Bought a bunch of old beer

[beastiefan2k]

found a store that was selling a lot of old beer. Thought I’d buy some even though my expectations were low. I stopped aging beer a long time ago. But I thought I might be fun to revisit the idea. I’ll update this thread as I drink them, in case anyone cares.

Last night I had:
Brooklyn Monster Ale 2010. This one was in the back of a fridge. No idea if it had been in fridge the entire time or not. Pretty undrinkable. Most of the flavor was gone. Cardboardy bitter tea water. Couldn’t drink more than a few sips.

Avery Tweak 2017 - not very old and a beer I really enjoy fresh. But after 2 years on a self it was missing the luster and richness, that luxurious feel. So flavors were already starting to fade and more of the acidity from the malts was coming through.

Harpoon Levithan Quad circa 2011. Can’t figure out age but likely between 2010 - 2012. The best of the 3 but definitely not at peak level. I rated it on here. No cardboard and sweetness still there. But again, starting to lose flavor. Though, I would have finished the beer if I didn’t fall asleep. I forgot how strong that Tweak was.

[BryanC]

Surprised the monster was quite that bad. I don’t have any left but I remember  it holding up longer than I expected.

[emerge]

Hope the next ones you try are better, what's on deck?

[beastiefan2k]

Stone Enjoy After 04.20.17. This was stellar. The Brett character was bright, age was not showing. A little old hop flavor can be detected but the Brett really dominates. I’m a big fan of Blvd Saison Brett and this is close. One thing I can’t figure out is exactly when this was bottled?

Harvey’s Elizabethan Ale - 2013. I didn’t have high hopes and I wasn’t surprised. Fruity English cardboard. Drank less of this than the Monster Ale.

DFH Immort Ale - 2016. This one surprised me.  I’m not a big DFH fan but this has so far aged nicely. No sign of cardboard. Nicely sweet and not overbearing. Age actually made this better.

[emerge]

Blvd Saison Brett

Big fan Are they still making it?

[beastiefan2k]

Surprised the monster was quite that bad. I don’t have any left but I remember  it holding up longer than I expected.

I also picked up a 2012 to try. But I had a 1998 bottle in 2007 and it was much better from my notes. Again, who knows how how this was actually aged.

[beastiefan2k]

Blvd Saison Brett

Big fan Are they still making it?

Pretty sure it came out in 2018. Haven't seen a 2019 version but haven't looked carefully. Blvd stopped making a calendar for beer releases for 2019. I hope they don't stop but I have disagreed a lot with Blvd's business model in the past 5 years.

This is probably the beer I know best. We used to do blind verticals of this beer often when I lived in KS. The general consensus is that this beer is beautifully hoppy fresh. With age its best at 2 years well-aged (temp controlled) or 1 year in a closet or off the self. Not that it gets very bad otherwise but doesn't get better.

[emerge]

Blvd Saison Brett

Big fan Are they still making it?

Pretty sure it came out in 2018. Haven't seen a 2019 version but haven't looked carefully. Blvd stopped making a calendar for beer releases for 2019. I hope they don't stop but I have disagreed a lot with Blvd's business model in the past 5 years.

This is probably the beer I know best. We used to do blind verticals of this beer often when I lived in KS. The general consensus is that this beer is beautifully hoppy fresh. With age its best at 2 years well-aged (temp controlled) or 1 year in a closet or off the self. Not that it gets very bad otherwise but doesn't get better.

Haven’t seen it around lately, i’ll have to look for some. Used to be a reliable go-to. I agree, after 2 years there isn’t much further improvement. Been awhile since i’ve had any fresh or aged.

[mr. furley]

Brooklyn Monster

this was the first "big" beer i ever drank. i'd had other craft beers and imports but never anything like this thing.

Otis from FBG's sent it to me as part of the first ever BIF i participated in. 


it was so harsh that it felt like acid burning through my tongue. could not finish it.  curious how it might taste to me today.

[emerge]

Brooklyn Monster

this was the first "big" beer i ever drank. i'd had other craft beers and imports but never anything like this thing.

Otis from FBG's sent it to me as part of the first ever BIF i participated in. 


it was so harsh that it felt like acid burning through my tongue. could not finish it.  curious how it might taste to me today.

Yeah, I was never a big fan either.

[emerge]

Blvd Saison Brett

Big fan Are they still making it?

Pretty sure it came out in 2018. Haven't seen a 2019 version but haven't looked carefully. Blvd stopped making a calendar for beer releases for 2019. I hope they don't stop but I have disagreed a lot with Blvd's business model in the past 5 years.

This is probably the beer I know best. We used to do blind verticals of this beer often when I lived in KS. The general consensus is that this beer is beautifully hoppy fresh. With age its best at 2 years well-aged (temp controlled) or 1 year in a closet or off the self. Not that it gets very bad otherwise but doesn't get better.

Haven’t seen it around lately, i’ll have to look for some. Used to be a reliable go-to. I agree, after 2 years there isn’t much further improvement. Been awhile since i’ve had any fresh or aged.

Found the answer.
" The brewery will not package a 2019 vintage, but Saison Brett is expected to return in 2020."

From here: goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2019/8/5/an-act-of-modern-imagination-boulevard-brewing-companys-saison-brett

[beastiefan2k]

Not from the stuff I bought but I opened my last Samiclaus from my personal stash. It’s a 2006 and I have aged it personally the entire time. I’m a big fan of the Hurlimann version and have always hoped that these would age as well. I’ve had older batches with similar age but not ones I have personally aged the entire time.

This was marvelous. Probably the best Eggenberg version I’ve ever tried. Heat died down. All the sweet raisin was less. And light chocolate notes (which is what I’m hoping for bc that’s what I tasted in those Hurlimann bottles) was coming out.  No sign for of cardboard. Highly recommended.

I’ll likely come back to aging this beer again. I don’t say this lightly.

[mr. furley]

fairly certain that the Samichlaus i sent Fred was an '06

Fred?

[beastiefan2k]

2014 Third Coast Ale - Not bad. Has aged decently. Not that I think you NEED to try it but I’m not unhappy.

Lakefront Beerline - don't know year. Its as 12oz bottle is no older that 2014 and it seems this hasn't been made last in 2018. It was a very dusty bottle. So, some time in those years. Tastes better than I remember those old nips. Doesn't taste aged and decent barleywine.

[mr. furley]

Lakefront Beerline - don't know year. Its as 12oz bottle is no older that 2014 and it seems this hasn't been made last in 2018. It was a very dusty bottle. So, some time in those years. Tastes better than I remember those old nips. Doesn't taste aged and decent barleywine.

might have sent mine to to Fred in the cellar it forward

if not, i've got one of these that's at least 10 years old laying around. always been reluctant to drink it just because of the bottle novelty.

[emerge]

Update?
Got anything left to drink?

[beastiefan2k]

Update?
Got anything left to drink?

Some little things that didn't come from that one store visit.

Blackberry Farms 18 from 2017 - had 2 bottles. The brett just didn't take strongly in that beer. Sweet and undercarded.

Uinta XI Eleventh Anniversary Barley Wine (over a decade old) - pile of crap, barely drinkable.

I think I mentioned this elsewhere but Avery 22 the brett didn't really take. Tally-Ho is worthwhile if you can still find it.

[fRed Scare]

fairly certain that the Samichlaus i sent Fred was an '06

Fred?

That sounds right.  I've got it sitting in my fridge just waiting for the right time to get at it.

[emerge]

Update?
Got anything left to drink?

Some little things that didn't come from that one store visit.

Blackberry Farms 18 from 2017 - had 2 bottles. The brett just didn't take strongly in that beer. Sweet and undercarded.

Uinta XI Eleventh Anniversary Barley Wine (over a decade old) - pile of crap, barely drinkable.

I think I mentioned this elsewhere but Avery 22 the brett didn't really take. Tally-Ho is worthwhile if you can still find it.

Can't remember ever seeing this here, but someone said Adnams was briefly in the market at one point.

Drank a 2015 Ridgeway Imperial Barley Wine recently. Wouldn't recommend.

2015 vintage, lot no. 264.

Brilliant saturated honey amber, thick foam and ample lacing coating the glass. Cluster of bubbles and a broken skim on the surface.

Oxidized malt aroma initially, a lot of honey in the glass, slightly musty. Touch of oxidized white wine fruit esters.

Odd flavors, envelope glue, dried apricot, fruit leather, bitter aftertaste. Bitterness overshadows the vague sweetness. Desiccated rotten fruit, grape stem tannic bitterness. Medium bodied, drinkable in the sense that Malort is drinkable. Interesting enough to try, but doesn’t seem to be aging well. Seemed to improve slightly after sitting in the glass for an hour, but who has that kind of time?

The label makes some odd yet spot-on claims. “A long, long way from mainstream beer.” “Pronounced vinous character” and “a golden fusion of Russian stout and traditional barley wine.”

[beastiefan2k]

Had that Ridgeway recently as well. I considered it more meh than bad. But definitely an odd duck for a barley wine.

[emerge]

Had that Ridgeway recently as well. I considered it more meh than bad. But definitely an odd duck for a barley wine.

It wasn’t outright bad, but I wouldn’t drink it again. Just a weird jarring feel to it, odd flavors. Challenging would be a nice way to say it’s not very drinkable.