Cellar Reviews (2023)

Semi inspired by @ChicagoJ side by side I cracked open my last expedition stout, a 2021 that was part of 6 brought home from my sister's mid Michigan wedding that summer.

It's wonderful, classic RIS flavors of bakers chocolate, raisins, and ashy malts.

Such wonderful stuff that always makes me wish bells california distribution brought their stouts to my neighborhood

 

Here I am bullshitting without pics again! Check out a little side by side of some nearly 2 year old coffee stouts;

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...-side-by-side-2023.671043/page-8#post-7865001

 

Continuing down the path of cellar pulls corresponding with recent Deep Woods releases. Started yesterday with Deth's Tar, which I provided a cellar review previously this year. This post contains my 2023 review of another October release.

Revolution Deth by Cherries (2020)



Can Notes: This can has been refrigerated since purchase. 12 oz canned 11/11/20, 12.5% ABV.

OG Review notes in phone, not on BA, so I'll insert in italics.

Appearance: Got a fuller creamy rich sustained head, but my rated pour was draft so will bump the score from 4.0 to 4.25.

Aroma: Pretty much the same one note aroma, tart cherries. Score remains unchanged at 3.5.

Taste: Cherry leads and is strong than my initial fresh rating noting bourbon and chocolate dominating taste. Cherry taste mild, not sweet, very good. Today, the cherry dominates, both cool and fully warm. Cherry cough drops. Not getting the complexity I enjoyed fresh, thought the opposite would have happened but here we are. 4.5 fresh, 3.5 today.

Mouthfeel: Pretty consistent in terms of a medium body noting it sweeter today vs. balanced fresh. Drinking at the current ABV. 4.25 fresh, 4.0 today.

Overall: Would say the primary drop off today would be the one note cherry over the complex fresh draft pour. Enjoying the beer, but would have enjoyed the OG take better. Balance Balance Balance. 4.25 Fresh 3.75 Cellared

Will try to return tomorrow with a Cafe Deth to complete the October release fresh vs. cellared reviews, and then the November releases next week.

 

2019 vintage. Bourbon is mostly gone but it is so smooth and easy drinking that I am pretty sure I would have gladly finished a bomber of this myself.
Cheers!

 

Thank you @eurodandy ! I followed you and look forward to your posts and beer postings.

Welcome to Beer Advocate!

Do you stash Cellar Beers? If so, look forward to your reviews.

 

There has been quite a bit of hype regarding the 2023 Revolution DB VSOD (Double Barrel Very Special Old Deth) release. I thought about doing a side by side between the 2020 and 2023, but want to enjoy each separately versus trying to force 24 oz, so I will compare via notes. I only have one more can of these, hopefully it held up well since I loved it fresh.

Revolution Double Barrel Very Special Old Deth (2020)



Can Notes: Canned 12/3/20 13:29:42, refrigerated since purchase.17.8% ABV, 12 oz can. 2 Year Extended Barrel Aging, same concept / procedure as 2017 and 2023.

The absolute pinnacle of our Deth's Tar lineup, "Double Barrel - Very Special Old Deth" sits at the intersection of extremity and sophistication. During the second year of aging, a small number of specially selected Deth's Tar barrels are blended then finished in fresh Weller Special Reserve Barrels and Weller 10 year barrels.

Original Review of 2017 (Did not complete a formal review of 2020 beyond noting its excellence in WBAYDN). 9/11/18 - 9 oz draft pour at Revolution Brewpub - Comments from notes in phone Italicized below).

Appearance: Poured about 10 oz and marveled at the glorious rich dark tan brown head emerging before settling to form a nice ring cover around the rim, though with minimal cover over the rest of the base. Bubble emerge from the pitch black base to dissipate at the surface similar to a pour of RC cola / pop. Looks great! 4.75 (2017 draft - Pitch black pour, light thin tan head captured around the rim - 4.5)

Aroma: Let this sit for about 10 minutes to reach proper temperature. The barrel comes through loud and clear, something fierce about the strength, backed by a nice oak treatment. Somewhat intimidating jumping in, smells like a neat Weller pour. Held up beyond expectations. 5.0 (Very smooth fine bourbon aroma. 4.25)

Taste: Much more complex, staring with a nice chocolate fudge base competing but falling short to the magnificence of the Weller Barrels. Now 20 minutes warm, this is at peak enjoyment, a nice swing back and forth between the base and oak barrels and very smooth fine tasting bourbon. More singular in terms of focus, but what a wonderful experience. I wouldn't change a thing. 5.0 (Strong bourbon taste, very smooth drinking. Fine smooth bourbon malt blend. 4.75)

Mouthfeel: Strong as fuck, going strictly off memory but this is the strongest packaged DW can I can recall, and possibly one of the strongest overall including draft special barrel variants over the years. That said, it is well incorporated to showcase the excellent base beer beneath it all. Medium to full body, very gentle carbonation more heard then felt when settling on the tongue. Wonderful balance of strong bourbon without any burn, smooth. the base asserting itself Nice smooth bourbon finish. Primary difference noted is the body feel, finding this much fuller than my 2017 draft notes. 5.0 (The ABV isn't noticeable at first, but will creep up on you. Thin texture, slight burn drinking, the ring of Fire very nice. 4.75)

Overall: I'm comparing notes to a fresh draft release three years prior vs. this second released batch, but finding improvement in balance, a smoother experience, body thicker which was unexpected. Possible improvement in the can over 3 years, but just quibbling at the margins at this stage as this was an excellent top shelf offering and if anything is even better today, which was unexpected but certainly not surprising given how well this program's cans have held up refrigerated over the years. 5.0 (Overall, excellent offering 4.75)

I bought one less from the maximum allotment, primarily due to lack of room in my refrigerator from my overstock of prior and current year releases, but after this review I may come to regret this decision. I think I'm going to save that planned can enjoyment of the current release and substitute it with a draft review, like a squirrel saving an extra nut for the pending Winter.

 

I've been toying with the idea of the season ticket since it was announced based just on my limited experience. Your post might have pushed me over the edge. I really think they're running the best barrel program in the country

 

Still drinking quite well. So good. Cheers all!

 

I had a 2017 one recently and can't remember if i posted it anywhere. Have been lucky enough to try 2017 and 2020 .
Here's 2017 photo. I ran through that thing

 

Thanks for the plug on Anti- Cimex. Brutal shit.

 

@ChicagoJ im an idiot

just saw it's DB VSOD

OOOOOPS.

Here's the one from 2020
If my memory recalls correctly i enjoyed VSOD more, but maybe that's because i expected way too much from a beer.

 

6 day weekend starts tomorrow, going with a big bottle of Fremont Brew 6000 tonight. First tried and loved this 19 months ago. Had a Brew 3000 a few months ago and it was stellar at 4 years out so I'm expecting great things here.



Now as then this is sweet but with a lot of layers, far from a sugar bomb. The flavors seem to have shifted a bit, getting a bit more molasses than I recall and some leather now. Still plenty of raisins and dates but I think less honey and more vanilla The bourbon notes are at once potent and well incorporated. Warm, mellow, and oh so smooth. I love the mouthfeel, light carbonation and a full, slightly sticky body. So damn good.

 

This was a great and unique beer. I don't totally agree with the stout label and feel it's more of an American Strong Ale. This aged well but I'll have to give credit to @HIGHPA for that. He aged it I drank it

4.4/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Look- jet black with a thin mocha head that quickly dissipates leaving a small mocha ring

Smell- sweet molasses, dark chocolate and vanilla

Taste - sweet figs, maple syrup, burnt Carmel. Almost more like an old ale than stout

Feel- sticky and coats the mouth with a slight fizzle of carbonation

Overall -This is a remarkable beer that hit the spot in almost every category. This beer drinks more like an old ale than stout.

 

Those are two great selections!.

Digging the interesting coffee mug and the Firestone Walker snifter I should have picked up last visit. Hope to clear some room this winter to stock up on Parabola and if I'm lucky Anniversary, really the only two BA FW we get here these days.

Hope we are both able to grab the FW/Rev Collaboration next year.

 

Organizing the beer closet last night motivated me to put a few in the fridge. This is a 2015. Lost most of it's carbonation. Lots of burnt caramel. May be past it's prime. I have a couple left from 2015 that I'll probably hold for a bit longer in the name of science.

 

Glad you liked it! I told you! I'm telling you the BA 4D with a few years to mellow and the 4D with vanilla. You'll love that too! Same goes for the Blackberry Eisbock. So, I smell another trade coming!!! Talk soon!!!

 

Another one hooked! I think I have another bottle. But you definitely want to try the other Kuhnhenns. I will DM you..

 

Didn't expect to write a review for this one, but if people still have access to this, it is well worth seeking out. Sadly, this is my last bottle of any vintage, let alone the last Mountie, though not planning on getting the newer version (no maple barrels, maple syrup added to KBS aged in bourbon barrels).

Founders CBS 2017



IIRC a cellared this for 4-5 years and refrigerated thereafter until today. Looks the same, getting plenty of burnt coffee roasts backed by maple aroma wise. Maple syrup has mellowed a bit, but blends really nicely with the base and barrel. Feels creamy, rich and decadent. Everything here exceeded expectations. Likely won't find these on store shelves properly cellared (not sure this would hold up at store temps over 6 years), but definitely pop these open this Winter if you have any more in your stash.

Gordon Lightfoot - Love and Maple Syrup

 

I was sad New England's Firestone Walker drop was canceled last minute - I was fiending for this year's anniversary ale, so I consoled myself with the 23rd Anniversary (from 2019).

It's drinking really nicely! It's dry and a fairly savory, with a tightly attenuated body, and has developed a nice edge of tertiary notes (old books, cigar box). The cask influence is really nuanced - I found the tequila to be surprisingly prominent despite only comprising 4% of the blend.

 

Well, I said I was gonna drink this for science and today was the day. Not sure what it is about today made me anxious to do this, but it's now done. Talkin' 'bout a 10+ year old Rabid Duck that was infected when new. It was one of those nasty infections that throw flavors of vomit and other garbage related emanations as well as more familiar bad cough syrup awfulness. I wondered if 10+ years would make this worse, better, or no change at all? Hmmm, the results-

Not gonna use all the specifics I wrote while tasting this, since no one in their right mind is gonna seek one of these out, nor would one be available to find anyway. The main points- It gushed less than remembered when opened, just a slow motion overtop that I was more than ready for. The aroma was thick with bad cough medicine and ground aspirin but the remembered butyric and other odors of putrescence were much less than in memory. I didn't hesitate for that first sip, and it confirmed that the main remembered offenders had lessened considerably and it had become a not undrinkable mix of cough syrup notes and bitter pill flavor but also some vague sweet roasted grain, molasses, and alcohol spice to go along with it. It was far from a pleasant drink by any stretch, but required much less effort to finish than anticipated.

So, some infected beers can become slightly better in the cellar is the conclusion.