North Coast - Old Stock Ale - Vertical Tasting (2010-2011)

I've done vertical tastings in the past but have never written up a review.  For my first I decided on North Coast's Old Stock Ale, the 2010 and 2011 vintage.  I've had a few bottle from the 2010 case, tonight was the first time I opened the 2011 case.

As a continuation of North Coast Brewing Co.’s commitment to quality, our Old Stock Ale is crafted in the tradition of our critically acclaimed Pranqster Belgian Style Golden Ale and Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. It’s brewed with classic floor-malted Maris Otter Pale Malt and Fuggles Hops imported from England, so it’s a beer to be served proudly. Like a fine wine, North Coast’s Old Stock Ale is intended to be laid down. With an original gravity of over 1100 and a generous hopping rate, Old Stock Ale is well-designed to round-out and mellow with age. North Coast Brewing Co. Old Stock Ale is a vintage dated ale. We produce a small quantity each year and it remains available from release date until our stock is depleted.

pre-2006 ABV: 11.4%.
2006 vintages: 11.6% & 13.25%.
2007 vintage: 11.7%.
2008 vintage: 12.5%.
2009 vintage: 11.5%.
2010 vintage: 11.7%.
2011 vintage: 11.9%
2012 vintage: 11.7%

The ABV is 11.7 and 11.9 and the IBU rating is 35
Style - English Old Ale / English Barley Wine
Glass to use - Snifter, Gobbet, Chalice or Oversized wine glass
Delivery - 12oz Bottle

The Pour - 2010 | Pours a deep cherry red color with a very small tan head. Great lacing.
                  2011 | Pours a mahogany color with a good tan head. Good lacing.
Aroma - 2010 | Deep dark fruits, molasses, just a hint of leather and boozy.
               2011 | Molasses, chocolate maybe cocoa and fruit.
Taste - 2010 | Malty, dark fruit, toffee, a bit of leather and boozy.
            2011 | Malty, sweet, dark chocolate, dark fruit and spices.
Mouth Feel - 2010 | Light carbonation and full body, lots of alcohol.
                      2011 | Medium carbonation and full body, smooth.
Overall - I opened both bottles after cooling in the frig for 90 minutes.  The session lasted about an hour.  The brews were at room temperature towards the end which lead to wonderful toffee and chocolate taste notes.  Reminds me of a good Port or Sherry.  What a difference in color, the 2010 is much darker and I love the deep cheery color.  Though there was not much head on the 2010 it did stick around for the entire session.  Though the 2011 has 0.2% more alcohol it is much more hidden than the 2010.  The 2010 is starting to show its age with the slight leather taste and aroma.  I give the nod to the 2010 but both brews are excellent and deserving of an A grade.  

This beer gets a Duper rating of (2010) = A; (2011) = A-
BeerAdvocate Rating = 92
Ratebeer Rating = 99

Unibroue - Don-De-Dieu (2009)

Bottle conditioned.
Don de Dieu (Gift of God) was the name of the ship that Samuel de Champlain sailed on his mission to “explore and discover the vast and perilous land of America” in the name of the King of France. His travels led to the founding of Quebec City in 1608 (a modification of the Algonquin word “kebec” which means “where the river narrows”). Inspired by this great adventure, Unibroue created Don de Dieu an abbey-style triple wheat ale refermented in the bottle.

Like good wine, Unibroue’s fine beers have flavors that develop with age. Over time they become smoother, sometimes revealing notes of honey and candied fruit and developing a more assertive and lasting flavor. This phenomenon is known as “maderization” and is similar to the aging process of dessert wines like port.

The ABV is 9.0 and the IBU rating is 10
Style - Tripel Wheat Ale
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for 2 to 3 years, under the proper condition.  Best at two years.

The Pour - A cloudy orange color with white head that vanishes to a small ring around the glass.  Good lacing.
Aroma - Citrus fruit mostly orange, spices and yeasty.
Taste - Sweet, malty, dark fruit, dark chocolate and some spice.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and body, crisp and refreshing.
Overall - This one does not have the distinctive unique yeast taste of the other brews. Aged very well like the other three brews from this variety case I purchased three years ago.  The taste just gets better with age.  This was a fast drink (goes down quick), the alcohol is well hidden.

Goes great with sharp cheese, salads and grilled meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A
BeerAdvocate Rating = 92
Ratebeer Rating = 97

Unibroue - Trois Pistoles (2009)

Bottle conditioned.
Trois Pistoles (Three Coins) is named after a small village of Quebec. Founded over 300 years ago, Trois Pistoles gave birth to several legends, including one about the Black Horse. It involved a local bishop who conjured up a good devil (appearing in the form of bridled black steed) to haul large brick stones to construct a new church. When someone accidentally removed the bridle, the black horse suddenly vanished just as the last remaining stone was to be set. This stone is still missing, as can be seen when visiting the local church.

Like good wine, Unibroue’s fine beers have flavors that develop with age. Over time they become smoother, sometimes revealing notes of honey and candied fruit and developing a more assertive and lasting flavor. This phenomenon is known as “maderization” and is similar to the aging process of dessert wines like port. The dark color and smooth taste of Trois Pistoles reveals a ripe fruity aroma and lasting flavor reminiscent of aged port.

The ABV is 9.0 and the IBU rating is 16
Style - Strong Dark Ale
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for 5 to 8 years, under the proper condition.  Best at five years.

The Pour - A dark brown color with tan head that vanishes to a small ring around the glass.  Good lacing.
Aroma - A very distinct Unibroue smell from their unique yeast, dark fruit, cocoa and molasses.
Taste - Sweet, malty, dark fruit, dark chocolate and some spice.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and full body, a bit fuzzy but not bad.
Overall - Like the other brews from Unibroue this has a distinctive and complex taste due to it's unique yeast. Aged very well like the other three brews from this variety case I purchased three years ago.  The taste just gets better with age.  I will purchase this case again and push the aging to fives year next time around.

Goes great with blue or strong cheese and chocolate and other desserts. Try it as an aperitif or a digestif.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A
BeerAdvocate Rating = 94
Ratebeer Rating = 100

Ithaca - Excelsior 12 (2009)

Twelve is a Monastery-style Quadruple Ale reverently brewed with French malts, German hops then piously fermented with a special blend of Trappist yeast strains. Enjoy the burnished chestnut color, remarkable balance of fruity and spicy aromas, rich but dry flavor and long contemplative finish.

Twelve was first tapped on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009 at the brewery.

Batch E!028

The ABV is 10.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Quadrupel
Glass to use - Snifter, Tulip, Goblet, Chalice or Oversize Wine Glass
Delivery - 750ml Bottle

Not recommended for extended cellaring.

The Pour - Pours a dark brown color with a tan head and good lacing.
Aroma - Malty, molasses and fruit.
Taste - Sweet, tangy, toffee and dark fruits.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and body. 
Overall - This aged very well - 3 years.  Much like the Eleven.  As for the style, Ithaca did an excellent job.  I like Doubles and Quads - this one is just as good as some of the Belgium quads I've had over the years. 

This beer pairs well with cheese and desserts and beef.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-
BeerAdvocate Rating = 87
Ratebeer Rating = 94

Rouge - 21 Ale

21 Ale is dedicated to Art Larrance and Teddy Peetz, the founders of the Oregon Brewers Festival.

21 Ale is brewed with 14 ingredients: 2 Row, Briess Amber, C-40, Wyermann Carafa & Rogue Farms RiskTM Malt; Willamette, US Goldings & Rogue Farms Revolution Hops; Simpsons Golden Naked Oats; Franco-Belges Carawheat; Molasses, Brewer’s Licorice, Wyeast Old Ale Blend Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water.

Rogue remains committed to saving the terror of Oregon hops and barley, one acre at a time, by growing our own.

The ABV is 7.79 and the IBU rating is 30
Style - Old Ale
Glass to use - Pint Glass or Tumbler
Delivery - 750ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a dark amber color with a big tan head. Great lacing.
Aroma - Sour funk, some oak and a bit of dark fruit.
Taste - Musty and sour.
Mouth Feel - High carbonation and medium body.
Drinkable - To be quite honest I think this brew did not age well.  I might be wrong, the brewers may have meant for this brew to be this funky.  I do not like it.  I do love the the bottle however, for what it's worth.

This beer pair well with an old pair of shoes.

This beer gets a Duper rating of C
BeerAdvocate Rating =86
Ratebeer Rating = 93

Dieu du Ciel - Solstice d'hiver (Winter solstice) 2010

This noble winter beer is brown in color with flaming red highlights. Its taste is delicately sweet and liquor-like with a hint of burnt caramel coming from the malt and a prolonged boiling time. It is a very bitter beer with aromas of hops and alcohol, and flavors reminiscent of red fruit brought by the English-type yeast we use to ferment it. The aftertaste is accentuated by the wonderful flavor of hops. Solstice d’Hiver is brewed only once a year, and is then aged for 4 to 5 months before being sold. This aging process is necessary to achieve an ideal equilibrium between the sharp bitterness and the other flavors in the beer.

Solstice d'hiver is brewed only once a year, at the end of the summer. It is then aged for a few months in order to attain a perfect balance in taste. Then, it is sold starting mid-December of each year, until stocks last.

The Solstice d'hiver was born in our Montreal brewpub in December 1998.

The ABV is 10.2 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Barleywine
Glass to use- Pint Glass, Becker, Tumbler or Stein
Delivery 11.5oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a very thick dark brown color with very little to no head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Dark chocolate (cocoa), malts and tartness from the cherries.
Taste -  Wow, very well balanced, sweet, more cherries than chocolate (the opposite of the aroma), hint of vanilla.
Mouth Feel - Low carbonation and full body. Creamy and smooth.
Drinkable - Very nice brew.  I found two bottles; one for this tasting and one to age.  A cool affect with the nose of mostly chocolate and a hint of fruit; and flavor of mostly fruit with a hint of chocolate.  Very well made. 

This beer pairs well with sharp cheese, chocolate or desserts.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-
BeerAdvocate Rating =83
Ratebeer Rating =98

Brasserie Dupont - Saison Dupont (2010)

The Saison Dupont is a top fermentation beer with re-fermentation in the bottle.

Since 1844, this beer has been brewed in our farm-brewery, during the winter time.  Then this beer became a second re-fermentation in the barrel.  During the next summer, this very thirst-quenching beer was served to the “saisoniers” which were working on the fields.  Surely therefore, our Saison Dupont is considered as “the classic” among the Belgian season beers!

Coppery blond, the finest aromas and a strong bitterness transform this beer into a thirst-quencher with no equal, just the way it was created.  Our selection of yeasts is the perfect base for these typical aromas and ditto taste.

A real re-fermentation in the bottle, which will continue for a long time in your cellar, result into this complex and particular aromatic beer.


The ABV is 6.5 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Saison / Farmhouse Ale
Glass to use - Pint Glass, Tumbler or Tulip
Delivery - 375ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a straw color with a huge white head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Citrus, grassy, not as much funk as I was expecting and a hint of spice.
Taste - The taste follows the nose, taste just like it smells, grassy and citrus fruit.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and light body.  Crisp and clean.
Drinkable - Refreshing, should have saved this for a hot summer day.  This is first time I have had this brew, I was not over whelmed due to the expectation from its reputation.  Then again I'm not a big lover of the style.

This beer pair well with cheese, salads and white meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B+
BeerAdvocate Rating = 94
Ratebeer Rating = 99

Victory - Oak Horizontal

Old Horizontal is a luxurious, warming Barleywine rich with aromatic hops and dark, candied fruit character that hides its epic strength masterfully.

This version of the Old Horizontal is aged in once-used bourbon barrels for three months then emerged as Oak Horizontal.

Had this bottle at the Iron Abbey.

Released December 2012

The ABV is 10.5 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Oak Aged Barleywine
Glass to use - Snifter, Gobbet or Chalice
Delivery - 25oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a brown color with a tan head. Clear lacing.
Aroma - Strong vanilla notes, caramel and bourbon from the barrels.
Taste - Malty, bourbon, vanilla, toffee, some spice and very boozy.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and full body.
Drinkable - The bourbon and vanilla are almost over powering at first.  But gives way to smooth taste of the Barleywine.  This is a good alternative to Old Horizontal, I'm glad Victory made this batch but I do prefer the original Old Horizontal.  Find a bottle and give a go....

This beer pair well with strong cheese and desserts.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-
BeerAdvocate Rating = 90
Ratebeer Rating = 98

Allagash - Curieux (2010)

Allagash Curieux was the first foray into barrel aging. Curieux is made by aging our Tripel Ale in Jim Beam bourbon barrels for eight weeks in our cold cellars. The aged beer is then blended back with a portion of fresh Tripel. The resulting beer is soft with coconut and vanilla notes, with hints of bourbon.


Awards: Bronze, World Beer Cup 2007

The ABV is 11.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Bourbon Barrel Aged Strong Tripel Ale
Glass to use - Snifter, Gobbet or Chalice
Delivery - 750ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a slightly cloudy straw color with a big thick white head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Fruity, flowery, spices and a slight hint of coconut.
Taste - Strong oak tannins, coconut, vanilla, some bourbon
Mouth Feel - Light carbonation and medium/big body.
Drinkable - I've been sitting on this for two and a half years.  It aged very well.  Very complex and balanced well.  I like the nice warm burn that lingers a bit.  Very nice on a cold winter night.

This beer pair well with cheese, desserts, salads and white meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B+
BeerAdvocate Rating = 95
Ratebeer Rating = 99

Mikkeller & To Øl - Walk On Water

Picture from brewdrinkrun.com

Mikkeller and To Øl present to you - their effort to make the lightest beer in the world. What is the lightest beer in the world???

What we mean, is that Walk On Water is the beer with the lowest density. It simply weighs the least. Brewers and beer geeks alike tend to describe beer by its density (or gravity). The specific density of a liquid is determined by its amount of dissolved matter. Normally proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and ashes are the four factors governing the density of a liquid. But for a beer it is more appropriate to describe its density by two factors; carbohydrates(sugar) and alcohol. Alcohol is much lighter than water, while carbohydrates (or sugars) in solution will raise the density of water. When we brewed this beer the challenge was to ferment as much of the sugars from the malts as possible, without leaving any residual sugars. This is fairly easy for low ABV beer types, but is much more challenging for a 14% ABV beer - you could say the higher alcohol percentage the lighter, but then again high alcohol would lead to high amount of rest sugar and therefore the beer would be heavier. After working on the breakdown of residual sweetness (Dexedrine etc.) and optimistic our fermentation, we ended up with this beast of a boozy beer! 14% alcohol and no residual sugar making it a 100% attenuation fermented beer makes this the driest and lightest beer in the world. 

Had this at the Iron Abbey on draft!

The ABV is 14.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - American Strong Ale
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Goblet or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery - Draft

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a clear orange color with a small white head that vanishes. Good lacing.
Aroma -  Boozy, dark fruits, i.e., figs and dates.
Taste -  All lot like a "Dogfish Head - Olde School", strong and boozy, sweet, dark fruits and a bit of spice.
Mouth Feel - Low carbonation and full body. Smooth but with a definite alcohol burn throughout.
Drinkable - An awesome brew fer sure!  The ah-ha moment came from the first sip, this is a "DFH Olde School Barleywine".  You cannot mistake the high alcohol and fig taste.  I shall seek out a bottle of this fine beverage and age it for a year or two.  Mikkeller is one of those breweries that just gets it right.  Everything I have sampled from these guys has not disappointed.  Do yourself a favor and find a bottle.  A note on the ratings below, not sure why the Beer Advocate and Ratebeer numbers are so low.  I guess some people just don't know a good beer when they have one, ha!

This beer pairs well with cheese and desserts.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A
BeerAdvocate Rating = 80
Ratebeer Rating = 77

AleSmith - Decadence Anniversary Ale (2010)

Decadence was first released in 2005 to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. AleSmith has released a new version of Decadence each year around our anniversary date in late fall. The style chosen each year is different, but you can be sure that it will always fit the description of Decadence!

The 2010 and 2005 versions have the same recipe. In 2010 we return to the style that was chosen for the very first AleSmith Decadence®, an English-style Old Ale. Abundant malty flavors and the perfect balance of English hops define this classic style. Four specialty yeast strains and the use of tradition brewing sugars create a rich and tasty flavor profile. AleSmith Decadence pleases and tantalizes the palate in a way that has become the hallmark of AleSmith’s premium ales.

2005 an English Old Ale
2006 an American Strong Ale
2007 an Imperial Porter
2008 an Imperial English Barleywine
2009 a Weizen Bock
2010 an English Style Old Ale (this review)

2011 a Maple Smoked Barleywine

2012 a Quadrupel

The ABV is 11.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style -English Style Old Ale
Glass to use - Snifter, Tulip or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 750ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a brown color with a small tan head. Great lacing.
Aroma - Filled the room with the essence of dark fruit and chocolate.

Taste - Malty, dark fruits (cherries), hints of dark chocolate, caramel and a slight hint of leather.  
Mouth Feel - Light carbonated and a full body.
Drinkable - Gets better as is warms up.  The dark fruits come out strong as the brew warms to near room temperature.  A decent English Barleywine.  Would have been nice to have a vertical session with a fresh bottle of the 2010 and an aged bottle of the 2005.

This beer pair well with cheese and desserts.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B
BeerAdvocate Rating = 90
Ratebeer Rating = 98

Lost Abbey - Sepent's Stout

The history of the bible and religion is indeed the struggle of good vs. evil. Our Serpent’s Stout recognizes the evil of the dark side that we all struggle with.

This is a massively thick and opaque beer that begs the saints to join the sinners in their path to a black existence.

Tasting Notes: Pours dark and thick, with a creamy mocha-colored head and aromas of roasted malts, dark chocolate and french roast coffee.

The mouth-feel is full, smooth and round on the tongue. The taste is rich with deep roasted malts, cocoa, coffee and a touch of vanilla balanced perfectly against the alcohol to create an excellent winter warmer.

The ABV is 11.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Imperial Stout
Glass to use- Pint Glass, Tumbler, Snifter or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 750ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a thick black like ink color with a very dark brown head. Great lacing.
Aroma - Sweet, dark chocolate, molasses and coffee.
Taste -  Malty, chocolate, some dark fruit, molasses, some caramel and a slight bitter after taste.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation, full body.  Thick. 
Drinkable - Worth the price, one of the best stouts I have had in a while.  Another great brew from Lost Abbey. Do yourself a favor and find a bottle and enjoy. 

This beer pairs well with sharp cheese, chocolate desserts and smoked meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A.
BeerAdvocate Rating = 94
Ratebeer Rating =100

Lagunitas - Olde GnarlyWine (2008)

The Annual Release of Barleywine Style Ale is Dated and Built to Last.  Flavors Evolve as Hop Bitterness Yields to Crazy Caramel and Rich Toffee Flavors.

Not in production and not sure if it was ever on a regular rotation.  I think the last batch was in 2011.

The ABV is 10.88 and the IBU rating is 69.4
Style - American Barleywine
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 22oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a cloudy brown color with a small tan head.  Good lacing.
Aroma - Malty, sweet with dark fruit.
Taste - Sweet, tangy, malty and a slight hint of fruit.
Mouth Feel - Low carbonation and full body. A bit syrupy.
Drinkable - Aged well to 4 years. I will search out another bottle and hopefully find a fresh one to compare to the aged bottle.  Really did not notice any hop kick, could have called this an English Barleywine.  It's possible that the aging mellowed out the hoppiness.

This beer pairs well with pungent cheese and desserts.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B
BeerAdvocate Rating = 91
Ratebeer Rating = 99

Sam Adams - Thirteenth Hour

The thirteenth hour is the witching hour and refers to the mysterious combination of flavors in this brew. We've combined the roasted chocolate and coffee flavors of a stout with the spicy character of a Belgian ale aged in oak.

The combination of 7 different malts creates a brilliant black brew that's full bodied and smooth with rich notes of coffee, chocolate, and dark fruits like raisins and plums. The dark roasty, and slightly sweet flavors of a stout are blended with the unique, spicy and sour character of our Kosmic Mother Funk (KMF), an ale that's been aged in oak tuns for up to a year. The KMF gives the beer an added complexity with notes of black pepper, oak, vanilla, and a hint of acidity.

Enjoy this beer now or age it to further develop unique flavors. We recommend pouring the beer gently into a traditional glass. Take care not to unsettle the fine layer of yeast that rests at the bottom from the bottle-conditioning, a process which creates an extra smooth and balanced flavor in the beer.

First brewed 2011

The ABV is 9.0 and the IBU rating is 17
Style - Imperial Stout / Belgium Strong Dark Ale (you choose)
Glass to use - Snifter, Tumbler,Tulip or Oversized wine glass
Delivery - 750ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a dark brown color with a tan head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Coffee, chocolate, some spice and sourness.
Taste - Sweet, chocolate, caramel, a bit sour, hint of coffee and spices.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and body.
Drinkable - I bought this bottle six months ago and was planning to age it for a few years, but decided to take it over to a friends house one night.  Not knowing what to expect, I was not disappointed in the least.  I enjoyed this very much.  Overall it is a well balanced brew.  I will by this brew again!

Goes well with strong and sharp cheese, grilled meat.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-.
BeerAdvocate Rating =85
Ratebeer Rating = 94