September Cellar Reviews

This past week I've had a early 2012 Panil Bariquee, Feb-2011 3F Golden Blend Gueuze, 2010 Oude Kriek, and a 2011 Cantillon Kriek. Needless to say, all were drinking like pure funky bliss. Had a year old Founders Breakfast and KBS with brunch this Labor Day. Both were drinking nice, though both have def faded (got em at a bunch of months old already)

 

2011 Sofie is drinking tip top right now! That is all.....

 

Drinking a 2010 Bigfoot now. Great malt flavor is coming through as the hoppiness died down. Still a good balancing bitterness that gives way to more prominent dark fruit flavors. IMO definitely worth the time I have held onto it. Glad I have one more left.

 

Cracked a 2012 Cherry Adam from the Wood tonight to watch some monday night football. Its still drinking absolutely wonderfully!

The nose is starting to take on a solvent alcohol note that I am not a huge fan of. Only negative thing that I found in this beer tonight, but its not even significant when you take a sip of this beer. Its a mute point really.

The taste is still amazing! So well integrated and balanced at this point. Big cherry flavor that mingles with a splash of bourbon. So leathery and I love it! Lots of tabacco. Tootsie rolls. Nice smokeyness. All the flavors are big and stand alone, yet the balance is perfect.

The mouthfeel high end of medium body and low carb, but its just right. Soooo smooth!

Glad I still have a single bottle left because this is the best Old Ale that I have ever drank. Nothing even comes close to CAftW. A frickn shopstopper for sure! its a great way to welcome back the big beer drinking season as the midwest starts to cool off this fall.

 

'12 Ten FIDY: it was great, but never had fresh so can't say how it changed. When I get a fresh one this year, I'll make sure to try alongside by other '12 can.

 

Stille Nacht SPEC BREW 2005 is perfect. I'd like to think it will contine to improve, though of course you can't improve on perfection. Saddly, I will probably never know as it was my last bottle.

 

i opened a Temptation b3 about two weeks ago and unfortunately it wasn't too good. Decent carb, but very dusty with an old oak taste, lots of cobwebs and must throughout. There was a good amount of dated funk and a hint of sour, but it didn't taste anything like the B4 i had a few months ago, which was wonderful.

 

Had Avery's Czar and Clown Shoe's Blaecorn Unidragon - both a +/- 1 year give or take a month or two old. Both DELISH. I hated both fresh.

 

2006 Central Waters Kosmic Charlie's Y2K

Still a little sound to the opening and pours with a 1 inch dark head. Some oxidation to the aroma and a rather sweet malt base. Pretty clear red amber.
Flavor holds much less oxidation and still presents some sharpness. Any hops are long gone, although there is a long seemingly hop drying on the finish that hangs on quite awhile. A bit of alcohol bite that brings some intensity. Definitely warming in the gut. Just a little staleness, but it tends to lie in the background.
Not as exciting or interesting as when fresh, but also not bad or a disaster. Better when younger.

 

Cracked a '12 KBS last night. I'm jumping on the it's better fresh train.

 

I opened a 2007 old guardian last weekend which was a sweet oxidized mess, the 2008 that I opened last night however held up very well and was very enjoyable.

 

I al

so opened a 2010 Bigfoot this month an it was excellent , just like you described. And similar to the 08 old guardian I had

 

I had a 2010 Ten Fidy not long ago and still have an '09 left. IMO not much change has taken place when compared to fresh.

 

After picking up some bottles at the release, I cracked an '11 Gratitude (effectionately coined "Flatitude", since it never carbed up and was not released until this year at a discount). Obviously technically, I didn't cellar it...the brewery did Not sure if this will eventually come to be known as the '11 vintage or what...

Flat as advertised, no signs of carbonation at all...BUT once you get past that, this beer was actually pretty damn good. Heat was at a minimum and those toffee/caramel/brown sugar notes were all over the beer. Nice and chewy too. I just pretended that I cracked it 2-3 hours previous and let it sit in the glass and the lack of carbonation barely bothered me at all.

 

I have an 07 that I've cellared since release. Hopefully my bottle turns out better than the one you opened.

 

Frown.

 

I hope so too, I even bought mine for a shop that has a wine cellar where they keep some beer as well

 

Having a 2010 HOTD Doggie Claws now and it is fantastic. All about the dark fruit and tobacco in this one. Nice level of carbonation and the higher range of medium mouthfeel. Bitterness is there for balance but really no other hop presence.

 

Xyauyu Etichetta Rame 2005. Put it in the fridge to drop some sediment as it had been stored horizontally. Wouldn't serve this chilled next time. Don't think I'd pay full price for one either unless I find a giant bag of cash labeled 'beer money'. But as a half price, shelf aged beer, I'm planning to go get the other two bottles at the shop I got this one from. I'll try and keep one until 2025 and expect it to continue to improve. On par with how late 90s JW Lees are drinking now, but I think this one will continue to improve, where as JWs are peaking.