Firestone Walker - Stickee Monkee 2016

Woo! Be there this evening

 

Binny's in Algonquin had 4 or 5 cases last Thursday if anyone is still looking.

 

A couple weeks ago I did a vertical of 2014, 2015, & 2016 bottles (2014 was the first year they started bottling it). I bought all at retail when they came out and my "cellar" is a not-fancy cardboard box in a closet. More than anything I was amazed at how consistent the three bottles were. Last year I did a 13/14/15 vertical of Sucaba and the differences were interesting, but with SM the 14 was very similar to the 16 (14 was more sweet/syrupy). 15 was also similar but had a stronger bourbon flavor and was my favorite (I also like 15 Sucaba and 15 Parabola more than this year's or prior years). I don't think these differences were from aging though. I think that while the 14 and 15 haven't developed, they also haven't fallen off. Given how smooth and delicious SM was to begin with though, just maintaining flavor is a win. I say enjoy whenever.

We also did a 2012, 2015, 2016 Parabola vertical and the 2012 Parabola, while still delicious, had a hint of what I thought was stale malt. May have peaked.

 

I figured I had missed out on Stickee Monkee this year but was able to score a bottle today. I'm very pleased and looking forward to a good moment to crack it open.

 

I didn't get much in the way of a response to this, so some buddies and I split '15 and '16 bottles. You know, for science! Keep in mind, the differences described below could be based on batch difference--the original gravities and ABVs differed between the two.

2015: This beer was goddamn divine. Scent was almost all caramel. Taste was very complex, with toffee, raisin, plum, coconut, and rum in the mix. Mouthfeel was a hair thick, just like a good Belgian style brew should be. Perfect 5/5.

2016: This beer was much less complex. The scent promised similar caramel, but the high ABV was much more obvious on the nose. Taste was like caramel candy in terms of flavor and sweetness (sweeter than the '15, and almost too sweet), but without the other flavors. Mouth was similar, or maybe just a tad thinner. 4.25/5.

Of the three of us, two preferred the 2015. The one who preferred the 2016 said he liked it more because it made him more aware that he was drinking a high ABV beer, with the aged bottle being deceptively smooth. I will be cellaring all of mine going forward.

 

I'll have to take your word for it, pal.

 

If you re-read my post, you'll notice I noted the difference in ABV in the opening paragraph. Either the 2015 just integrated the alcohol better, or the age mellow it. Maybe you should get your facts straight before trying to critique me.

 

this shit had me busting up for a solid 5 minutes