North Coast Old Stock Ale

Brewed by North Coast Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Fort Bragg, California USA

Serve in Snifter

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Drinking the 2011 vintage so maybe it's a little new to fully appreciate has a warm alcohol note and little nose it's the alcohol that is the dominating part of the beer. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

2012 bottle. Clear bronze with a beige head that’s quickly gone. Aroma of raisins, prunes, dates, vanilla, sherry, sweet-shop spices. Lightly carbonated and only a little syrupy. Sweet and rich with mellow dried fruits before firm bitterness. Boozy, but fairly well-integrated. Some licorice at the end. For what it is, it’s very drinkable this fresh. Almost certainly some medium-term improvement in it, but there’s not a huge amount of character there.

From a 355ml bottle on 18/5/2012. 2012 edition, ABV 11.7%. Pours a clear amber with little head. Has a strong aroma of caramel, golden syrup, dark fruits and alcohol. In the mouth it’s very sweet and syrupy, with some likeness to a tokay. There’s more caramel and golden syrup in the flavour, with a good dose of brown sugar and some butterscotch. Finishes with a firm, slightly sour bitterness, with a good dash of warming alcohol. Consuming whilst young, it’s not overly complex but is none the less a big, flavoursome sipper, which is nicely suited to a chilly evening.

2011 version. Pours a sultry deep orange-ruby. A vigorous swirl produces a finger or so of a light toffee colored head that settles to absolutely nothing fairly quickly. Nose is sweet cherry, apples, some dried fruit, fresh citrus, and a little peppery spice with a touch of alcohol. Taste is very sweet, and moderately bitter. Palate is rich, chewy, not too thick though, sticky, with some alcohol warmth. It’s heavy in the glass, which is awesome. Cellaring would probably do wonders for this, but fresh its quite enjoyable. Just a rich, flavorful, fine looking brew.

Cellar temperature and into a shallow chalice. Has a viscous, oily, liquified sugar look to it. Completely headless with little carbonation; a radiant deep copper in body. Nose had an initial release of Starburst fruit chews. This wanes to reveal rich, vinous fruit, fortifed white port spiciness, cough medicine, prunes, dates and bitter/sweet, tart orange citrus. Heady, spicy and oh, so, so boozy ’hot’ on the palate. Sugar sweet to the point of being clammy and actually drawing on the palate - the way a lollipop draws out the saliva. Lots of caramelised citrus in back, boozy, warming higher alcohols in the swallow dull all but the residual sugars. Medium body, but sticky and awkward in mouthfeel with a light spritz to it. The fruit does its best to shine but is weighed down with such force. This one needs a long cellaring. Oddly enjoyable the way a sharp white port is but lacking balance and poise. Definitely laying one down for a decade or two for a re-rate! (12fl.Oz, 2012 release, 11.7% ABV, Cellarbrations Carlisle

Light caramel and nut aromas. Caramel, dark fruit and nut flavors. Overall a very good beer.

Great aroma with some toasted malt, raisin and tawny port. Pours deep red with small off-white head that disappears quickly with no lacing. Sweet, light flavor with a medium body and a very slightly alcoholic short finish.

Yum! Malty, boozy, and thick... just the way I like it! Keep up the good work, North Coast.

Bottle. Clear reddish amber pour with a foamy tan head that slowly diminishes to surface cover. Aroma is quite sweet and malty with notes of toffee, lemon, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger. Flavour is very much like the aroma: sweet, malty, spicy and hoppy, with hints of oak, whisky, biscuit and nuts. Mouthfeel is slightly oily with lively carbonation and a long bittersweet, spicy finish. This is a very good barley wine, well-balanced and with the alcohol nicely integrated so that it doesn’t detract from the flavour.

2012. Sweet aroma, though not overpowering or cloying; maybe a hint of raisin or cherry. Sweet, malty flavor, very much like the aroma with a bit of breadiness and some alcohol burn. Flavor sticks nicely to your tongue. I like this one.