The Oldest Beer You've Had

I agree. Gale's is a very different beer. I think many people don't understand it from the get go...so saying an aged version is bad may just be blaming age for a fundamental dislike. It is a sour beer.

 

A few months ago I had Traquair 100th Brew. Thirty six years old.

 

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Maybe I've only ever ever had ”off" samples, but Gale's is a sour ale. No?

 

What did you think? I did a side by side of the 1977 and the a couple house ales more recent a few years back and I thought the 1977 was still very good.

 

But a whole different kind of sour than lambics or berliner weisses.

 

10-12 year old Westy 12. And an almost 18 year old Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus. Lovely beers, and a great treat.

 

Gale's Old Prize Ale is an old ale though its in the top end of the style which explains why some people have referred to it as a barley wine. Its sour quality is one I've always seen as a defect due to infection (ie. cork and/or storage issues) though John Keeling really covets that sourness and has enthused about its 'lambic' personality. Admittedly, Fuller's 2007 Gale's Prize Ale was brutally sour and the 2008 less so. I've never been a head brewer of a reputable brewer but I have drunk a fair amount of Gale's Prize Old ale in my lifetime. I've long coveted its calvados qualities in the past and when it was brewed by Gale's it was never described,tasted or promoted for its sourness. Just look at Michael Jackson's various writings of Gale's Old Prize Ale and you won't find any reference to a sour personality. In my opinion that sourness really came into its own when Fuller's started to brew it in 2007 and is how Fuller's spun/explained their attempt. It also might at least partially explain why they have seemingly given up brewing Gale's Old Prize Ale for the immediate future.

 

We're does everybody find this gems and please tell me how to find them !

 

19 year old Sweet stout home brew. 11% abv. It got so old, the hops had bittered but it was DELICIOUS. Ive also had a 2002 Harvest Ale

 

Bull & Bush (awesome brew pub here in Denver) does a yearly XMas Beer Tasting with a crazy lineup of old beers. I don't remember all the beers I had last year, but I think it was a late 1980s Anchor Our Special Ale, Samichalus from 2002, Thomas Hardys from mid 1980s (1985 maybe?), and Celebration from 1988. Going again this year, can't wait, I'll update with more specifics if I can remember.

 

Oldest so far is the 2006 Westy 12 that I had a few weeks ago. Looking forward to trying older stuff as I get my hands on some.

 

Havent drank any yet, but the ones im keeping for sure to have at some point are the Automne 1994, and Fantome ete 1993.
In picture:
fantome Automne 94
- Fantome Automne 96
- Fantome ete 93
- Fantome ete 94
- Fantome ete 95
- Fantome ete 98
- Fantome flop 2000

 

A few years back I drank a 1997 Harvey's Elizabethan Ale. Not stored well at the liquor store, and didn't hold up well. I have a 1977 Coronation Ale (Thomas Hardy's recipe brewed by Eldridge Pope and Co.) that I am saving a for my 30th birthday Thomas Hardy's vertical tasting in 2017.

 

That I've purchased: A Westy 12 with about 18 months on it. I still have one that will be three years old in December.

That I tried at a tasting: Was lucky enough to get invited to a Firestone Walker tasting at our local bottle shop with David Walker. A couple of years of Parabola and Velvet Merkin and the 17 and 18 anniversary ales. All were superb but 17 (XVII) was the best by far.

 

2009 J.W. Lees Harvest Ale Sherry Cask the other day.

 

Recently sampled a 1995 Sam Adams triple bock at a share. Straight soy sauce

 

just had a 1980-something jever pilsner, kinda figured it would be gross but figured what the hell, it was gross and smelled even worse

 

Had a 2001 LPF a couple of months ago. Thought it was fantastic.

 

5 year ago my buddy found a Coors can in the ceiling of his parents basement from when his's older brother use to have parties during high school. beer was probably from between 1995-1999. I chugged it on a dare. tasted like rotten apple juice.