I would be interested in hearing others thoughts on Gratitude. I really liked the earlier versions of it. 05-07 were, and still are awesome. Every time I've had the 08 forced carbed it was also right up there. From that point on though I don't get the same impression. I know those years haven't hit their stride yet, but I don't get the feeling they will. What do some of you younger guys think? How many of you have even had the earlier vintages?
The first time
shuggy and I ever conversed it was over the fact that he thought I was a moron for enjoying gratitude fresh after its release. (Or something like that?) This was in reference to years 2008-2010. We later met in person at the 2013 release I believe. I tried some of his homebrew and we came to a mutual understanding that taste preferences can be wildly different between 2 people.
I enjoy gratitude. I REALLY enjoy gratitude. To the extent that
shuggy was in line with me and when Scott sold the last of his vintage bottles (2005 for something like $60 per bottle?)
shuggy offered to buy me one since he had no interest in spending that much money.
Fast forward to today... anytime im drinking an american barleywine that is new to me, I cant help but compare it to the american barleywine I hold up on a pedestal - Gratitude. The oldest years, I agree, were the best. Last time I had a yellow wax 2007, it floored me. Fabulous. I have mixed feelings on the 2006. Some bottles ive had have been very different from others. Im talking both orange wax bottles as well as the unlabled ones he sold for onsite drinking and even opened to share with us at the 2013 release. 2005 is liquid gold and I think the rest are in a weird place. Maybe will be better with time? Despite the lack of carb, I enjoyed the steal of a bargain the 2011/2012 flatitudes were. $40 a case???? Yeah, I bought like 6 cases. I intended to force carb them myself but after drinking them as-is, I felt they were good enough without the carb and dealing with carbing them myself wasnt worth the hassel.
I cant comment on the green wax bottling as I havent had one since it was freshly released. I can say though that the unwaxed 2008"A" bottles are kindy trashy. Scott said the weirdness has and will continue to fade but honestly, every bottle ive tried has an oxidized cardboard/burnt aftertaste. 2009 and onward all taste very similar to me - with nuance you really have to dig to find. Some of them just seem different in comparison to one another. I dont know, its been too long since ive sat down and drank multiple vintages side by side for comparison purposes.
Despite loving gratitude, im over it. It has changed. The beer scene has changed. I have changed. Lots of things are different now including people's attitude about beer and releases. Instead of it being fun and enjoyable hobby, its all business now. ****, even the people who I use to drink with are sketchy and hesitate to open beers because god forbid, everything now has a dollar value assigned to it.
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