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jellis

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I've seen the occasional "stumbled across an old bottle of something". Sometimes it's good, even great; other times it's just more garbage to throw out.
Anyone have any interesting old finds of theirs? I suspect this would be strictly bottles we're talking about.
And also, how old were those bottles, and how did it taste? Anybody doing extreme aging (like, 10 years or something)?
 
I had the last bottle of a gingermead I made in 2007 in 2021. This wasn't a find; gingermead is just not a session ale. When I brewed it again, I cut the batch from 5 gallons to 2 gallons. As a Clint Eastwood character said: " A man's got to know his limitations."
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Welcome to HBT.
 
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I've seen the occasional "stumbled across an old bottle of something". Sometimes it's good, even great; other times it's just more garbage to throw out.
Anyone have any interesting old finds of theirs? I suspect this would be strictly bottles we're talking about.
And also, how old were those bottles, and how did it taste? Anybody doing extreme aging (like, 10 years or something)?
We had a bomber bottle of RIS that was 11 years old shared by the owner of the LHBS when it closed in December. It was good, strong.
 
I have a few bottles of things that are from about 2006 or 2007. I’ll do some documentation for “science”. The last time I had one the biggest flaw was that the bottles were pretty flat, but let’s see what I can dig up in the garage.
 
Drink to much for this to happen, oldest one year.
Yeah, see, this is my problem. I always hear these wonderful stories of "Found an old barrel aged stout from 10 years ago, came out super smooth with a lot of oak" and I always think....I'd have drank that 10 years ago lol. I don't quite have the patience it takes.

That being said, I DID find a bottle of a belgian I made stuffed away in a closet behind some clothes. But it was only about 5 months old. Turned out nicely, but it wasn't dramatically different from the 2 weeks after it finished. Just better carbonated (smoother, less harsh and sharply fizzy), and the yeast had really cleared it up nicely.
 
I have a few bottles of things that are from about 2006 or 2007. I’ll do some documentation for “science”. The last time I had one the biggest flaw was that the bottles were pretty flat, but let’s see what I can dig up in the garage.
WOW. This is fantastic haha. Definitely let us know how it goes! If the carbonation held, this would be so cool to hear back about.
 
I still have one bottle of Barleywine I brewed around 1995. The last time I had one (a couple of years ago) it was okay, but it tasted a bit bland. The last bottle is in the fridge to drink soon.

I also have a 1993 Thomas Hardy in the fridge.
Barleywines have become my favorite things to find in liquor stores. I've not made one, but all the ones I've tasted just have so much character, it's always a great experience. The one from 1995?!?!?! That's older than my little brother!
 
I have a half keg of Saison that sat pressurized for 18 months. I'm going to try it eventually, but am not optimistic.
This actually sounds super interesting. I've always wondered what would happen if you aged a lighter but yeastier beer like a saison. Please let us know how it goes when you try it! Even if it's skunky or dead haha. I'd still like to know what happens.
 
I made a small batch of a Christmas ale from Basic Brewing Video a long time ago. I stashed some in the back of a closet and opened one each Christmas eve until it was gone. The last one was opened after sitting 6 years.
 
Here's one from last year...
Friend of mine came back to Maine to help his grandmother downsize house to move into assisted living...she was a collector of alcohol but not a big drinker. He cleaned out booze cabinet and brought over partial bottles of all the booze(s) vodka, Gin, tequila etc. From the late 1990s! All of which were super smooth not being opened for 20+ years.
Bigger find was an unopened bottle of Crown Royal with unbroken Canadian Tax seal with the date of 1979...we got some friends together and had a tasting..compared new bottle...new stuff tastes like crap, old stuff crazy smooth with taste of caramel.
BUT Biggest find and reason why I add to this post. My friend's Great Grandmother who passed away in 1989 was a hobby wine maker she made a batch of Dandelion Wine in mid 1980s...my friend had some of that batch at her funeral in '89...his Grandmother(the collector) had held on to 2 bottles of that batch...they were bottled in 10 oz bottles from the 1950s with metal caps that were lined with cork. We tasted one it was sweet with a citrus smell and slight alcohol burn. It wouldnt win any awards but it actually held up 35 years!...thx great grandma!! See pic...(honestly thought we would get hepatitis from it) lol!
 

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Neat story! I have a bottle of Remy Martin XO I bought on my way home from Basic Training. Didn't mean to let it sit unopened for 19 years but still counting :) Who knows when i'll open it at this point!
 
I dug through my garage and found bottles from 2005-2007 of various things. I pulled five bottles and put them in the fridge. Tonight I’ll do an official tasting of each complete with notes and photos. The good thing is I have recipes and brewing notes (hand written!) from these beers. At least one is a Barleywine, another is an Imperial Stout, and another is a Belgian dubbel. More coming later tonight. :mug:
 
So I started with the newest one first.

Brew #35
Brew Date: Saturday December 30, 2006
Belgian Dubbel

Bottle is a Sam Adams bottle with a red cap. Bottle conditioned. There is a slight fermentation ring around the neck at the fill line. I know from sampling this beer in the past that the ring has been there a while.

On uncapping a very slight hiss but evidence of very little carbonation. Poured into a Stone Double Bastard glass. Color is an amber brown with some ruby highlights. No head but some bubbles after settling.

Aroma is slightly fruity and reminiscent of “Belgian” beers and Cherry Coca-Cola. Nothing off, but everything is faint from no real carbonation. No noticeable hop aroma.

Flavor is malty and fruity. Some cardboardy oxidation. Some astringency on the finish. Slightly sweet and one dimensional. There are notes of crystal malt and cherries but masked by the oxidation. No noticeable hop bitterness or hop flavor.

It is not foul but it is nothing I want to drink. By far not the worst beer, commercial or homebrew I have consumed. Once upon a time this used to be something that resembled a Belgian Dubbel, but not anymore.

So this beer, along with the others, has been in a box in my garage since it was bottled sometime around the end of January 2007. I live in Los Angeles and my uninsulated garage regularly heats up over 90 degrees F or higher regularly from the spring through fall, and can see huge swings in temp so I’m surprised it is a good as it is.

I also have handwritten recipe info:

5.5 gallons
12 lbs Belgian 2-row
0.75 lb. caramunich
0.25 lb. Biscuit malt
0.25 lb. Aromatic Malt
0.25 lb. Special B

1lb Belgian Dark Candi Syrup

1.375 oz styrian Goldings pellets 4.2% 60 min
0.75 oz Czech saaz 3.4% whole 15 min.

White Labs 570 Belgian Golden Ale

OG was 1.082
 

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Here’s the next one

I didn’t know exactly what it was until I poured it. I believe this is from the first imperial stout I ever made. There is no brew date on the sheet, but the previous beer was made November 27 2005, and the following beer I believe I made in January, so brew date was probably late December 2005.

Brew #16
Old Rasputin Clone from Beer Captured

Bottle is in a Widmer 12oz bottle with a slightly rusty golden cap. Bottle shows no signs of secondary fermentation in the bottle or ring at fill line. On opening, a slight hiss from cap but evidence of very little carbonation.

Pours jet black and practically still. There is some visible viscosity to the beer. Aroma is faint of molasses and Kahlua. No hop aroma.

Flavor is sweetened coffee and dark cocoa with some oxidized soy flavors. No real hop bitterness or flavor coming through.

This one is better than the Belgian dubbel. If it was carbonated, it might be drinkable. It is oxidized and flat, but nothing says this beer is over 17 years old. I have had newer commercial imperial stouts that were kept cold that were undrinkable soy sauce after a few years. Alas, this one too is way past its prime. It was once a respectable attempt at a homebrew imperial stout. Good thing I’ve got mine from a couple months ago on tap right now.
 

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I have a box of my first imperial stout around that was made for ageing, but I've not even been brewing for three years. I'd say it's 2.5 years old and still on its prime. That said, the first barleywine I made a few weeks later still hasn't come together yet, but feels like it should soon.

I have some mead and sour beer tucked away for the ages too.
 
If mead counts, I recently had one I made in 2003 or 2004 and it was still great.

Last year I found a mixed case of old beers I could not identify. I had put avery round stickers on the caps which over time all fell off. I knew what was in the case but not which beers were which. These beers were mostly barleywines and one was a “double double” from that same time, 2002-2004. There was not one drinkable beer. They were all awful.
 
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Neat story! I have a bottle of Remy Martin XO I bought on my way home from Basic Training. Didn't mean to let it sit unopened for 19 years but still counting :) Who knows when i'll open it at this point!
Just beware if it has a cork. When I was in the navy I bought a bottle of Chivas Regal Salute which is 21 year old scotch. Such a special bottle I put it away and thought this will be for when I get married. Fast forward about 8 years and the cork had dried out. Half the bottle had evaporated and what was left was not good. I was younger and dumber and didn’t even know it had a cork.
 
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Here’s the next beer that I’ve had 2006 in the garage. I believe it is a not-quite doppelbock I made but with Cal common yeast since I had no fermentation chamber to do lagers.

Batch #19
Brew date somewhere in spring 2006, probably around Easter, given the other beers around it that I do have dates for and the connection between dopplebock and Easter.

Bottle is a Redhook bottle, back when the bottles had the horizontal barley stripe through the middle and the labels were in two horizontal pieces. No fermentation ring in the neck. Upon opening, a very light pffft, but no real carbonation. Poured into a Stone Double Bastard glass.

It pours a dark brown, some ruby hues, with no head. Almost still but some small bubbles observed on the sides of the glass.

Aroma is plummy malt and dark stone fruit. No apparent hop aroma.

Flavor is reminiscent of the aroma. Very malty, plummy, and a little sweet. Some oxidation in the malt from age and some slight cardboard. No bitterness or hop flavor detected. Probably a little too heavy but without carbonation hard to tell.

I remember when I brewed this beer that it was a little on the sweet side and didn’t have enough hop bitterness to balance. Now that it is 17 years old it is a big lifeless malt bomb. The flavors are reminiscent of what a doppelbock should be, but too sweet and flabby. Again, not bad, but not good either.

My brewing notes are a little sparse on this one.

5 lbs Munich malt
5 lbs 2-row
0.25 lb chocolate malt
0.25 lb crystal 90

0.5 oz Hallertauer Hersbrucker 3.3% 60 min
0.25 oz Hallertauer 30 min
0.25 oz Tettnanger 4.5% 30 min
0.25 oz Tettnanger 15 min

White Labs WLP-810 SF Lager yeast
 

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Here’s the next old beer I have laying around. I’ve had to do some sleuthing to figure out what these beers are since some of the boxes weren’t labeled. I vaguely have memories of these beers so it has been fun to go back through the notes.

This beer is the 08-08-08 HBT brew Imperial Stout. You can read the thread here. The short is for a few years HBT did a group brew on the repeated number dates and then did swaps and tastings of the beers. I’m pretty sure the Stone Vertical Epic series of beers inspired the few beers.

To take this even further the thread of others reviewing my beer is here.

This beer was likely brewed at the end of 2007 with the intention of sitting on it for a few months before tasting on 08-08-08. If I had to really narrow it down, probably the week between Christmas and New Year’s 2007.

Brew #54
08-08-08 Russian Imperial Stout

In a plain brown bottle, dusty, with a plain blue cap. On opening a little promising sound of carbonation. It pours jet black into a Stone Double Bastard glass with some noticeable carbonation. A small deep tan head that faded to a ring on the edge of the glass.

Aroma is of sweetened coffee and just a hint of blueberry.

Carbonation is light but there. Not as malty sweet as I expected. Flavor is of rich coffee, dark stone fruit and blueberry with a little roasty edge. There is a little bit of a powdery feel in the mouth. Fairly dry but a slight lingering sweetness that coats the tongue. There is some oxidation from age, but not unpleasant.

So far this is the most successful beer out of the four I pulled out of the stash. I don’t know if it’s completely drinkable, but it still resembles an Imperial Stout.

While the recipe is in the thread, here’s my notes:

For 5 gallons
13.35 lbs 2-row
1.25 lbs Roasted Barley
1lb Special B
0.5 lb Pale Chocolate Malt
0.35 lb Caramunich
0.35 lb Chocolate Malt
0.35 lb Crystal 120
0.35 lb Crystal 75

1.5 oz Galena 12% 60 min
1 oz EKG 4.75% 10 min
1.5 oz EKG 0 min

White Labs WLP-001 Cal Ale
 

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These were incredible to read about! This is the kind of history and knowledge that is hard to come by. Thanks for all your work on these posts haha.

I've got to say, those last pictures of the Imperial, especially with the tan head, look delicious.

I'm wondering, is there a better way to bottle beers to ensure life-long carbonation? From all your posts, it seems like if it lost carbonation, then aging is bad. But if it can hold carbonation, then it seems like there's no reason it wouldn't end up being tasty (albeit different from what was intended).
 
I’m sure cap technology is better now. Most of these caps were purchased with no thought to quality, or the intention of saving more than a couple years. Oxy-absorbing caps would be better. Also, I’m sure there is a difference between a hand wing-style capper like I have and a bench capper.

That being said, I have a few old kegs kicking around that might also see the light of day. Those hold pressure and keep out light so everything else being equal, the kegged beer would be superior.
 
5 or 6 years ago a friend shared some barleywine with me he made in 1991, some from 1995, and some from 1997. He would make it, then store it under his house. He really knew how to make, then age it. It was REALLY good. I came across 1 of mine from 2011 about a year ago and drank it. Smooth as silk, but not as good as the older stuff.
 
Ok, here’s the last one of my old homebrew. This one is the oldest of the five. It is the first Barleywine I made and it was only the 2nd all-grain beer I made.

Brew #14
Barleywine
Brew date: November 20, 2005

Bottle is a plain brown bottle with a well-corroded gold cap. Dust all over the bottle. No ring around the neck. On opening only a slight pfft from carbonation. Pours a brown color. No head. After pouring, some very light bubbles visible.

Aroma is plummy malt. No hop aroma perceptible.

Flavor matches the aroma with dark stone fruit malt. Sweet but not cloying. No real hop bitterness or flavor apparent. Some oxidation, but may be the least oxidized flavor of these beers. Mouthfeel is big but not chewy, but no real carbonation leaves it lifeless.

If there was carbonation, I might drink this whole thing. It is smooth and round and quite drinkable. It definitely does not feel like a beer that is over 17 years old.

Here is the recipe

3 gallons
11 lbs Pale Ale Malt
0.75 lb Crystal 60
0.25 lb Crystal 120
2oz Chocolate Malt

1 oz chinook 60 min
0.5 oz Cascade 15 min
0.375 oz Centennial 15 min
0.5 oz Cascade 5 min
0.375 oz Centennial 5 min
0.25 oz Chinook Dry Hop
0.25 oz Cascade Dry Hop
0.25 oz Centennial Dry Hop

White Labs WLP-001 Cal Ale repitch from a pale ale named for my niece who was just born. She is now a 17 y/o senior in high school!

I was going for something like Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. From tasting many years of aged Bigfoot, the aged flavors are not far off. If my brain can remember far enough, my beer needed a little more bitterness to match the commercial beer.

Since I’m at it…
 

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…let’s keep it going with a commercial beer. One that my homebrew was trying to be!

While I have one bottle left of the 06’ Bigfoot, I had two of 07’ so the 07 it is.

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine 2007

Bottle has been kept cold since purchase in early 2007.

On opening the bottle only let out a slight pfft, so carbonation should be low.

Pours an amber brown with No head but some bubbles did rise at pouring and then just some small lace at the edge of the glass.

Aroma is malty with just a hint of pine.

Flavor is malty, but there is some bitterness pine in there. It is malty sweet but not cloying, and the pineyness helps it feel dryer than it is. Malt is aged but not cardboardy.

Mouthfeel is big but not chewy. Lack of carbonation makes it less drinkable but it is still quite good. I’m drinking all of this one.

And a bonus that I never caught before. On the inside of the cap, there is a picture that looks like Bigfoot having a beer with the miner on the label. Or what is it?

Ive got a fridge full of aged beers, most saved for a special occasion that never materialized. Any local Los Angeles South Bay brewers want to get together and try some aged beers or even do a vertical tasting. I’m game.
 

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I still have 2 or 3 bottles from my first brew, in 2012 or 2013? It was a Partial Mash Kit, and just okay at the time.
 
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