Cellar Reviews (2022)

Not sure, as I don't have any local shop that has carried Samichlaus consistently the last few years. The brewery website currently only lists the Classic, Helles, and Barrique versions.
https://www.schloss-eggenberg.at/de/unsere-biere#!special

But the most recent review of Schwarzes here on BA by @jzeilinger references 2022 vintage, and there are pictures on Untappd of 2022 labeled bottles. There don't appear to be pictures of any pictures of 2022 bottles of Helles on Untappd, seems like most of the recent pictures are of 2019 bottles.

Personally I have never seen the Barrique version in a store. There are pictures of 2022 labeled bottles on Untappd, but quickly scanning through, none of them seem to be from American users.

 

cross-posted from the Barleywine thread.

2016 East End Brewing (Pittsburgh, PA) Gratitude. This is one not aged by myself, they sell aged vintages at the brewery, picked this one up this past summer.

22 oz bottle, 11% abv. Pours a cloudy dark rusty amber color, thick head that fades to just a ring around the glass. strong aroma of toffee and caramel mixed with earthy hops - pine, mint, a little floral. Taste is similar, starts sweet but definitely has an underlying hop bitterness to it. medium bodied, lower carbonation. Overall a similar profile to aged SN Bigfoot.

Side note, the wax on this bottle was like a cruel joke. Took me about 5 minutes with a utility knife to get enough off to pop the cap. Which means I kicked up any sediment that was settled out. I suspect this beer would have been a lot clearer if I didn't have to wrestle with the bottle in opening it.

 

I'll admit I'm not always a fan of cherry beers (I find they can often slip into medicinal territory), but this is one of the best. This vintage is perfectly balanced right now.

4.48/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2019 vintage. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a snifter. Serving temp ~60F.

Clear rosewood body with amaranth highlights and an active collar of misty rose/beige foam. Fine bands of lacing recedes down thin waves of shimmering legs. Decent retention for the style and ABV.

Rich, potent malt aroma accompanied by a lower layer of barrel notes and a lower layer of cherry which blends seamlessly into the stewed fruit and esters at the bottom of perception. Pipe tobacco, treacle, toffee, bread pudding, etc. Just short of amazing.

Rich dark cherry flavor right at the front of the palate. As soon as you get a note of cherry pit, this is joined by dried apricot, leather, baker's chocolate, and notes of fine sherry/port from the oxidation. Mild bitterness melds with the flavors from alcohol. Long, smooth, yet dense/chewy medium finish. Superb.

Medium-low carbonation, faintly oily/slick mouth-feel - gentle tannins and even heat.

An immensely enjoyable sipper worthy of contemplation.

 

Late entry for color palette of the year post right here. Your palate was exceptional as well. And for the hat trick you made me want a pallet of cherry Adam! Bravo!

 

Thank for the review! Having had a few of the old bombers there was a lot of variation to my palate between different years. One thing I never got was echoes of Bigfoot (which I've grown to dislike) but pretty sure I didn't sample the yellow wax year. Those old Gratitudes were a crap shoot in many ways!

 

2011 Smuttynose Barleywine. 22 oz bottle, been in my cellar since it was fresh. No abv on the label but these were typically around 11% abv.

Pours dark amber color, clear. cream colored head that quickly fades. Aroma of molasses, toffee, raisin, some fig. Taste is similar, a touch sweet. Faded hops. Enjoyable but a touch of negative oxidation. Most of the carbonation came out in the pour, pretty low carb level which is fine. Coats the tongue. Long finish.

 

was this a planned experiment?

Or an "oops I left one in the back of the fridge, might as well turn it into an experiment"?

 

Wow! So happy someone did this. Yay for science.

 

Nice Barleywine you've got there

 

In lieu of champagne for this evening:

4.5/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Blend No 57 - season 16|17 - wort from 9 different brews, aged in 8 different barrels - bottled November 14th 2017 - enjoyed on December 31, 2022. Poured from a caged-and-corked 750mL bottle into my Drie de Fonteinen tumbler.

Not quite clear amber body with an active champagne fist receding to a small fine cap. Vague, sloppy lacing; no legs. Very good retention.

Subtle yet complex aroma - herbaceous and floral with a delicate funk bringing to mind superior washed rind cheese.

Palate entry brings to mind alfalfa fields, sorrel, and salty sea breezes. Tart but not bracingly so. Low earthy bitterness comes and goes. Goat milk, lanolin, crisp malt, and raw nuts. Finishes dry with earth, minerality, umami, and a hint of funk.

Medium-light bodied, well carbonated, nearly refreshing, but still soft.

Hard to find a more authentic example of the style - rich, complex, rustic yet refined. Reasonable value given the time and labor involved. A good candidate for aging indefinitely.