January 2018 Cellar Reviews

I popped this open on the 1st.


Here's my review from 2016 about it fairly fresh -
4.02/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a fairly thick pouring beer. The head was a 1 finger head, and frothy, but did dissipate quickly. The nose is rich. It's got some barrel feel to the nose. The taste is interesting. It has a boozy feeling to it. Maybe a bit wattery feeling. It also has a warm feeling going down. Not bad.

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Victory_Sabre1973, Nov 27, 2016

I'd say it's pretty mch the same, except it was a little less "hot". A less boozy feel. Damn good, but, also still a bit watery.

 

After almost 10 years of planning and acquisition, I conducted a rather epic vertical tasting on the 1st of the year (at least it was epic by my standards!). This was a celebration of my 30th birthday (back in 2017) and my graduation from graduate school.

We tasted:

Welcome Beer: 2008 Samichlaus Schwarzes. This was vinous, thick and sweet mouthfeel, and still carbonated. Almost grape-y in the flavor. Still had time left but I think it probably wouldn't improve any more.

1977 Eldridge Pope Coronation Brew (likely the same recipe as Thomas Hardy's Ale)
To my amazement there was a tiny hiss when I cracked the cap although there was no detectable carbonation. Thin mouthfeel but amazingly appealing aroma. Tasted like very old dried fruits (raisins), old books, musty basement, and dusty chocolate. Obviously oxidation was present but there were almost no gross/savory/meaty flavors that often arise in very old beer. Being 40 years old this felt pretty special.
1987 Thomas Hardy's Ale (Eldridge Pope)
Much thicker and sweet than the 1977. Distinct maple aroma and sweet mouthfeel. Light roast notes as well. Modest presence of the classic raisin/date/fig flavors of old English barleywine. The cap was lightly rusted and difficult to remove but there was very light carbonation.
1994 Thomas Hardy's Ale (Eldridge Pope)
No carbonation/hiss when cracked. Less rich and thick than the '87, and more oxidized. Very similar to '95 and these two were the least appealing of the bunch.
1995 Thomas Hardy's Ale (Eldridge Pope)
See above.
1999 Thomas Hardy's Ale (Eldridge Pope)
The favorite of the bunch by a large margin. Rich, sweet, full mouthfeel with layered dark fruit, rum, moist spice cake, cigar box, fig, and chocolate. Extremely impressive and one of my favorite beers of all time. This was a larger format bottle (11.5 oz) vs all of the other bottles which were nip size.
2004 Thomas Hardy's Ale (O'hanlon)
Seems more heavily oxidized than the '99, but still is very nice. Not as much dried fruit and spice cake as the '08, and the sweetness comes off with more astringency. I have tasted these over the last few years I believe that they are falling off. I think the sweet spot for the O'Hanlon Thomas Hardy's Ale is 2-10 years with a peak around 6-7.
2008 Thomas Hardy's Ale (O'hanlon)
I have been drinking these every year or so since 2010 and they have aged well up to this point. I believe that they are starting a decline judging from the 2004 already tasting less appealing than the 2008. Sure, they could go to 20 years and still be drinkable but I don't think they will improve from here.

2000 Fullers Vintage Ale
For being 17 years old, there was still plentiful carbonation and a sold hiss when opening. Bar far this was the favorite of the Fuller's beers. The aroma was floral and rich with a distinct heather and elderflower aroma. Red berries, dark dried fruit and leather in the flavor. I bought this at the Fuller's Brewery in London back in 2012. It was in a cooler at the time, but I don't know how they stored it prior to my purchase in 2012.
2004 Fullers Vintage Ale
Much less appealing than the 2000 with a thinner flavor and mouthfeel.
2008 Fullers Vintage Ale
Tasted alone I think this would be impressive, but next to the 2000 vintage and all of the Thomas Hardy's it was unremarkable.
2009 Fullers Vintage Ale
Tasted alone I think this would be impressive, but next to the 2000 vintage and all of the Thomas Hardy's it was unremarkable.
2011 Fullers Vintage Ale
This bottle was gusher with giant carbonation and fizzy head. I think that the 4-6 year period for Fuller's Vintage ale is pretty special, and this beer shows some nice flavor without too much loss of body.

Overall: The clear winner was the 1999 Thomas Hardy's Ale, followed by the '87 TH and 2000 Fuller's. Although its intrigue value was lower, the Samichlaus was also awesome being readily available is one I will seek for future aging.

 

Thanks to @Traquairlover for inspiring the original idea for this type of tasting.

 

awesome lineup!

I think your bottle of Samichlaus was what is now labeled as the "classic" version (vs. the Helles, Schwarzes, and Barrique versions). I think the Schwarzes version was first introduced in 2014.

http://www.schloss-eggenberg.at/de/unsere-biere

 

2007 Thomas Hardy's Ale (O'hanlon)
Served in a tulip. Pours the color and clarity of cognac with just a cluster of tight bubbles around a semi-circle of the bowl. Lovely ruby highlights are displayed when backlit. Nose expresses sugarplums, hints of toffee, ethanol and yeast. Taste consistent with nose; however, there's also a distinct soy sauce quality, as well as caramelized brown sugar. Mouthfeel is light-medium and still. Definitely starting down the downward slope. Three bottles left to enjoy during the course of the next 15 years. Next bottle pop is scheduled for 2022.

 

You are correct. Thanks for pointing that out

 

About a year-and-a-half on this bottle of Coolship Resurgam. One of my favorite New England beers; luckily Allagash is close enough that I can hit the brewery a couple times a year. I’ve read these don’t age as well as the Belgiums and that it’s best within two years. I’ll hold onto a couple to find out a report back. For now -





Golden hue with lively effervescence and a thin soapy white head.

Aroma is still snappy - green apple, lemon, hay, musty attic. Less leather than when “fresh.” Still mouth watering and cheek-puckering. Really wakes up the palate.

Taste is right there - tart, light funk and faint citrus layered atop toasted malt. Still incredible with complex layers of flavor.

Dry and crisp. Drinking like a champ.

 

2015 Anchor Christmas

Three fingers of creamy khaki head. A substantial amount of visible carbonation. Dark brown body - nearly opaque. Great head retention.

Nose brings dark fruit - plum and raisin. A touch of earth and leather underlying.

Taste is less fruit forward, but much more complex. Starts with a little dark fruit which quickly shifts to strong notes of leather and ash. Bitter finish and a touch tinny. Notes of underripe purple grape linger on the tongue.

Thin in the middle of the mouth with moderate carbonation.

 

Not a lot of age, but Founders Imperial Stout bottled 12/12/16 so a little more than a year old

Pours thick black, like used motor oil. Thick dark brown head. Huge bold aroma of espresso and dark bitter cocoa. Taste is bitter, roasty, similar flavor as the aroma. Very nice bold and flavorful. Thick, full bodied.

 

I purchased a 2007 Samiclause recently. Interestingly, my store only has 2010 (and the 1 2007 I purchased). Never had it before, but with all the positive comments on these threads, Interested in trying it.

 

Now that Backwoods Bastard is a year-rounder, I feel less compulsion to hoard. I reached to the back of the bottom shelf and pulled out a random one, which happened to be from September 2015. Only half a finger of head for a brief moment, even with an aggressive pour. A bit surprising, it was a bit brighter and fruitier than is typical when fresh, with some pronounced black cherry notes on the nose and palate both. It's pulling a lot of oak from the barrel into the flavor profile--still nicely balanced, but the balance has shifted to accenting other components a bit more prominently after two-plus years.

 

I tried to get my hands on a 2017 TH's but was unable to land one in the short timeframe I had free before this tasting. I would love to know how it is!

The 1977 was well worth opening.

 

Nice find! I'd buy some 2010 also, especially if you like the 2007. Get hold of a freshish Samichlaus first before you try it though. It's not too hard to find (and even if it takes you a while that 2007 will be fine for a few more months). It's definitely not like anything else and worth having fresh and will give you something to compare the 2007 to.

 

Your store still has 2010 available? Would you be willing to pick one up and trade it to me? Just curious.

 

They don't have anything newer than 2010. I'm not sure when they got it (i.e. how long it has been here). They have between 5 and 9 left.

Send me a message. Happy to help.

 

Same store has a bunch of the JW lees available of different vintages, including 2 or 3 of the barreled ones from 20012 ish? I think vintages of Harvest going back to 2007 also? I think only Fuller's Vintage 2016 though.

 

2012 Port Brewing Santa's Little Helper - 10% abv
Dark chocolate dominates the palate, some oxidation evident. Classic imperial stout profile. Held up pretty good. I have a bourbon barrel aged version on deck.

 

2010 Port Brewing Old Viscosity

Pours a dark black color, tan colored head. Good head retention. Roasty aroma of coffee and dark chocolate. Taste is on the drier side. A touch of smoke. Medium bodied, not as full or silky of a mouthfeel as fresh.

Overall not bad, but not as bold or as thick as it was. I preferred the beer fresh.