Cellared Beer Reviews

[poonamibaxter]

Cracked open a 2008 Old Ruffian last night.

Terrible. It was all cardboard and a weird, flat bitterness that was super unappealing. We drain poured it.

Well ****, I have an 08 BA version I need to open soon. Hope it is better.


Tonight I am celebrating a Broncos win with a 2011 Sam Adams Utopias. Bottle has been open probably 4 years or so.

It has been kept room temp in my liquor cabinet. Palate is a little diluted by ipas and strawberry kush all day but dark fruit covered in toasted sugar with alcohol heat and it is thick, like drinking syrup thick. After taste is thick syrup sweetness and a little card board. I need to finish this bottle this week. I bought these bottles when oil was booming and I couldn't lose, now I would just go seek out a nice bottle of port.

 

[sweemzander]

Cracked open a 2008 Old Ruffian last night.

Terrible. It was all cardboard and a weird, flat bitterness that was super unappealing. We drain poured it.

So I should probably open my last remaining 2010s soon . . .

 

[trickytunadicky]

Well ****, I have an 08 BA version I need to open soon. Hope it is better.


Tonight I am celebrating a Broncos win with a 2011 Sam Adams Utopias. Bottle has been open probably 4 years or so.

It has been kept room temp in my liquor cabinet. Palate is a little diluted by ipas and strawberry kush all day but dark fruit covered in toasted sugar with alcohol heat and it is thick, like drinking syrup thick. After taste is thick syrup sweetness and a little card board. I need to finish this bottle this week. I bought these bottles when oil was booming and I couldn't lose, now I would just go seek out a nice bottle of port.

Yours didn't pick up any oxidation from being open for so long? I don't fee those ceramic caps seal well. I don't mind aging them, but I fee they are drink fast once open.

 

[robertgoulet]

I opened up the Del Rey the other day, and it's doing very well. I never had this fresh, but it was herbal and fruity with melon, pineappale, grass, hay, earth, and some barnyard funk. Typical Fantome that reminded me at times of d'Hiver and Pissenliet with a little age.

I think this has plenty of life left and I need to find some more.

 

[poonamibaxter]

Yours didn't pick up any oxidation from being open for so long? I don't fee those ceramic caps seal well. I don't mind aging them, but I fee they are drink fast once open.

The card board taste is from the oxidation but it isnt strong.

 

[stakem1]

I opened up the Del Rey the other day, and it's doing very well. I never had this fresh, but it was herbal and fruity with melon, pineappale, grass, hay, earth, and some barnyard funk. Typical Fantome that reminded me at times of d'Hiver and Pissenliet with a little age.

I think this has plenty of life left and I need to find some more.

This beer fresh out the gate was kinda hard to stomach... and thats difficult for me to say because I love Fantome and have the utmost respect for Garrett/Jester King. When I had it fresh, it was sickenly sweet, dead flat, thick like a barleywine/old ale and tasted like cream corn and cabbage. It was like really weird wort that didnt even start fermenting yet. Im glad to hear its carbonated now and in a better place. This gives me hope/excitement to open my other bottle.

Founders 2010 Curmudgeon - drinking this was kinda by mistake as I just pulled a random beer from the cellar to drink in the shower. When I cracked it, it tasted unlike the Curmudgeon I remembered. The bottle was dusty and the steam of the shower made it clear that this was bottled in Feb 2010. Caramel, molasses, oak, faintest herbal hops and warming raisony alcohol with an aftertaste almost like green tea and honey. I never really took this beer seriously...now, having had a 6 year old bottle I wish I had picked up more.

 

[sweemzander]

This beer fresh out the gate was kinda hard to stomach... and thats difficult for me to say because I love Fantome and have the utmost respect for Garrett/Jester King. When I had it fresh, it was sickenly sweet, dead flat, thick like a barleywine/old ale and tasted like cream corn and cabbage. It was like really weird wort that didnt even start fermenting yet. Im glad to hear its carbonated now and in a better place. This gives me hope/excitement to open my other bottle.

Founders 2010 Curmudgeon - drinking this was kinda by mistake as I just pulled a random beer from the cellar to drink in the shower. When I cracked it, it tasted unlike the Curmudgeon I remembered. The bottle was dusty and the steam of the shower made it clear that this was bottled in Feb 2010. Caramel, molasses, oak, faintest herbal hops and warming raisony alcohol with an aftertaste almost like green tea and honey. I never really took this beer seriously...now, having had a 6 year old bottle I wish I had picked up more.

Love me some aged curmudgeon

 

[robertgoulet]

This beer fresh out the gate was kinda hard to stomach... and thats difficult for me to say because I love Fantome and have the utmost respect for Garrett/Jester King. When I had it fresh, it was sickenly sweet, dead flat, thick like a barleywine/old ale and tasted like cream corn and cabbage. It was like really weird wort that didnt even start fermenting yet. Im glad to hear its carbonated now and in a better place. This gives me hope/excitement to open my other bottle.

That description really explains the ****** reviews. It was definitely carbonated, but on the low end for a Fantome bottle, perhaps one to two fingers. Everything else really fell into the Fantome realm.

 

[Espeer]

Personally don't do any real cellaring, but some friends do. Had this passed on and shared with some coworkers Sunday.

2006, we think. Properly cellared. First ever Julios Liquors/Berkshire Brewing collaboration. Berkshire Scotch Ale (which is solid) aged in a bunch of Buffalo Trace (I think?) single barrels Julios had picked. Including a Pappy 15 single barrel (this specific one I'm sure of). Yep, back in 2006, before #newmoney, Pappy single barrels could be aquired without too much fuss.

Apparently back then, this was in the top 10 on BA for a good while.

And it held up STUNNINGLY well for a 9+ year old beer. We were expecting kinda interesting "for science", but got an outright superb beer. I don't recall if I had it fresh, so no good comparison. On the thin side, but far from distractingly so. Lots of wood on a mild, leathery body. Loads of oaky bits and sharp tannins. Strong, clean whiskey notes. Not boozy, but nicely warming.

My buddy thinks he may have as much as a case left...

And a not so good cellared BBC barrel aged beer:

This had a tartness back in '09, so this was definitely a "for science" beer. Got more sour, not terrible, had some redeeming qualities, but not what I'd call good.

 

[Espeer]

More cellar clearing:

I got this a few years ago from the guy on BA who sent a couple to people for like $20 or something. This was the first time I've ever had Westy and it was great! More grapeyness than most quads, not too thick or too sweet. Right up there with the best quads I've had; maybe a cellared Pannepot was close.

Don't know why I cellared this one. Picked it up in CO back in 2010, I think. It wasn't great. Nice and sour, but really thin and no real complexity.

I have a couple of these, so I thought I'd drink one. This was excellent. Some port flavors, but no real oxidation - more rasins, etc. Tried the second half the next day and it was definitely still just as good. Surprisingly nice amount of carbonation, even though no head.

Final one for today:

This one was really cellared; maybe like 10 years old? I'm terrible at keeping track... Not a huge fan - held up ok without significant oxidation, but I'd much rather have a bigfoot of a similar age. In fact, this was just like a simplified bigfoot - less intense flavors all around.

 

[Gene1]

Just opened a 2012 Narwhal. It's developed some great cola flavors around all the usual stuff (cocoa, earth, etc). I think I'll be drinking the rest of these in short order; it's perfect as far as my tastes are concerned.

 

[trickytunadicky]

Great spread of Storm King. The oldest might be the best. It's super smooth. No bitterness left. Very smooth. We are thinking there was a recipe change. It's not really oxidized. Just smooth, milk chocolatey goodness.

 

[stakem1]

21 year old sami from the Hurlimann years. It is unreal that this brew is this old. It has held its own as good or even better than other more popular cellar candidates from this time period.

Aroma of raisons and chocolate fudge almost a tootsie roll character with dark toasty sugar like caramel and molasses. Faint leather and earth finish off the nose. Taste is sweet and boozy with molasses leading the way, raison, plum, prunes and dates with roasty bakers chocolate and espresso-like bitterness with faint leather in the back. Rich full body and modest carbonation. Zero evidence of oxidation. This beer is timeless and fantastic.

 

[LSMroz]

21 year old sami from the Hurlimann years. It is unreal that this brew is this old. It has held its own as good or even better than other more popular cellar candidates from this time period.

Aroma of raisons and chocolate fudge almost a tootsie roll character with dark toasty sugar like caramel and molasses. Faint leather and earth finish off the nose. Taste is sweet and boozy with molasses leading the way, raison, plum, prunes and dates with roasty bakers chocolate and espresso-like bitterness with faint leather in the back. Rich full body and modest carbonation. Zero evidence of oxidation. This beer is timeless and fantastic.

That beer is so old, it can drink itself!!!

















Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week.

 

[lazerviking]

Great spread of Storm King. The oldest might be the best. It's super smooth. No bitterness left. Very smooth. We are thinking there was a recipe change. It's not really oxidized. Just smooth, milk chocolatey goodness.

Which years did you all open?

 

[Gonzoillini1]

Which years did you all open?

We did a 2003 / 2009 / 2015 Storm King and we also did a 2001 Old Horizontal (which was not drinking very well)

 

[stakem1]

We did a 2003 / 2009 / 2015 Storm King and we also did a 2001 Old Horizontal (which was not drinking very well)

Im sure some googling will yield the answer im looking for but I bet your response will be even faster, so here goes.

How far out are victory's best by dates? Couple years? I ask because I have like a sixpack of best by 2014 Old Horizontal that ive been avoiding in my cellar and was contemplating giving them away. Now that you say they are pooo, I might have to drink some for science.

 

[stakem1]

nvm, curiosity got the best of me and i googled it. each beer has a different dating schema. for those curious storm king and old horizontal are 5 years out

 

[Bill2]

Mostly flat when poured, no head. Smells like caramel, vanilla, brulee, bourbon!, really an awesome nose. The taste follows suit, sweet caramel, bourbon, toasted coconut, chocolate, etc. Minimal carb on the mouthfeel, but it's perfectly dense and viscous. Drink now or in a couple years, I think it's in a great place right now but I'd be curious to see what direction light oxidation takes this beer...

 

[stakem1]

2009 Ivan
Been hearing reports for years that these older 750's had some brett influence. This bottle was friggen spectacular. Huge black licorice character with backing of char, caramel, molasses, oak and bourbon soaked raisons. Never would have guessed this was ~7 years old, no oxidation or any signs of degredation whatsoever. Man...wish I had more.

2010/2011 jo's ba dark app
As you can see, carbonation was nowhere to be found. This one did not hold out that great. Thin feel with more tang to the bourbon component and not much nuance/integration of base malt and barrel pleasantries. Should have drank this sooner.

CCB winter warmer 2010
I picked this up in 2011 out on long island when going to/from the southampton IRS release.
This exceeded all my expectations. Pleasant caramel/toffee character with some toasty/bready malt flavors, raisony alcohol and a firm backing of oily bitterness. Mild oxidation creeping in but not enough to distract from the experience. Glad I drank it now.

 

[lazerviking]

I turned 30 the other day and had been saving this 1986 bottle to open on my birthday. Didn't get to it so I opened tonight. Excellent, showing minimal signs of oxidation at this age.

Color/Pour: No head to speak of; this one is completely flat. Pours a gorgeous dark ruby, venturing on black.

Nose: Heavy sherry notes, black licorice/fennel, stewed fruit, unspecified sweetness, subtle ash/wood embers

Taste: much more vibrant than the nose. Getting a lot out of this including
leather, currant, black licorice, star anise, date syrup, ash, dried fig, fruit cake, prunes, tobacco, red wine/vinous

Overall: an excellent beer that leaves one wanting more after every sip. On par or better than the 1987 bottle I had around a year ago. Perhaps most impressed by how little oxidation was prevalent in the taste and nose.

 

[stakem1]

2007 three philosophers (10th anniversary)
This hasnt changed that much in 8-9 years of cellaring. The yeartiness has mellowed and it has seemingly dried out a bit allowing flavors of cherry pits/skins to shine through. Slightly medicinal but well integrated.

2003 victory grand cru. I think this beer predates the V12 of today. Initially I was very impressed with this 13 year old belgian strong ale: pear/apple/clove but as it warmed up and breathed, a lot of cork and oxidation became noticeable.

 

[jammery]

I opened up the Del Rey the other day, and it's doing very well. I never had this fresh, but it was herbal and fruity with melon, pineappale, grass, hay, earth, and some barnyard funk. Typical Fantome that reminded me at times of d'Hiver and Pissenliet with a little age.

I think this has plenty of life left and I need to find some more.

I was wondering when this was brewed. I have a bottle and was trying to get a date but didn't seem to find one on the interwebs. any info would be appreciated. thanks

 

[jammery]

Perkuno's Hammer Imperial Porter from Heavyweight Brewing (closed since 2006).
This was a gift so not sure how old it was but it had at least 10 years. Shared with a friend

The nose was rich and substantial, lots of dark dried fruit, prunes, raisins, cherry, with some "Tom" baker's chocolate drifting in, as well (sorry for that pun).

The taste was much more muted than the nose, a staleness sapping a lot of the flavor. However, not really a cardboard or paper quality to it, which was nice. Still drinkable and tasty. The chocolate was more robust in the flavor than in the nose and balanced the dried fruit. The alcohol was nominally present as well.

Both of us were pretty happy with how this turned out. Though it certainly displayed its age, the beer had enough flavor and aroma to remind us of what it was in its prime.

 

[robertgoulet]

I was wondering when this was brewed. I have a bottle and was trying to get a date but didn't seem to find one on the interwebs. any info would be appreciated. thanks

I think JK introduced the beer on their website on/about June 2014.

 

[ExPimp]

I turned 30 the other day and had been saving this 1986 bottle to open on my birthday. Didn't get to it so I opened tonight. Excellent, showing minimal signs of oxidation at this age.

Color/Pour: No head to speak of; this one is completely flat. Pours a gorgeous dark ruby, venturing on black.

Nose: Heavy sherry notes, black licorice/fennel, stewed fruit, unspecified sweetness, subtle ash/wood embers

Taste: much more vibrant than the nose. Getting a lot out of this including
leather, currant, black licorice, star anise, date syrup, ash, dried fig, fruit cake, prunes, tobacco, red wine/vinous

Overall: an excellent beer that leaves one wanting more after every sip. On par or better than the 1987 bottle I had around a year ago. Perhaps most impressed by how little oxidation was prevalent in the taste and nose.

Awesome to hear! I plan on opening my 86' for my 30th next week!

 

[JBP]

2012 vintage Cuvee Delphine (Black Albert in 4 Roses barrels). God, this is magical right now. Brownie batter, old oak, dark fruit in the nose, Belgian chocolate, bourbony vanilla, spice, toast. Really wish I had more.

 

[Gonzoillini1]

Awesome to hear! I plan on opening my 86' for my 30th next week!

Opened an 86 for my 25th birthday and then immediately traded for a few more to age for years on out. I have 2 left and one I plan to crack on my 30th this year as well, but I wish I would've kept better notes on who sent me which bottle as I've found cellaring conditions are everything for this beer at this age. I opened a 1990 recently with friends at my local brewery that was cellared correctly by the editor of Whiskey Advocate when I bought his vintage Thomas Hardy collection a few years back (insert humblebrag here), but I've had a couple that were obviously stored poorly and tasted as such.

If there is anything I've learned from cellaring beers it's that I will never trade for vintage beers unless I know the provenance of the beer in question. Thank you to jedwards for this one.

 

[libbey]

JK Le Petit Prince

The beer was brewed in Oct 2013 which I would have thought to be a bad idea for a 2% Table Beer. Nope Nope Nope.

Brett has radically dried this out and its like drinking zesty refreshing lemon water. Great barnyard/funk flavors from the brett. Mineral water finish.

This bottle will be gone shortly.

 

[poonamibaxter]

Dated Jan 30 2013

Burnt sugar and rum on the nose, plenty of carbonation. Taste is same as the nose, burnt sugar and slight rum with an oily finish that lingers. Minimal oxidation. Some heat from the 11%. Pleasantly surprised. Tastes like Blighs caribbean cousin. If you got em, drink em. I cant see this getting any better.