What should I keep?

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by Ljudsignal, Jul 19, 2013.

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  1. Ljudsignal

    Ljudsignal Initiate (0) Jul 19, 2013 Massachusetts

    Greetings, folks! Long-time lurker and beneficiary, first-time poster, almost total novice when it comes to the world of beer...handle delicately, eh? :wink:

    So as of about a month and a half ago, I've been working in the beer department of a liquor and gourmet food store in eastern Mass., and one of the perks of the job happens to be a decent discount on all the beer I care to drink. Needless to say, I've been taking advantage of this, and in my six weeks of travels through the clutter and chaos of the cellar, I've happened upon a few things that I *think* might be worth hanging on to. As I say though, I'm hardly a specialist in the field of beer--my job title notwithstanding--so I'd appreciate the community's take on whether I've actually found keepers or whether I should put 'em back and keep on poking around. On to the list, then:

    1 Goose Island Juliet 2012
    2 Weyerbacher Riserva 2010
    1 Old Rasputin XV Barrel-Aged
    1 Goose Island Night Stalker 2011
    1 Allagash Interlude 2012
    1 Stone Vertical Epic 2008
    1 Founders KBS 2011--I think this one is actually worth hanging onto, if nothing else?

    So that's the list. Any particular gems?
     
    #1 Ljudsignal, Jul 19, 2013
  2. rab53

    rab53 Initiate (0) May 1, 2005 Washington
    Trader

    Keep the KBS...you could probably trade it for a kidney in MA.
    Never tried the Riserva, so I would give that a shot.
    Rasputin XV was the most recent release (if I recall), and it sat around a while due to the price. Still haven't opened my bottle.
    Night Stalker and Interlude are tasty, but not a 'vintage' beer I would search for.
    Vertical Epic would be good for one filling in a gap in their set, though I'd imagine most people going for the 2002-2012 vertical would have gotten it already.
    Juliet is nothing special IMO.
     
    #2 rab53, Jul 19, 2013
  3. CassinoNorth

    CassinoNorth Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2013 New Jersey

    Yeah, rab53 has it right. The XIV is still here in Jersey on shelves. Too pricy for most folks.
     
    #3 CassinoNorth, Jul 19, 2013
  4. Ljudsignal

    Ljudsignal Initiate (0) Jul 19, 2013 Massachusetts

    Hmm, right then. Thank you both, I'll definitely be hanging onto the KBS in case I ever need a spare liver! (Also serves me right for having never looked at the Top 250 list before...I had no idea it was quite so highly esteemed!)

    Most of the rest of them I'll probably just buy for my own consumption, with the possible exception of the Old Rasputin...I would tend to agree that it seems a bit pricey (even with my employee discount it would run me around $22, when a 4-pack of the regular imperial stout--which I already know I love--only sets me back $10 or so).
     
    #4 Ljudsignal, Jul 19, 2013
  5. yamar68

    yamar68 Initiate (0) Apr 1, 2011 Minnesota

    1 Goose Island Juliet 2012 - yes, definitely... that beer is awesome
    2 Weyerbacher Riserva 2010 - no, fuck Weyerbacher
    1 Old Rasputin XV Barrel-Aged - yes, pricey but worth a try for sure
    1 Goose Island Night Stalker 2011 - maybe... it's good but very perishable
    1 Allagash Interlude 2012 - never had it
    1 Stone Vertical Epic 2008 - for trading purposes, yes
    1 Founders KBS 2011 - yes
     
    #5 yamar68, Jul 19, 2013
  6. LaneMeyer

    LaneMeyer Initiate (0) Mar 20, 2011 California

    The Rasputin Anniversary is definitely pricey, but worth a try IMO. If it's not totally out of your budget it's definitely a tasty brew and a BIG step up from the regular Old Raspy.
     
    #6 LaneMeyer, Jul 19, 2013
  7. Bonis

    Bonis Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2010 Ohio

    You crazy...
     
    #7 Bonis, Jul 19, 2013
    podunkparte and jbeezification like this.
  8. Ljudsignal

    Ljudsignal Initiate (0) Jul 19, 2013 Massachusetts

    Forgive my total ignorance...I was under the impression that stouts actually tended to age well, but I'm assuming Night Stalker's an exception? Also, what's wrong with Weyerbacher? I'm genuinely curious, I rather like their tripel (although the Blithering Idiot, now...that stuff was FOUL).

    Out of my budget for right now, alas--turns out apartment security deposits get expensive, who knew?--but assuming it'll continue to keep well in a rather dimly-lit cellar space I can always just let it sit at my work for a few more months...what makes it so superior to the regular stuff?
     
    #8 Ljudsignal, Jul 19, 2013
  9. LaneMeyer

    LaneMeyer Initiate (0) Mar 20, 2011 California

    Well the best part about beer is drinking it and finding out! If I were you I'd do a side-by-side comparison and see for yourself which you like better, see what makes them different. Skip the reviews and just let your palate decide.
     
    #9 LaneMeyer, Jul 19, 2013
  10. Lutter

    Lutter Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2010 Texas

    The reason it's more expensive (as well as a wee bit tastier) is that it's bourbon barrel aged.

    That said, I thought it was good as a BA Stout, but not comparable to Parabola or even BCBS fresh (very boozy). Still have one aging to try again sometime in the future.

    To tell ya the truth... the only star I see on that list is the Juliet. That beer kicks ass if you like sours & blackberries.

    That KBS is kinda a red herring, as it's probably lost all of its' coffee character by now (it's over 2 years old). Doesn't age as well as others, IMHO. The coffee is what makes KBS special. Still, if you can get a newer bottle, it might be worth doing a side-by-side (as long as you're paying less than $6-7 for that 1 bottle)
     
    #10 Lutter, Jul 19, 2013
  11. yamar68

    yamar68 Initiate (0) Apr 1, 2011 Minnesota

    Straight up imperial stouts do tend to age well, as do their barrel-aged counterparts.

    Night Stalker is heavily dry-hopped though - unlike the vast majority of American RIS beers. Personally, I don't particularly enjoy how that beer ages. But some do.

    In the end, it's all about personal taste. There is no right or wrong answer.

    And as for your other question... I've never enjoyed a beer from Weyerbacher. Again... personal taste.
     
    #11 yamar68, Jul 19, 2013
  12. rab53

    rab53 Initiate (0) May 1, 2005 Washington
    Trader

    From a vintage/rare beer standpoint, its nothing special. The beer itself is quite good.
     
    #12 rab53, Jul 19, 2013
  13. Ljudsignal

    Ljudsignal Initiate (0) Jul 19, 2013 Massachusetts

    Gotcha! Interesting re the Night Stalker...I had no idea. Odd that in my day job I have people actively seeking my advice on what to drink...clearly I have room for improvement in that capacity! :stuck_out_tongue:

    Now that's my kind of advice!
     
    #13 Ljudsignal, Jul 19, 2013
  14. fishmich

    fishmich Initiate (0) Apr 11, 2013 Michigan

    i just happened to come across a few bottles of 2010 night stalker and i can tell you this. the beer starts out as a very hoppy stout when it is fresh. with some age on it the beer loses a lot of the hop profile and becomes a sweet, rich, wonderful stout. personally i recommend giving it a try, maybe even letting it age another year or so. do a google search for aged night stalker and you should find some reviews that will persuade you do pick it up. i can tell you that after i tried mine that i went back and got a couple more bottles.

    in regards to the other beer, KBS is a no brainer, dont trade it, drink it. and with the others id say grab and give em a try if you have the money.
     
    #14 fishmich, Jul 19, 2013
  15. skiofpinsk

    skiofpinsk Initiate (0) Jun 18, 2008 Pennsylvania

    When Riserva pops up in discussions people tend to speak very well of 2010. Not sure how it is at this point; maybe check reviews and see what other people say.
     
    #15 skiofpinsk, Jul 19, 2013
  16. jeffchason

    jeffchason Initiate (0) Dec 27, 2012 Maine

    Allagash Interlude is amazing with a couple years on it
     
    #16 jeffchason, Jul 19, 2013
  17. Ljudsignal

    Ljudsignal Initiate (0) Jul 19, 2013 Massachusetts

    Welp, the KBS ended up belonging to my boss...so that's the crown jewel (and the one I was looking forward to the most!) gone, alas. The Riserva I brought home with me today, will be opening it shortly. Hopefully it merits the $18 I spent on it.

    Interesting...although I'm trying to gain more of an appreciation for hoppy beers as of late my heart definitely belongs to beers of the rich and sweet persuasion, so what you describe actually sounds delicious! I'll leave that one alone for the time being, then. Thanks!
     
    #17 Ljudsignal, Jul 20, 2013
  18. Dupage25

    Dupage25 Savant (1,044) Jul 4, 2013 Antarctica

    I would open the Juliet and Night Stalker now. Juliet because I've heard she doesn't age well, and Night Stalker because I bet it's a perfectly lovely chocolate bomb right about now. If you have two of the Riserva's I would open one and see how it is.

    I have no opinion to offer on the rest.
     
    #18 Dupage25, Jul 20, 2013
  19. Ljudsignal

    Ljudsignal Initiate (0) Jul 19, 2013 Massachusetts

    An update: So the Riserva was delicious! Mouth-puckeringly tart, but in the best possible way...big, big raspberry flavor (as one would expect for a raspberry-theme wild ale), but not cloying in the slightest. Truth be told, it tasted almost exactly like fresh-picked raspberries that have been pulled from the bush just a few days before maturation...which, as fortune would have it, is exactly as I like them :slight_smile: Very glad I found those bottles, hoping the other one is just as good as the first!

    Juliet and Night Stalker are currently in my basement, looking forward to opening them tomorrow.

    Finally, I've come across one new addition to my box. At the bottom of a case of 2004 Achel Blonds (oh dear), I found a bit of an oddity: a bottle of barrel-aged BORIS Oatmeal Stout. If memory serves, I believe it had either a black or red cap on it, which I think would make it 2-3 years old...any predictions on what to expect from it? Is this last discovery worth keeping?
     
    #19 Ljudsignal, Jul 21, 2013
  20. will1256

    will1256 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2010 Minnesota

    I will vouch for aged Nightstalker as well, just opened a 2010 last night and it was velvety smooth, super-rich and chocolaty. One of my favorite imperial stouts, when aged for a few years.
     
    #20 will1256, Jul 21, 2013
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