North Coast Old Stock Ale

2008 bottle. Pour was dark clear amber with small off white head. Aroma is very sweet with malt and fruit. Flavor was quite alcoholic with a ton of malt, fruit, and a light hop finish. Very smooth going down. Good but I think it really needed some aging time. This tasted quite young and almost not enjoyable. Would buy again to age for a year or so.

Bottle 2007 vintage. Poured a dark amber/copper with a light tan head. Has the aroma of fruit, carmel and hops. The flavor is malt driven with hints of hops, dark fruit and alcohol. Bitter aftertaste. The alcohol is medium in strength in the flavor which for me makes it less appealing, but a hard thing to hide sometimes in a strong BW. Still I enjoyed this one very much. I wish I had some to age for a couple a years or so...

This is an outstanding malty barleywine. The aroma is of sweet fruit and warm caramel. The flavor is a combination of sweet, velvety malt and noticeable port like qualities with hints of dark, earthy fruit. The palate is cloying and dry, and smooth, but not syrupy. Fans of English style barleywine should seek this beer out.

bottle 2007. average khaki fizzy head that quickly dissapates. murky orangish-brown body. decent lacing present on glass. aromas of rope fruits, candied sugars, light alcohol(though hidden well considering the ABV), light chocolatey malts (a bit milder than expected). flavor is moderately bittersweet throughout with bitter subsiding some in the finish. above average carbonation. dry texture. moderate to long finish duration. one good barley.

12 oz bottle, 2006 edition, courtesy of Mcbackus. Pours a hazy muddy brown color w/o much head or lacing. Not a particularly attractive brew. Nose is malts, dried fruit & an earthy funk. Mouthfeel is thick and heavy. Taste is dark alcohol soaked fruit. Also strong malt presence with a hop background. Good balance to it.

2007 rated in 2008. Deep malty burgundy color. Aroma: Mild; deep fruit and malt flavor. Taste: Alcohol is def. present, then again its 11.7%....so alcohol is present. Palate: Nice and thick. Short foretaste, long middle and nice hops finish. Malt isn’t overly roasted and hops has become less fragrant, making it quite even.

2007 version poured a rich copper colour with a huge head. This was very malty, some dried fruit and cocoa. The malt overpowered the hops but still a nice balance. Really nice aftertaste, alcohol presence kept in check...nice brew I would happily invest in again.

2007 vintage in snifter. Immediately dissipating beige head basically nothing. Nice honey color with burgundy hues. Strong malt aroma, grapes, maple, other dried fruits, some alcohol. Quick hit of bitter vinous flavors dissipating into a long warming slightly less bitter finish. Medium body with warming alcohol. Good.