North Coast Old Stock Ale

Source: 12 oz bottle purchased at Vine and Barrel in Hixson, TN.
Glass: Poured into a snifter.
Appearance: Hazy dark orange pour with a half finger of tan head that quickly dissipated.
Aroma: Sweet malt, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, alcohol and dark fruit. Complex but not disjointed.
Flavor: Heavy molasses and brown sugar, with toffee and caramel popcorn. Earthy bitter finish. Plenty of warming alcohol, but not abrasive.
Palate: Surprisingly clean mouthfeel, though a bit chewy, medium/full body and good carbonation .
Overall: Really liked this. Haven’t had a good experience with some of the recent barley wines I’ve tried, but this is excellent.

2008 bottle. Pours dark orange with a huge fizzy tan head. Aroma is predominantly maple syrup/brown sugar, but an earthy note and some plums sneak in there, accented by a nice doughy, yeastyness. As it warms, toffee creeps in too, which gives the aroma a much better context. Starts sweet with a little kick of alcohol, which expands. Bitterness follows, not overstated, but present. The aftertaste is nicely drawn out, but not too cloying, almost tasting like half-baked bread. Throughout, the texture is smooth, almost oily. The carbonation is a little on the tingly side, but this will mellow with age. On the whole, I didn’t know what to expect when I first tried this, and I was completely taken aback. A very good beer. Now I need to go find more to keep for a while.

2004 bottle thanks to lumpy. this poured brown with a beige head and some awesome legs. aroma of plum, brown sugar, and dark fruits. flavor was brown sugar, dark fruits, and alcohol. a slick feel with low carbonation. this one was very enjoyable.

Bottle 12fl.oz. @ home.
[ Vintage 2005 ]. Light unclear medium to dark amber color with a small to average, frothy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, caramel, milk chocolate, dark dryed fruits, moderate raisin, plum, date, wood, light notes of vanilla in the finish. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft and smooth, finish is light to moderate alcoholic. [20090111]

Apr 9, 2008 2008 Batch with 12.5% abv. Pours a deep amber color with very little head or lacing. Aroma is winey, candy sugars with sour fruity malts. The flavor is sugary and sour with bitter fruits, a touch of malt, alcoholic and red wine like. Smooth and warming. Not much of a hop presence. It does go down quite easily but seems a bit basic for a barleywine

2007 vintage consumed 11/08 They should rename this beer, "North Coast Jizz in Your Pants Ale." Because after one sip I thought to myself, "man, i’d let someone jizz in my pants if they bought me one of these." Poured cold, let sit and warm up. Pour was a dark golden orange, with very little head and little carbonation. I cant see through it at all. Taste is of rich toffee and bourbon, and still somewhat hot with alcohol. Hot enough that my cheeks are warming up.

really nice barleywine. Alcohol is extremely well masked! Pours a carmel shade of amber with nice white head and some moderate lacing. Big malt all over well balanced for 2007

12oz bottle 2007. Very little to no head. Better now that it has warmed up. Aroma is caramelly, candi & brown sugar. Remarkably metallic in taste and mouthfeel. Too much alcohol, boozy character-not good at all. Evidence of faded hops.