We tried 48 year old beer today.

[solbes]

Really cool read, thanks for sharing. What a find!

 

[emjay]

You know what? Maybe the numbers on the bottom of the bottles aren't dates...or were dates when the glass was made, but not bottled. Maybe they weren't bottled til 1965?

I'm trying to find that in depth article that was in the MIchigan Beer Guide when MBC re-released the beers in 03. But it's not archived online. I know I have a hard copy of it for my book on thumb breweries, that I haven't worked on since before my surgery. I think it's much clearer than that snippet I found elsewhere.

Makes sense. Makes it even more interesting, actually, that those beers likely came from when the brewery was taking its last breaths.

 

[birvine]

Really interesting. Thanks for posting the tasting and the history. I like reading old brewing stories. It also adds to the interest when discussing the hobby with non-brewers and brewers alike.

B

 

[Zamial]

It is neat that you got to have some of the beer. I really am hoping your yeast harvest is successful because I think it would be really cool to do an acurate reproduction attempt of that ale.

Do you have any plans to see if you can visit what is left of the brewery (maybe this summer?) if nothing else just for some pics?

There is an old brewery here in WI (I am sure there are many) that I just love to drive by. If I ever become independently wealthy I would seriously concider getting it to rebuild but that is a very different thread...but this thread makes me wonder/hope if there are still bottles from other old breweries that may have viable yeast to attempt to harvest...It makes me think about buying old beers off CL and from collectors just to try...

 

[Shooter]

Cool story Revvy!

 

[Revvy]

Do you have any plans to see if you can visit what is left of the brewery (maybe this summer?) if nothing else just for some pics?

Yeah I'm going to take a drive up there at some point. I never realized exactly where it was when I lived in the thumb. Another hour past where I usually turned around on Sunday drives and I would have been there.

 

[Chaos_Being]

Interesting! I second the idea of making a reproduction if the yeast can be cultured.

 

[sancho970]

It was definitely an amazing experience

 

[Teromous]

Love the artwork on the label and bottle cap...

Yeah, I love the old hunter style artwork. Another thing to consider, is that the label would have been done with old printing methods and the layout was likely hand drawn. A lot of current labels are still neat looking, but rely on vector art, computers, etc. The bottle cap is literally the crowning piece of this, though

 

[Denny]

Recently my beer judge/brew buddy Bill found at an estate sale, in a dusty cellar 2 bottles of beer from the Sebewaing brewing company, a regional brewery that was at the tip of Michigan's thumb.

He said he found it in the cool cellar of the house where the estate occurred, indicated that they were under thick coatings of dust and there were clues in there that the beer had been in there for decades and that the temps were more than likely in the 50's for the entire time. Good conditions for beer storage.

I once had the opportunity to try a 74 year old bottle of Ballantine Burton ale. It was "interesting".....

 

[Revvy]

I once had the opportunity to try a 74 year old bottle of Ballantine Burton ale. It was "interesting".....

THIS is one beer I would love to taste.

 

[Denny]

THIS is one beer I would love to taste.

After 74 years, the aroma was wonderful. The flavor was kinda like watered down scotch and a bit disappointing. A microbiologist tried to culture the yeast from it, but as you might suspect, there was nothing viable.

 

[Tim_Kreitz]

Great thread, Revvy. I have a similar situation, and I can't make up my mind exactly what to do about it. My grandmother passed away earlier this year (she was my last remaining grandparent), and in cleaning out the old refrigerator in her back room, I found this:

This bottle of Tech Lager was brought to my grandmother's house in San Angelo, Texas circa 1975 from Pittsburgh via visiting family. Somehow, it was never consumed and sat cold in that refrigerator (a 1957 Hotpoint that *still* works perfectly) for well over 35 years. It's in my refrigerator now.

I've often thought of drinking it, but until I saw this thread, hadn't taken the idea too seriously. Now I'm inspired. What do you all think I should do?

 

[Revvy]

I think you should try it of course.

 

[nukinfuts29]

I'm jealous!!

And your buddy looks like he is 17 lol

 

[nukinfuts29]

I think you should try it of course.

 

[unionrdr]

After 74 years, the aroma was wonderful. The flavor was kinda like watered down scotch and a bit disappointing. A microbiologist tried to culture the yeast from it, but as you might suspect, there was nothing viable.

Hmmm...Makes me wonder how it'd compare to the #3 Burton ale I tried to duplicate? We'll be trying it for the 1st time tomorrow evening when my son comes over to join us. The ale did change after about 1890,as folks seemed to what less sweet ales at that point. According to the reprinted news paper reports on the info I read.
I passed on the liquid Burton ale yeast at Midwest,as it was described as producing apple flavors,among others. I wouldn't want it in a competition,& have the judges think it was off. Just can't make up my mind whether to use it or not with the Burton water salts?

 

[Dan]

That's pretty cool. Thanks for sharing Revvy

 

[Revvy]

I'm jealous!!

And your buddy looks like he is 17 lol

He's a professor of computer science and teaches at the local community college. He's also a Master Bjcp judge. But yeah, he does.

 

[nukinfuts29]

Man good for him, I hope I age well. Many guess that I'm around 22, so i can live with that.

 

[azscoob]

Revvy, your life is one adventure after another, getting pig parts installed, brewing epic memorial beers, drinking beers from a now defunct brewery, whats next, eating at the last supper with the original crew????

Honestly, nice find there and an extrordinary little tale!

 

[Ramitt]

Too cool. I still feel uncertain about beer that old, but what the hell I get the chance I might as well Of try it. Course this is probably how the zombie apocalypse starts.

 

[jiggs_casey]

Great thread, Revvy. I have a similar situation, and I can't make up my mind exactly what to do about it. My grandmother passed away earlier this year (she was my last remaining grandparent), and in cleaning out the old refrigerator in her back room, I found this:

This bottle of Tech Lager was brought to my grandmother's house in San Angelo, Texas circa 1975 from Pittsburgh via visiting family. Somehow, it was never consumed and sat cold in that refrigerator (a 1957 Hotpoint that *still* works perfectly) for well over 35 years. It's in my refrigerator now.

I've often thought of drinking it, but until I saw this thread, hadn't taken the idea too seriously. Now I'm inspired. What do you all think I should do?

It's been refrigerated for 35 years? Nice... Both of the beers that Revvy had were flat and obviously, not well preserved. I would really be curious as to whether it was still carbonated.

Maybe even see if you can dig up a recipe for that beer and see how it compares...

 

[Tim_Kreitz]

It's been refrigerated for 35 years? Nice... Both of the beers that Revvy had were flat and obviously, not well preserved. I would really be curious as to whether it was still carbonated. Maybe even see if you can dig up a recipe for that beer and see how it compares...

Well, I have a four-fold plan as of right now. Firstly, I am going to open the beer and drink it. Secondly, I am going to videotape the event for posterity and post it to the Interwebs. Thirdly, I'm going to attempt a yeast harvest from the sediment in the bottom of the bottle and see if I can make a starter. Fourthly, I'm going to take the starter to my biologist-brewer friend, Stan, and see if we can colonize the strain in a culture.

I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[danorocks17]

that's so cool!

 

[bwomp313]

Well, I have a four-fold plan as of right now. Firstly, I am going to open the beer and drink it. Secondly, I am going to videotape the event for posterity and post it to the Interwebs. Thirdly, I'm going to attempt a yeast harvest from the sediment in the bottom of the bottle and see if I can make a starter. Fourthly, I'm going to take the starter to my biologist-brewer friend, Stan, and see if we can colonize the strain in a culture.

I'll keep everyone posted.

awesome!!!!

 

[fullstop22]

I grew up in the Sebewaing area in the 1960's. My family are all of German decent so I remember this beer by the case at many of family gatherings. Last week I saw an empty at a thrift shop,the pheasant art work always brings me back to my childhood. This area was one of the best pheasant hunting areas in the county. My grandparents used to rent rooms in their farmhouse to Detroit area hunters.

 

[BigfootCounty]

Thanks a lot. I just turned 48 too. I am sure I am flat as a pancake too. Aging sux.

you have moved into the age of fine scotch

 

[LongEared]

How much did he pay for the two bottles?

 

[hoppymonkey]

Sooo. How's that yeast coming? Any sign of growth?