JW Lees Harvest Ale

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by Bitterbill, Oct 17, 2020.

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  1. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,036) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    So, i picked up some 2016 today and I felt that it was too fresh. Too sweet, not that much complexity that I've found in older batches.

    What is your estimation of the age of when, properly cared for, it would be at its "prime"?

    Thomas Hardy is all over the place. Can the same be said for the Harvest Ale?
     
    #1 Bitterbill, Oct 17, 2020
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  2. EmperorBevis

    EmperorBevis Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,338) Sep 25, 2011 England
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Hi BB, hope you are well, I’ve noticed a weird quirk with Harvest Ale & a lot of Barleywines where there is this dead zone of about 3-5 years where it just isn’t right
    Fresh, one year adding a little complexity, two a little more then three following like wise, then after that it just, like you said is overly sweet and plain wrong, that seems to not resolving to the ale bring 5 or six years, though this is just an opinion I haven’t sounded out much.
    I would say for an aged strong beer to well avoid that, once it goes over 3 years leave it another 5 years till it’s a least 8 years.
    Had some really well matured ales around the ten year mark, this seems to be the ideal, that I would try and get. Though with limited space and patience I would have a tough time ageing it like that myself lol.

    Beyond that I don’t have a lot of experience though I did have a 1982 Thomas Hardy last year (it being all over the place is the different brewers past 89, I think)
    At 37 years I think it was at the point where the drinking experience was still worth more than the value if it being a unopened collectable, the yeast just very slightly giving that marmite funk and the body holding together.

    sorry for the rambling and hope that any off that makes any sense,
    cheers Bevis.
     
    #2 EmperorBevis, Oct 17, 2020
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  3. jmdrpi

    jmdrpi Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,989) Dec 11, 2008 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I don't know about "prime" but I've had a few bottles at about the 10 year mark that were fantastic
     
    #3 jmdrpi, Oct 27, 2020
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  4. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Second the 10 year mark.
     
    #4 SFACRKnight, Oct 28, 2020
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  5. dlcarst

    dlcarst Zealot (733) Aug 21, 2015 Missouri
    Trader

    I can't ever find this beer. It's been 3-4 years since I've found it. Shame too, because it's excellent.
     
    #5 dlcarst, Oct 31, 2020
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  6. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,132) Feb 15, 2010 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    "There are no great wines, just great bottles"

    Forgive my annoying response @Bitterbill , but there are so many variables.

    Speaking about Hardy's for a minute - it has a reputation for varying a bit from year to year... and this even goes beyond it moving to different brewers over the years. While at Eldridge Pope, they even switched to a bottom fermenting yeast at some point (no idea when) before discontinuing it.

    Concerning JW Lees Harvest, they change the recipe each year - so this will make an impact regardless of age. Most of the Harvest's I've had have been in the 3-7 year range. I've enjoyed every one, but they have been different in ways that weren't just a matter of age. I had a 2001 at 16 years old that I thought was amazing and a 2002 at 18 years old that I thought was very good. I had it at 1 year old from cask and it felt stale (but still great) in that context. Consider all of the things that will make a difference - yearly recipe change, the conditions that that particular bottle was subjected to over that time span (both in terms of ocean voyage and long-term storage), frame of mind/palate while having each of those bottles, how much oxygen is in (or getting in) a particular bottle... all of those things will influence the outcome.

    In the end, I personally have no "sweet spot." I don't mean to suggest that there isn't a general idea that you can subscribe to based on your own experiences and the experiences of others... I just wouldn't make a hard rule out of it. :beers:
     
    #6 zid, Nov 10, 2020
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2020
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  7. Traquairlover

    Traquairlover Initiate (0) Nov 10, 2007 Virginia

    I've never tasted a JW Lees Harvest that I thought was past its prime. But I think the oldest I've had was 15 years or so. I do find them fairly one note before 5 years old.

    On Thomas Hardy, I'm not sure it's fair to say they are all over the place. Even among brewers, I think they follow a distinct aging pattern and really don't mature for 10 years or so. It's hard to compare between brewers though since they are too far apart in age.

    How can you compare these to each other? [​IMG]
    Forgive the unsightly wrapping around the 1968, but I became uneasy about its cork and took unorthodox methods to remedy the situation.
     
    #7 Traquairlover, Nov 26, 2020
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  8. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,132) Feb 15, 2010 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Is that a 1982 Princes Ale? Can you show off your collection? :slight_smile:
     
    #8 zid, Nov 26, 2020
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  9. Traquairlover

    Traquairlover Initiate (0) Nov 10, 2007 Virginia

    It is. And I'd be happy to. But probably not today. Maybe this weekend.
     
    #9 Traquairlover, Nov 26, 2020
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  10. Bitterbill

    Bitterbill Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,036) Sep 14, 2002 Wyoming
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Hi Will! Happy Thanksgiving!

    Don't know why I said that the Thomas Hardys are all over the place other than when I had multiples of certain year's, some tasted superior to others; I reckon that could be attributed to how the individual bottles were stored.
     
    #10 Bitterbill, Nov 26, 2020
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  11. FlaviusG

    FlaviusG Zealot (637) Aug 15, 2009 Illinois
    Trader

    In 2017 I had a 2001, 2007, and 2013 tasting

    It’s obvious each batch was unique, so they are hard to compare, but all were good, no oxidation that I could tell.
     
    #11 FlaviusG, Dec 6, 2020
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  12. unlikelyspiderperson

    unlikelyspiderperson Grand Pooh-Bah (3,966) Mar 12, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    What kind of prices to folks typically find these at? I have two spots that I can get them, one has 2011 and the other has a couple different years/barrels. I think the 2011 spot is 10.99 for the small bottle and the other spot starts around there with some of them up closer to $15. Are those about what they retail for usually?
     
    #12 unlikelyspiderperson, Dec 6, 2020
  13. FlaviusG

    FlaviusG Zealot (637) Aug 15, 2009 Illinois
    Trader

    I bought mine at Binny’s in Lincoln Park Chicago but I’ve seen them at other Binny’s in IL

    I don’t remember what I paid but probably around 10 a bottle?
     
    #13 FlaviusG, Dec 7, 2020
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  14. jmdrpi

    jmdrpi Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,989) Dec 11, 2008 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Just checked the website of the place I have stocked up at previously. $10.99 a bottle
     
    #14 jmdrpi, Dec 8, 2020
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  15. CaptainHate

    CaptainHate Initiate (0) Apr 22, 2006 Ohio

    I just checked in my cellar. $8.49
     
    #15 CaptainHate, Dec 9, 2020
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