Sam Adams Triple Bock ?!

[bwible]

Hi everybody,

So my dad passed away some months ago and 1 unopened bottle of Sam Adams Triple Bock was found in the course of cleaning out the house. I got it. It says 1995 on the back label.

I know it was not stored in the fridge the whole time. What are the odds this is any good? I know they have a cork and even though it is sealed with a shrink wrap there is what looks like a little leakege or seepage around that - but not a whole lot. A couple drops.

On one hand I’m curious to see what this is and taste it but on the other hand I know this beer had a reputation for tasting like soy sauce. My guess is it probably won’t be very good after 28 years but I could be wrong.

What would you think - is this worth opening to taste and possibly pour out or would it be worth more just left as is and put on a shelf for posterity with my full bottles of Rolling Rock that still say Latrobe, PA and my unopened bottle of Romulan Ale from Star Trek the Experience?

Thanks

 

[AlexKay]

Internets say it will likely taste terrible. Clearly you have to open it and post detailed tasting notes here.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

What would you think - is this worth opening to taste and possibly pour out or would it be worth more just left as is and put on a shelf for posterity with my full bottles of Rolling Rock that still say Latrobe, PA?

IMO, it will display better unopened. If it brings back good memories, put it on the shelf unopened.

Otherwise ...

Clearly you have to open it and post detailed tasting notes here.

Microbrewed Adventures (Papazian, 2005) has a recipe for Triple Bock. A vertical flight of 1995, 2024, 2025, and 2026 could be an option.

 

[day_trippr]

My condolences to the OP. I lost my dad 15 years ago and still miss him.
Given the odds I am inclined to go with the homage thing and leave the contents a mystery...

Cheers!

 

[bellhp]

Sorry about your dad bwible , Don't open it. I had some my wife bought me back in the 90's and drank it after about 5 years and it wasn't that good then ... can't imagine it getting better. Put it on the shelf .

 

[bwible]

Not like I have any attachment to this bottle. It was a bottle I probably bought and gave him at some point that got put in the back of a closet or something and forgotten. I remember trying this back then and even though everybody was saying soy sauce I really didn’t get that. I’ll think about it. Just because of what it is. I don’t get to open a 28 year old bottle of beer every day.

 

[bellhp]

Then open that sucker and drink it Let us know what you think ... post it in " what I'm drinking right now" thread

 

[day_trippr]

If you're gonna open it, maybe save it for a night you're making a stir fry or something...

Cheers!

 

[madscientist451]

Have some friends over for a bottle share. Explain what it is, and if its terrible you can dump it. Open something else and propose a toast to your dad. Then just for fun, brew your own version with what you can figure out on google....

 

[bwible]

Have some friends over for a bottle share. Explain what it is, and if its terrible you can dump it. Open something else and propose a toast to your dad. Then just for fun, brew your own version with what you can figure out on google....

They don’t have info on it anymore on Sam Adams site. The listing on Beeradvocate says 17.5% and that seems low from what I recall. I seem to recall it was more like 21.5% because we had alot of conversations back then about how that was even possible, no yeast can go there. Even champagne yeast is listed to top out at 18%. I think I have one of those old clone brew recipe books that might have something in it. I’m not really interested in brewing this though. I do barleywine once a year every year toward the end of the year. I stay around 9-9.5% for English and around 10-10.5% for American.

 

[greyghost]

Drink it. One of my favorite. I still have a 94 and 97. Pour it gently there will be some scale inside the bottle. Sip it like a fine brandy. 18% ABV It dose not taste like soy sauce.












j

 

[greyghost]

IMO, it will display better unopened. If it brings back good memories, put it on the shelf unopened.

Otherwise ...


Microbrewed Adventures (Papazian, 2005) has a recipe for Triple Bock. A vertical flight of 1995, 2024, 2025, and 2026 could be an option.

It will display better empty so the light can show the blue glass

 

[Beermeister32]

I remember my step Dad drinking one of these back in the 90’s. Blue glass was interesting. Says brewed and bottled in Ceres, CA - any idea who was making these for or with them?

 

[Airborneguy]

I vote to open it. You only live once. Sorry about your dad. I hope he had a long, awesome life!

 

[T Murph]

I also have an old SA Tripple Bock. I bought a case of 1994 and drank all but one. As I recall they got better with age. I'm holding on to this last bottle until 2024 when it becomes 30 yrs old. Then I'm drinking it with my drinking buddies. And no they never tasted like soy sauce. They taste more like a very malty barley wine.

 

[odie]

If it's anything like Utopias...well don't expect much.

A friend bought one once...when it was "only" $100...

It was not my, nor anyone present, cup of tea...

I say save on your display shelf of oddities.

Or gather your male siblings and open on the anniversary of your father's passing...

 

[dmtaylor]

Maple syrup with hints of soy sauce, but not salty though.

 

[kevin58]

I definitely would not open it. Not because of it being kept unrefrigerated but for the memories.

 

[bwible]

I also have an old SA Tripple Bock. I bought a case of 1994 and drank all but one. As I recall they got better with age. I'm holding on to this last bottle until 2024 when it becomes 30 yrs old. Then I'm drinking it with my drinking buddies. And no they never tasted like soy sauce. They taste more like a very malty barley wine.

Thats an awesome idea. I might just hold it til 2025. It will be 30 and I’ll be 65.

 

[Civilian]

Sounds good, I loved that beer. I use to add it to a Doublebock or Octoberfest to make boilermaker's.

 

[Dland]

I bought a few of those when they came out, still have an empty blue bottle. I remember it being more along the line of drinking sherry than beer, not bad, but not really beer, kind of a dessert drink.

 

[hottpeper13]

Sounds like if you don't enjoy it from the glass it would make a great steak marinade.

 

[wepeeler]

Sorry about your dad

Just throwing this out there, as I have no clue if this would/could work, but could you taste some, and then add it to a boil of something you could brew in his honor/remembrance? Maybe a Stout or something? You'd boil off the alcohol, and probably wouldn't get a ton of flavor from it, but it could be something cool to remember him by. Bottle some up and crack one every year on his BDay?

 

[Collectorguy]

I have a case of the 1997. It never tasted like soy sauce. Very complex. Haven’t opened a bottle in a few years. Maybe this weekend.