip and the carbonation is completely absent. Seems to be a sipper.
Flavor is some sweet malt notes of molasses and brown sugar with a mix of dark fruits, plum, fig, raisin too. There is also a bit of a tobacco note that comes through towards the finish as the beer warms. I do get some bitter bite on the finish, which seems to be from alcohol and not a hop bite. Overall, Im pretty happy with how this has held up and Im glad to have a few more vintages to compare with this one in the future.

 

Cross posted on the BA Barleywine tasting event.


Last one of the night for me. I went with all CT representatives tonight, still so many in the cellar for tomorrow, which will be a much chiller day for consumption. The posts and beers and people on this thread have been some of the best stuff Ive seen on BA in a bit. Glad to be a part and thanks to @SierraNevallagash for coordinating and getting this to happen for our community!! Cheers to you!

2014 vintage Ye Olde Twinkler from Firefly Hollow here in CT. 9% ABV. Been in my cellar since I bought it and Im drinking at cellar temp and pouring into my trusty snifter.



the beer pours a clear mahogany color and has definite garnet highlights in the color. Lots of light passes through my glass revealing this hue. A fizzy beige surface layer foams up and fades to nothing almost immediately after I pour the beer.
the aroma on this brew is very nice. I get dark chocolate, bready muffin scents, brown sugar and some light raisin notes. But I am taken aback by how much I get chocolate chip muffin notes on this, totally unexpected and very much like a fresh muffin out of the oven...WOW!

The first sip reveals a medium body with slightly sticky texture that coats my lips on each sip from my snifter. The carbonation is very fine and very tingly and is extremely effervescent in my mouth. Beer feels nice and only adds to the enjoyment on this one.

Flavor brings the chocolate chip muffin again, where is this coming from?? Not a pastry beer by any means. And to be clear I like this flavor, just unexpected by me. I also get much more fruit here than on the nose. Red grapes, plums and fig are here, with a good dose of brown sugar too and just a hint of molasses.
A little warming booze comes through on the swallow and only adds to the sipping quality of this beer. No hops on the flavor profile.

I find this surprising and enjoyable. The chocolate chip muffin thing totally caught me off guard here. I have a 2018 vintage in the cellar, wonder if there is a bakery in that bottle too?

 

Cross Posted to the Barleywine Tasting Event.

Last one for me for the barleywine event, and my liver is definitely thanking me!! Cisco Baggywrinkle Barleywine, vintage 2005 or 2006, no date stamp and I fail at labeling my cellar....This is a 12% and 750 ml format. Will see where this takes me.

I need to say this has been the most fun Ive had on a thread on BA in quite a while, some amazing beers shared with the community and quite a bit of learning of beer history too (thanks @jesskidden !)

Big thank you to @SierraNevallagash for coordinating and keeping this thread in line and for opening up some big beers too! This was a great idea and I echo the thought of doing an Annual event around this time to break up winter. Tis the season for barleywines aint it?!?!?

Onto the beer.

Ive had this in the cellar since purchase and moved houses with it once. Im pouring at cellar temp into my snifter, which has gotten a lot of use these past 48 hours. The beer pours a lighter than expected golden color but fills my glass as a deeper chestnut and some garnet highlights. The beer is very clear with only 1 or 2 lazy streams of carbonation rising to the surface.
The frothy eggshell white head of 1 cm fades quickly to a sturdy edge layer , but this remains as I sample the beer.
The aroma on this one is robust. Evident right from the cap - popping. I get a lot of brown sugar and dark fruit with plums, figs and raisins dominant. But also some black cherry notes and a bit of red grape. Not quite port wine here but heading in that direction I think. I dont get any hop character here and the nose isnt boozy either.

First sip reveals a medium body with smooth texture and fine, almost cask like to non-existant carbonation. Much less syrupy and sticky than a lot of other examples of what I opened this weekend, making this drink a little faster. Im not sure that is a good thing at this point!!

Flavor is sweet, but not cloying, with a lot of toffee and brown sugar dominating but sharing time with plums and red grape and again the black cherry here too. No hop character and not boozy either. WOW this beer would be dangerous as it doesnt present as a sipper and clocks 12%.
Im really enjoying this beer and it may be my favorite of the weekend....It is certainly the most pleasant surprise, as I didnt know where this one would have gone.

Such a fun weekend, and glad to end with a cellaring experiment win!!