Well Looky Here... SN 30th Anniversary Stout

[NorCalAngler]

Total Wine has a few of these in stock so I grabbed one. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. It's a hefty stout and 9+% ABV. My first idea was to collect all four throughout the year and then sit down with a buddy and make a night of it. At that point this will have aged 9 months. The others won't have as much age on them though. What would you do?

 

[bubbachunk]

grab a pair of each and do vertical tastings, about a year for the first one and however long I could hold out for the second bottle

 

[NorCalAngler]

A question about aging this. It has a cork stopper so should I age it on its side like a wine? I would assume I need to keep the cork wet like wine in order to prevent the cork from drying out and letting air in.

 

[KYB]

I drank it as soon as we got them in. Very good. A nice hopped up Stout. Debating on getting one to age.

 

[user 22118]

I had a taste of it at Russian River. It is interesting. I would drink it and then buy another if you like it.

 

[NorCalAngler]

I had a taste of it at Russian River. It is interesting. I would drink it and then buy another if you like it.

They're $10 a pop so I don't think I'm going to get more than one of each. At that I'm spending $40 for four 22oz bottles of beer. They're all really big beers so they should age well. The only one that might not age as well is the fourth release, which is a blend of Bigfoot, Celebration and Pale Ale. I'll probably drink that right away and see if it tastes like it would get better in the bottle.

 

[humann_brewing]

I had this last night, a very nice stout and very drinkable at its young age but I won't go broke buying them, not really worth the $10 price tag for me.

 

[carnevoodoo]

A question about aging this. It has a cork stopper so should I age it on its side like a wine? I would assume I need to keep the cork wet like wine in order to prevent the cork from drying out and letting air in.

No no no. I mean you can ley it down like wine, but a cork isn't going to dry out.

"The truth is that you cannot wet a cork. It is impervious to water, and if it were not, it would not make an effective stopper, and, if you cannot wet a cork, it cannot dryout!."

http://rickswineeditorial.blogspot.com/2008/06/wine-mythology-dried-out-cork.html

 

[Duckfoot]

Bought 4... Tasted one... Good... Not sure it was worthy of the price tag, but will check again when the rest have aged...

 

[Jeff_T]

I was going to grab some last week at the beer store but they only had one left, so I decided to wait. Yesterday I was at Top Foods and they had quite a few, so I picked up 2 (along with a Bigfoot 6pk. for $7.50-score). May drink one soon, but I'll let the other age for a while.

 

[brewagentjay]

I'd like to get them but since there in 22oz bottles I'm out here in good ole bama. We can't have beer in anything bigger than 16oz.....

Only state with this law that I know of.....One day we shall be free.

 

[remilard]

I got 3, I think I'll get three of each and then do a horizontal each year for three years.

 

[RC0032]

I saw this last night and didnt get it based on the $10 price tag.

Whats the verdict worth it?

 

[dougf]

I want one! Cant seem to find any here in VA

 

[NorCalAngler]

I'd like to get them but since there in 22oz bottles I'm out here in good ole bama. We can't have beer in anything bigger than 16oz.....

Only state with this law that I know of.....One day we shall be free.

That's one crazy law. Is 'bama also the state where you can't legally brew at home? It sounds like you need to do some beer trading to get your hands on some tasty brews. No Hop Stoopid for you.

 

[user 22118]

You know what, it is $10...why do you care? I am paying $25 a bottle for Russian River beers and drinking them right away. It isn't like I make a lot of money either. Look at it like an investment in your happiness. I mean, we spend $1,000 to take a vacation, instead spend it on 100 bottles of this and sit at home for a month

And we are already spending $10 on a six pack that we go through like water, so what is the difference there? If I am going to spend the money for a weekend beer, then I might as well try the $10 bottle and enjoy it. If I don't like it I don't need to buy more and if I do, then I will get more and see what they taste like over time.

/rant

 

[NorCalAngler]

You know what, it is $10...why do you care?
/rant

Very odd post. Are you asking why I don't want to spend $40 on four 22oz beers? I'm confused by the rant. Where somebody spends money is completely subjective and relative to priorities, cash flow, etc.

I think maybe the post came across a little more combative than you intended. I would love to be able to load up on all the finest beers available; Lord knows in Northern CA we have access to basically anything offered in the US and most stuff imported as well.

 

[user 22118]

That isn't directed at you, it is to the whole world. I was just addressing that it amazes me that there is so much complaining about how $10 is expensive. DFH 120 is like $10 a bottle and you only get 12oz. Yet people buy the hell out of that.

Sorry about the misdirectedness. Again, aimed at the world at large, not one person. Nor at cash flow.

EDIT: Also, when we go out to a bar we spend $5 on a drink and $3 at happy hour. I don't know if I can las;djf;lashg;ahgwoihg0qyt0245102 423...my head just burst

 

[samc]

Lay it down, corks most certainly dry out and crumble at both ends. Not sure about that wine blog info as I have cursed many an old bottle of wine with corks that fell apart when corkscrews was inserted. Maybe he is drinking only the finest wines with prime corks!

 

[NorCalAngler]

EDIT: Also, when we go out to a bar we spend $5 on a drink and $3 at happy hour. I don't know if I can las;djf;lashg;ahgwoihg0qyt0245102 423...my head just burst

This is going a little bit off-topic, but I'm the OP so whatever I hear you, but the two are mutually exclusive in my world. I'm going to go out to happy hour (tonight, actually) regardless of what I spend on beer for home consumption. I don't sacrifice one for the other or justify a $10 bottle of beer by comparing it to what I spend elsewhere.

I think there is a point when a person crosses over from a luxury to frivolous spending. For me a $10 bottle of beer is a luxury. If I then buy four bottles it's frivolous. Happy hour is a special event. If I went to happy hour every night then it's not a special event, it's a routine. My $10 luxury is somebody else's commodity. My $10 luxury is seen by others as a waste of money.

Bringing it back to the topic at hand I think I will buy this series as follows:

1 bottle of the stout, drink it at a year old
1 bottle of the Helles lager, drink it at a year old... I may skip this one altogether based on reviews.
2 bottles of the barleywine, 1 at a year old and 1 at two years old
2 bottles of the anniversary ale, 1 at a year old and 1 at two years old

 

[arover]

I had a taste of it at Russian River. It is interesting. I would drink it and then buy another if you like it.

Are they serving it on tap over there? I'm heading that way in a week and I was going to pick up a bottle but if they have it I'd rather just try it then.

 

[rwinzing]

I am on the east coast in NJ and they are very hard to come by. My local liquor store which has a huge selection of craft beers got one case (8 bottles). I had left my name so he called me yesterday and I picked up three of the eight. I am going to drinl one this weekend, gather the other three and have a tasting with a friend and age the third for a couple years.

 

[rwinzing]

I think what Matt is trying to say is Don't postpone joy! Life is to short

 

[knownikko]

At that I'm spending $40 for four 22oz bottles of beer.

FWIW, they are actually 25oz bottles, so you're getting more than you bargained for!

I bought two, drank one and will age one for a year or so. I thought it was very good. More hop profile than I was expecting, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Masticon]

Just tried this last week. It looks like chocolate pouring out. Super thick imperial stout. Initial flavor is smooth but it's followed by a massive hoppy bitterness. Really strong even for an Imperial. A couple of other people with me who really like hoppy bears really enjoyed it but I really found it too bitter.