Cellar Experiment # 1

Since 2009, I have been slowly but surely amassing what I think is a quality beer cellar. And with beer space getting tight, it is time to start cracking open some of these aged brews to see what time has done to them. Since, I am not a deranged millionaire like John Hodgman, I usually only have one bottle which precludes comparing with other aged beers but if I have sampled the beer before, I will include my initial review as a counterpoint.

The impetus for breaking some of these bottles out was a lovely bottle share party that I attended last night at Casa de Gev. Many great beers were poured from other peoples collections. Including:

Dogfish Head meets 3 Floyds
a rare Jive Old Ale courtesy of Victor from TAPS
A 2005 Baladin from Skipp

Enough of the luxurious rarities, here are my notes and photos from the first of what I am calling my cellar experiments.

The BeerRed and White
The Brewery – Dogfish Head

My initial review on June 15th of this year – “Pours a red/orange color. Aroma is a bit off-putting. I am getting medicinal notes. Kind of harsh. maybe it’s the combination of wine and spice that cancel each other out. not a favorite.” I rated it 2.6 out of 5.

Aged from the bottle Red & White was a lot better than the initial review. It still had some harsh medicinal qualities and it lacked a certain fizz that would undercut that note but it was certainly an improvement. It paled though in comparison to the CismonTAPS barrel aged saison and the Dogfish Head / 3 Floyds collaboration Poppaskull that were also being passed around. I do think that more age would improve it and give it more texture and sweetness and continue to offset the medicine notes that I tasted.

Overall a good start to my cellaring experiment.

the December beer shopping list


Sean suggests for this grand, holiday month two beers from the snowy state of Colorado and one from the cold state of Oregon.
December 2011
Click on the link twice (maybe less depending on the computer you are on) and you will have a handy beer shopping list for the most wonderful time of the year. Holiday beer time!

Christmas Beer of the Day – Northstar Imperial Porter

The BreweryTwisted Pine

The Beer – Northstar Imperial Porter

The Details
“Northstar, which carries a 98 on ratebeer.com, is black as a moonless night and gives off an aroma of toffee and dark fruit laced with licorice. Once the porter hits the palate, the tongue dances to notes of chocolate-covered raisins which harmonize well with subtle traces of roasted nuts and molasses. The beer is dry enough to punctuate the flavors with a crisp finish, while just silky enough to leave a stamp of the epic experience behind for a while. An ABV of 9.1% provides a slight warming glow that grows up the chest as the ale drops in the glass. Northstar was awarded a gold medal at the 2010 Colorado State Fair, a silver in the 2006 World Beer Cup, and a bronze in 2008’s State Fair.”

Christmas Beer of the Day – Frosted Frog

The BreweryHoppin’ Frog

The Beer – Frosted Frog (Barrel aged)

The Details
“Barrel-Aged Frosted Frog Christmas Ale has a familiar and satisfying combination of carefully blended Christmas spices in a flavorful nut-brown ale, its like a Christmas cookie in a glass! The extended barrel aging in oak Bourbon casks adds a vanilla-like flavor, creating a smooth character that perfectly compliments the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, unlike any other Christmas beer.”