January 2017 Cellar Reviews

2015 BCBS (OH NOES!!!1!)

date is mid-Sep, so we're good. actually had one from this date already

I don't know what else to say that hasn't already been said. it's excellent. bourbon is integrated so well. lovely fleeting notes of smoke and char. oak and vanilla. it's very complex for being an adjunct-free stout. finishes much drier than expected, almost coercing you tp drink faster than oyu should.

(I left the tyopos in as I drank it)

 

Uinta Anniversary Barleywine, no clue on bottle date, "best before 04/14/14"

Pours medium head with healthy carbonation, color is amber with red edges, slight lacing remains on top. Smells of dates, sweet molasses, slight pine.

Taste is muted chocolate and toffee, slight residual sweetness, no heat, slight hop floral on the back end. Smells more vigorous than it tastes, very well matured and smooth mouthfeel, slightly thick. No one flavor really sticks out, they are all equally balanced and muted from time.

Overall not bad- assuming this is about 3 years old.

 

Matilda Nov 2014

brett on the nose, kinda perfume-y. nothing offensive. bottle description mentions clove and dried fruit which is pretty accurate, although I have a tough time picking out what kind of fruit. those phenolic and ester notes are not overwhelming and pleasant. not a ton different than a younger (~1 yr-ish) bottle I had recently, maybe a bit more balance. the funk increased slightly as it warmed. finish certainly seemed drier than the younger bottle. went very well with cooking and subsequently eating shrimp pesto alfredo.

IIRC best before is a year after bottling. you are (were) looking at a near-four y.o bottle

 

North Coast Old Stock Ale 2011
Stored at about 68F in dark, served in clear glass snifter at 50F

A: Hazy washed out chestnut with short incomplete cap of beige head

S: Toffee and caramel through and through with a bit of berry alcohol a bit of leathery dark maltiness with herbal undertones.

T: Delicious with definitely nod towards caramel sweetness with a touch of sherry but blasts of slightly burnt buttery toffee and a touch of leaf tobacco hoppiness in the finish. Alcohol is well hidden. No off-flavors, a superb aged beer.

M: Smooth and silky/creamy with soft but obvious carbonation and medium-full body.

O: Stellar aged beer and I think I will start collecting these again based on this experience. I have a couple of the tsunami big bottles that should be interesting.