 brewandbbq (227), Manchester, New Hampshire, USA
Mar 6, 2008 Updated: Mar 8, 2008
Vintage 1992, bottling #4, 6.4oz nip at 6.7%ABV.....
The cap cracks with barely a whisp, and an exaggerated pour revealing zero carbonation.
Burnt amber in color, with some fine particulates in suspension, and not a trace of head.
Aromatics are laced with malt, leather, toffee, dried figs, and caramel.
The malt is surprisingly juicy, with barely a trace of oxidation.
The mouthfeel is slick and sticky. A slight amount of fine carbonation shows itself.
The pallet is malt-heavy, with some faded citrus below plenty of raisins, wet leather, reduced caramel, and toffee.
Bittering as well as all other hopping is gone, and no apparent signs of oxidation on the pallet.
Finishes with some warming alcohol, lingering sweet malt, and plenty more chipped toffee......
Pretty faded in general, but for a 6.7% brew, it’s held up incredibly well for sixteen years.........................
Vintage 1993,bottling #5, 6.4oz nip at 6.7%.......
Pours the same color as the 1992, but with some faint carbonation. Almost a whisp developed on the surface.
Aromatics are more intense, as well as the pallet. Plenty of tobacco, leather, juicy malt, and chewy caramel. A hint of drizzled chocolate is apparent in this vintage.
Still no hops, and very little oxidation, if any..............Vintage 1996, bottling #8, 12oz at 9.9%abv....
Pours identical in color to the previous vintages, but a beige head of a quarter-inch developes.
Quite a different beer. Dark fruits in the nose, with raisins, toffee, and toasty malt.
A fuller, lightly carbonated mouthfeel, and far less syrupy.
The pallet is still quite malt-forward, but it’s much cleaner, and with a bigger alcoholic bite.
There is a fair amount of bitterness present, as well as added vineous and sherry-like qualities.
Improved from the previous vintages overall, but the depth of flavor and complexities of the elders is missed..........
Vintage 1997, bottling #9, 12oz at 9.1%.....
Pours dark amber once again, but with a lot of sediment, even with a shortened pour.
A beige head of an inch-plus finally developes with this vintage, resulting in some streaks and dots of lacework also.
Aromatics are laced with dusty malt, rum-soaked raisins, sherry, and a hint of smoke.
Some faint wet-cardboard shows some age.
Mouthfeel is crisper than the elders, and less sticky. Almost creamy, with a very soft carbonation.
The pallet has plenty of malt, but it’s less juicy than the elders, and is underscored with wet paper.
Alcohol is more subtle than the 1996, and bitterness is medium, at best.
This one comes in just behind the 1996, even with the increase in carbonation...........
Vintage 1999, bottling #10, 12oz at 9.1%.......
Color unchanged from the previous. A full one inch-plus of thickish beige with similar lacework to the 1997.
The malt is a bit juicier in the nose, but the hint of smoke is more apparent as burnt rubber or smoldering peat.
The mouthfeel is fuller and creamier, but still lowly carbonated.
The pallet has a significantly fresher malt profile, with still a good mix of caramel, toffee, and residuals. Some underlying citrus shows itself in this vintage.
Alcohol is also more apparent, with some lingering warmth, and bitterness is a smidge increased........
Vintage 2003, bottling #11, 12oz at 9.1%.........
Pours a bit lighter in color than all the other vintages. Dark amber with crimson hues.
A tight, beige head with a decent amount of lacework.
Aromatics are superior. Plenty of ripe fruit, juicy malt, vanilla, caramel, and some butterscotch. Vineous and complex.
The mouthfeel is crispish, with plenty of chewy malt and a light to medium amount of carbonation.
The pallet has a restrained amount of malt compared to the elders. Dark fruit, sugared spruce bark, and a bourbon-like fusel note.
Bitterness is medium, and balancing.
Finishes with lingering warmth and tacky malt.
At five years old, this vintage is superior.
Generally speaking, the fresher the vintage, the better, with the exception being the 1997, which was bested by the 1996.
The 1996 was also the only vintage at 9.9%abv.
Cletus (3602), Connecticut, USA
Nov 1, 2008 Pours brown with a thin tan head. Smells of pesiny hops, some dark fruit, sweet malt. Tastes syruppy and overly sweet with a heavy astringency.
anders37 (2981), Malmö, Sweden
Oct 19, 2008 Draught @ Bridgeport Brewing. Pours a dark amber color with a small off-white head. Has a sweet malty slightly fruity hoppy vanilla aroma. Sweetish malty hoppy bitter dark fruit flavor with some oaky hints. Has a sweetish malty hoppy dark fruit finish with some hints of oak.
jrob21 (969), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Sep 13, 2008 Muted fruity aroma with some plum and raisin. Slightly off flavor of dirty and funky cheese. Not very pleasant there. Lacking the complexity and balance of many of the bw’s I’ve had recently.
cbeers21 (480), Miami, Florida, USA
Aug 21, 2008 ruby chestnut pour with fading head.Oaky vanilla scents are coupled with a dried fruit, toasted chocolate, quiet burbon and brandy aroma. A piney hop bittering and almost nutty flavor works with a brandylike warming taste which lingers with complexity on the palate. Nice.
rkuhnel (1232), Eureka, California, USA
Jul 11, 2008 From a 12 oz bottle it was interesting to compare to the Bourbon Ages version. Like the other, it poured a very deep garnet color with a rich foamy off-white head with big bubbles that left virtually no lacing. Nose of caramel malts and light hops, Rich mouthfeel. Flavor is the rich malts,e. Great bitter hop finish. Very comparable, but without the bourbon odor.
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