Cellared Beer Reviews

[maximum12]

2012

Not terrible? Still flavors of oak and chocolate. Slight bourbon notes, but no heat at all. Touch of oxidation creeping in. Very little carb. As Founders says, don’t age KBS kids.

We opened a 2011 earlier this week that I'd kept for no particular reason. Similar review. I was impressed that the base stout was still thick & tasty - just wasn't KBS anymore. No oxidation in our bottle though.

 

[tosh1]

2014, batch #1. This is about as good as this style gets. Wonderful beer.

 

[libbey]

Can from May of 2017 courtesy of stakem

Really tasty beer. I don't have a baseline from ever having it fresh but it was all bourbon soaked macaroons. Heat was well hidden for a 12% stout.

 

[holldy01]

Can from May of 2017 courtesy of stakem

Really tasty beer. I don't have a baseline from ever having it fresh but it was all bourbon soaked macaroons. Heat was well hidden for a 12% stout.

12%

 

[libbey]

2012 Stone RIS

Many moons ago a friend (lazerlobe ) opened a 4-5 year old bottle of this beer for me. It still remains one of my favorite cellared beers moments. I bought a case of this fresh that same year and have been opening a bottle once or twice a year since.

Beer is in a total sweet spot right now for me. Dark fruit mixed with leather. Touch of anise. Bitter bakers chocolate with zero signs of oxidation. Incredibly smooth on the finish. I put this beer on par with Aged Expo for continual changes in a positive way.

 

[libbey]

2014 Crooked Stave Surette

This beer is completely bone dry from the Brett right now. Lemon rind notes with barnyard funk. Lovely aged Saison.

 

[PurityControl88]

2014 Crooked Stave Surette

This beer is completely bone dry from the Brett right now. Lemon rind notes with barnyard funk. Lovely aged Saison.

This and Vielle and probably my favorite CS beers. They develop so well w time!

 

[iong516]

This and Vielle and probably my favorite CS beers. They develop so well w time!

Old bottles of St Bretta Citrus Wit and WWBV have also been really good

 

[NeedsMoreDog]

2014 Crooked Stave Surette

This beer is completely bone dry from the Brett right now. Lemon rind notes with barnyard funk. Lovely aged Saison.

This and Vielle and probably my favorite CS beers. They develop so well w time!

Old bottles of St Bretta Citrus Wit and WWBV have also been really good

damn, I can't help but drink surette right away. such a nice beer. good to hear about the st bretta, plenty sitting around at my Total Wine

 

[iong516]

Can probably still find '14s random places...

 

[landrewg]

Found a cache of 2002 Harvest Ale for 9.99 each. Should I buy them all?

 

[stupac2]

Found a cache of 2002 Harvest Ale for 9.99 each. Should I buy them all?

I probably would. If you think it'll last a while you could always get one and then come back later.

 

[patmanbear]

Found a cache of 2002 Harvest Ale for 9.99 each. Should I buy them all?

That’s a great price!
Had a 2001 a couple years ago and it was spectacular... minimal carbonation.. pretty much straight raisins.. booze hidden extremely well. Believe I paid about that and it felt like a bargain after having tasted it.

If there’s plenty, might I suggest grabbing one and trying it to maybe get an idea of how these have been handled prior to scooping the rest?

 

[PurityControl88]

Evil Twin’s Freudian Slip picked up in 12’ or 13’? Upon opening it tasted pretty similar to an aged Bigfoot, fading yet still pungent hop bitterness and sweet malts. I corked it, avoided it for a few days, and drank the rest tonight. Much to my surprise it actually tasted way better. Peanut brittle, chocolate, and toasted marshmallow all wrapped up in fading hoppyness and cloying fig/brown sugar sweetness.

What did I do wrong/right?

 

[ExPimp]

Evil Twin’s Freudian Slip picked up in 12’ or 13’? Upon opening it tasted pretty similar to an aged Bigfoot, fading yet still pungent hop bitterness and sweet malts. I corked it, avoided it for a few days, and drank the rest tonight. Much to my surprise it actually tasted way better. Peanut brittle, chocolate, and toasted marshmallow all wrapped up in fading hoppyness and cloying fig/brown sugar sweetness.

What did I do wrong/right?

I don't know man, but Bruery stouts and old ales always seem to improve after being recorked and sitting in the fridge for a day or two.

 

[PurityControl88]

I don't know man, but Bruery stouts and old ales always seem to improve after being recorked and sitting in the fridge for a day or two.

The magic of oxididation on overly sweet and malty beers?

 

[libbey]

2014 AleSmith Olde Ale

This beer has developed wonderfully. Tons of dark fruit and leather. Abv is well masked. Awesome interpretation of the style.

 

[MKtheGeneral]

Has anyone revisited 2013 Founders RIS lately? I’ve got 3 in the cellar and wanted to see if they were worth opening.

 

[landrewg]

Has anyone revisited 2013 Founders RIS lately? I’ve got 3 in the cellar and wanted to see if they were worth opening.

I haven't but def worth opening. Betting it will be gooood.

 

[steimie]

Has anyone revisited 2013 Founders RIS lately? I’ve got 3 in the cellar and wanted to see if they were worth opening.

Just put one in the fridge. Will open with you later tonight.

 

[steimie]

Plenty of carb still. Nice thick pour and good lacing left behind as I drink it. Mouthfeel is what you expect from FIS--nice and thick and clings to your mouth. The smell is less roasted malts than what you find in fresh FIS and instead there's more baker's chocolate. What roasty hints I get are more mocha and less the really dark roasted malts. Taste is cocoa powder, much lighter roast and mocha notes, and maybe a tad bit of cardboard on the end. Aftertaste is mildly chocolate Russian Imperial Stout.

There's very few stouts that I think can survive cellaring for more than about 3 years. This has held up really well. Definitely more chocolate notes than fresh FIS and if you like that super roasted malt flavor, you're still better off drinking this fresh. But I've really enjoyed this. I don't think I'll let my other couple of 2013's sit very much longer, but this was fun.

 

[libbey]

2013 NB Le Terroir. Not worth a photo. Beer has lost its luster. I’ve always enjoyed the fresh hop notes when this gets released. Kind of flabby and boring now.

 

[iong516]

2013 NB Le Terroir. Not worth a photo. Beer has lost its luster. I’ve always enjoyed the fresh hop notes when this gets released. Kind of flabby and boring now.

Oh man was I hyped to try this beer for the first time in 2013.

 

[Snarf1]

2013 NB Le Terroir. Not worth a photo. Beer has lost its luster. I’ve always enjoyed the fresh hop notes when this gets released. Kind of flabby and boring now.

So it aged like 2013 Seahawks?

 

[libbey]

So it aged like 2013 Seahawks?

Luckily the Seahawks have drainpoured everyone from 2013 except Russel who has aged like a fine BW.

 

[steimie]

Decided to do 2016 FIS tonight.

Pretty aggressive pour resulted in a nice head. It laced nicely as I drank it down. Giving it a big sniff, I get your basic FIS smell--roasted malts and maybe a hint of bitter, over-roasted coffee in there. It's classic FIS, just a bit muted. First sips follow the nose. This is textbook FIS, with the roasted malts, some bitter hops, very bitter coffee and just a hint of dark, bitter coffee. The flavors are more intense, less dialed-down, than the nose would suggest. Mouthfeel is great, although less thick than the 2013, certainly. After taste is all bitter roasts, both coffee and malt.

All in all, just a less-than-fresh FIS. It's fun to drink this after the 2013 the other night. You can see where the fresh was headed on its journey to the chocolatey 2013. I wish they'd made FIS this year so I had an really fresh one to compare to. I have plenty of 2016's, so I'ma hold onto these and see where they're at over the next few years.

 

[patmanbear]

Will they bring FIS back though?!

 

[davey101]

Will they bring FIS back though?!

Asking the important questions here.

 

[Espeer]

Will they bring FIS back though?!

What?

 

[trickytunadicky]

What?

They haven’t made it in 2 years.