Mirror Mirror treasure find

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by pattermj, Aug 11, 2012.

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  1. pattermj

    pattermj Initiate (0) May 31, 2008 Virginia

    So I was a big fan of this beer and sadly finished my last one 1.5 years ago. Out at a wedding and found a stash and grabbed 6 of them. Popped one and no infection at all :slight_smile:. Still has some age potential as well I think. Friend has already claimed 2 of the 5 left, wondering if I should grab 3 more. Did anyone buy a case and find some of them infected while the others were good or were most case sets all one or the other?


    thanks
     
  2. libbey

    libbey Initiate (0) May 18, 2008 British Indian Ocean Territory

    I have yet to have an infected Mirror Mirror out of the two cases I've been drinking (18 for 18 so far)
     
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  3. Bitterbill

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

    Same here though I've not had that many bottles.
     
  4. pattermj

    pattermj Initiate (0) May 31, 2008 Virginia

    How do you think it has developed over time since that would be more then I have heard of anyone else having.
     
  5. libbey

    libbey Initiate (0) May 18, 2008 British Indian Ocean Territory

    I've traded/gifted out a number of them but I've drunk/shared about ten and it has progressed from a hot boozy mess (first couple) into something pretty special (last 5-6). Hops have fallen off and the overall beer is just way more integrated.

    I love it now and am sad to be down to my last couple.
     
  6. Pahn

    Pahn Initiate (0) Dec 2, 2009 New York

    i traded for it around when it was released (right before infection talk began), had uninfected bottle, then libbey recently traded/gifted (more the latter) me a bottle. i think it's gotten a lot better with time.

    edit: also, i'm in the "bottle 1 in case is uninfected, rest of bottles are uninfected," camp, from my limited experience and other anecdotal evidence.
     
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  7. cLin

    cLin Initiate (0) Jul 21, 2010 California

    I've had several bottles and never came across an infected one. I agree that time has done wonders for this beer.
     
  8. dc55110

    dc55110 Savant (1,116) Oct 24, 2010 Minnesota

    Well ain't I the lucky schmuck. Had nearly a case of it (mostly purchased from different locations) and everyone was infected.:slight_frown: Never got to taste what it should have tasted like.:angry:
     
  9. westcoastbeerlvr

    westcoastbeerlvr Grand Pooh-Bah (4,115) Oct 19, 2010 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Opened one recently, and it didn't seem like a classic infection: it wasn't sour, cherry, acidic, per se. It did have a much weaker mouthfeel than I remember, and it just tasted a bit rancid. Didn't have the nice big caramel notes that it used too. It was kind of gross, like dirty water.

    This is why you always try a bottle or two of whatever you buy BEFORE aging.
     
  10. dc55110

    dc55110 Savant (1,116) Oct 24, 2010 Minnesota

    Thanks for the tip, but most were consumed (attempted any way) withing weeks/months of it hitting the shelves in Minnesota.
     
  11. harrymel

    harrymel Initiate (0) Dec 15, 2010 Washington

    Huh, I didn't realize all infections were evident upon release date. Thanks for the ProTip. Noted. :astonished:
     
  12. westcoastbeerlvr

    westcoastbeerlvr Grand Pooh-Bah (4,115) Oct 19, 2010 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    My point was that they usually aren't evident upon release. The quoted poster bemoaned the fact that he never got to try the beer before he'd aged all of his bottles for two years. Then they all turned out to be infected. I told he that he should have at least tried a bottle or two to get a general idea of what the beer was supposed to have tasted like.

    In general, I just think it's a good idea to try a bottle before you throw it in the cellar. Frankly, a lot of beers suck, and just a crappy beer, doesn't mean it's going to become a good beer with time--in fact that almost never happens (not specifically talking about Mirror Mirror, here).
     
  13. dc55110

    dc55110 Savant (1,116) Oct 24, 2010 Minnesota

    Nope, not accurate at all. Where do I say I waited two years to try it? The only thing I said is that everyone I tried was infected. And as I stated in a follow up post, and others have stated, the possibility or signs of the infection were known practically from the get go. I tried buying it from multiple locations in hopes of finding a good bottle. I did sit on a few, only to see what would happen.
     
  14. Wetpaperbag

    Wetpaperbag Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2007 Washington

    I bought bottles in both Portland and in my area, Olympia. Some I opened up right away (within 6 months) and they were great. The ones I held onto longer started to show signs of infection. However, the infected bottles I have had have been tasty. Sort of like a sour cherry flavor mixed in with a solid hoppy barley wine. The body of the beer thinned out a bit, but it was still tasty. I have a few more bottles left, and I think they too will be infected. Hope they taste good though.
     
  15. eawolff99

    eawolff99 Pooh-Bah (2,422) May 10, 2010 Minnesota
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    This thread made me open my last bottle tonight -- I'm from Twin Cities. There is a smidge of funk in the nose and a little (pleasant) taste of sour apple in the taste -- but MAN am I bummed I don't have more. This is a really fun, complex beer. Sounds like some btls were worse than others, but this one was really nice. Fun beer to open and the age did nothing but good things to it. Always fun to open an April 2009 brew in August 2012 and have it have been worth the wait. Not to reopen the thread, but just another comment inspired by this thread...
     
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