Raiding the [well, Someone Else’s] Cellar: Trying Some Beers with a Little Age on Them

I am not a huge hoarder of beers, and I probably only have less than 12 beers on hold at this point. Now that is not to say I do not enjoy beers with some age on them. No, in fact, if I can find some shelf or back room gems that have been passed over, and I will go for it. Why buy a 2014 Cuvee Rene, when on the shelf behind it, there may (and this has happened to me) be one from 2010 or older?

In both cases, neither of these were beers I was holding, but as it worked out this weekend I had a chance to try two older bottles. So instead of two posts for each of them, we get one cellar themed post.

First up Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Blackout Stout, dated March 2014. This was something my local shop had special ordered a case of for someone, who never picked it up. I do not recall seeing it around when this year’s was first released, and it had been on my need to try list for a while, so I figured why not? I had gone in looking for a stout or porter anyway, so it all works out. I will try you one day George Washington’s Tavern Porter, I promise!

Pouring black with hardly a hit of head, which pretty much disappeared right off the bat. Nice nose of chocolate some roast. Taste was about the same booze peaking in from behind the other flavors, sweetening up as it warms. Definitely enjoyable, but not super intense in flavor. I am wondering if fresh this was as hot as say Yeti, which to me was way too hot for my tastes? I would want to side by side this to some other RIS’s but from memory, it is similar to Sierra Nevada’s Narwharl. Sitting in the middle between that, and North Coast’s Old Rasputin in terms of intensity of flavor.

The 6 months of age on it, certainly didn’t hurt anything in my mind, and I did put away one bottle to try at the 1 year mark. Depending how that bottle ages, I may buy another 4 pack to put away for a little longer.

Up next, Fullers Vintage Ale 2012. We had gone out for our anniversary dinner and looking over the list, this one caught my eye. No real description about it, so it was down to choosing between this and a Brooklyn Local 2. Now I know I can get Local 2 any place, even grocery stores, and this is a special event so why not go Vintage?

It poured with a nice foamy head, that also quickly dissipated. Nose was of caramel and malts, it was sweet with wood, and fruit. Taste was similar, boozey with caramel and orange hints.

Man did this drink good.  Very similar to Bois, but nowhere near as boozy, a fantastic Old Ale. Looking up the bottle after the fact, this had a best before date of 2015, I can only imagine how it tastes as it ages some more, it was delicious as is. I really want to find another bottle of this (or even a newer release) to try again. Need to keep my eyes peeled.