In December 2010, I decided that I had to get at the task of drinking the Fuller's Vintage Ales that I had been hoarding in the stash. I figured I needed to compare beers that were brewed five years apart and posted the '05 v. '10 results. Now, it's time for the second edition comparing 2006 to …
I have been happily aging beer for years. The oldest beer I have is 18 years old. I have also been happily reading rules about aging beer for years. But it was only when reading this article in the Poughkeepsie Journal, which for the most part is pretty good, that I realized I don't really follow …
There are not many things fun about getting pneumonia but gifties left at the door are among them. This was delivered last week as a gifting on from someone who brought it from Alberta. It was a special release from last spring but at 7.3% it should still be a fairly safe bet. • Caramel coloured …
When this beer came out three or four years ago, there was strong opposition. Reviews leaned towards the vom-esgue. They rejected it. Yet John Graham, the owner and brewer of Ontario's tiny Church-Key Brewing, held his ground. It was what he intended. A challenge. • Years pass. A bottle that I …
I cleaned out the stash tonight, replaced the cardboard boxes that had gotten a bit damp and musty, set new slates down to keep the air moving. I do it once in a while to keep things from going off in there. It was looking a bit rough. I wonder if these guys would care: • "I hope this tastes as …
Let's be honest. The stash is an extension of one's own day dreams and we know that such dreams can vary. Sure, there are the questions of reasonable budget and reasonable storage but there is the need to have balance. At this point in the winter, for example, I am a little light on hop bomb IPAs …
I have been wondering what to do with these single boxes of Fuller's Vintage Ale I stick away every year. Seems a shame to blow them all in one binge even if shared with pals and plenty of notes. Not much to learn there. I needed a plan, a system. So, with that in mind, I figured that I would open …
I have no idea how long this beer has been in the stash. Paid $4.69 if that is any hint. Its full name is Foonf Zane Auld Ale Anniversary Small Batch. Not sure which of Atlantic Brewing's anniversaries - though the BAers are telling me it was the 15th back in 2006. So, sort of Nederlands meets …
Stone Coast packed it in on 1 August 2008. I've had this bit of their legacy sitting around the stash since well before then. Fifteen bucks for a 10% bomber which makes sense to me and not just because this is a bit of a voice from the grave. • It pours at the intersection between caramel and …
Because I believe calling anything "world class" is quite unfortunate, I could not contribute productively to Stan's recent question "Can a Pumpkin Beer be World Class?" Usually "world class" - like "premium" - ends up meaning whether people who know not all that much can brag about something to …