November Cellar Reviews

2012 Founders Bolt Cutter.

I bought only one of these and held on to it until now so I can't comment on how it has evolved. I will say that it is tasting fantastic right now. I can't imagine it peaking better than this. Super smooth for 15%. Typical barley wine qualities with big caramel and toffee flavors. Subtle barrel character adds to the complexity. Flavors keep opening up as it warms. Sweet as you would expect but not overdone. Firm carbonation for a big beer which just adds to the drinkability in my opinion. Really enjoying this one. I would pop one now if you have one.

 

2011 Two Brothers Bare Tree Barley Wine Style Weiss Beer

Fascinating brew, pours a dark glold. Smells of sweet fruits and hints of citrus. Taste has same sweet grape and light cherry. Slightly sour but just sweet. Feels bubbly like a moscato or some other sweet wine. Just a cool beer. Alcohol is hidden away somewhere but it's there... Not my favorite style but I enjoyed this . I got this in a trade. Year and a half ago, so I can not say what age did as I never had fresh but this is a very enjoyable beer.

 

2009 Smuttynose Imperial Stout

22oz. into mini snifter (not all at once).

6-ish years old. Very nice tan head, and even some lacing. Smell isn't great - vinous, slightly sweet, nondescript old grain, and oxidation. BUT it tastes great! Raisins, sherry, leather, bitter chocolate, and generic ashy roastiness. Mouthfeel is almost juicy, perfect carbonation, and alcohol warmth on the finish.

This was a nice surprise! It held up really well in terms of being normal/drinkable and developed some interesting flavors. Highly recommended for cellaring, especially given the price/availability.

 

2012 Sierra Bigfoot, waxed at purchase.

A pungent floral toffee aroma wafts upon first opening, sweet beet sugar and spice linger. Tastes of sweet tea toffee and bitter lemon on the back end. Coffee and rose follow. Mouthfeel seems to be lighter than fresh, carbonation is crisp and biting, almost acidic. Aftertaste is almost clean, with a faint resinous bitterness that lingers.

 

2012 §ucaba, done side-by-side with 2014 BCBBW (so, all the notes for §ucaba are relative to BCBBW). Bomber into a Duvel tulip at cellar temp.

Look: §ucaba is noticeably lighter in color than BCBBW, and has slightly better head retention (though still effectively nothing).

Smell: §ucaba on the nose is predominated by alcohol initially, but develops grape, vanilla, and coconut notes as it warms. BCBBW has much more dark fruits going on, and tilts more toward brandy or even port. Something very jammy in there.

Taste: §ucaba is harsh alcohol up front, followed by all the classic FW barrel notes (coconut, toffee, oak, maple syrup, vanilla), with a bit of bitterness. BCBBW is almost a totally different style. Very big on the dark fruits, and more brown sugar and tobacco as accents compared to the more dessert-y profile on the §ucaba.

Feel: fairly thin, almost overcarbonated, though just enough syrupiness to make it work. BCBBW is thicker, but much less carbonation—probably a bit too still, actually.

Overall: somehow, I find the BCBBW a bit more cloying and more of a chore, even though I enjoy the flavor profile. I think it's down to the undercarbonation. Honestly, neither is world-class.

n.b.—I actually finished §ucaba the day after I opened it (and BCBBW). As I often find with big beers like this, the day of oxidation absolutely helped. A lot of the rough edges were rounded out. Still have to agree with the conventional wisdom that age didn't help this beer (though it didn't hurt it a great deal either).