North Coast Old Stock Ale

Sampled at Max’s Taphouse in Baltimore. Pours a translucent copper, brown with a thin, cloudy white head. Aroma is mild with raisins, honey, grainy malts and sugar. Flavor has more raisins, honey, red grapes, pears and green tea. Clean, sweet finish that’s slightly thick on the tongue. I really enjoyed this.

Bottled, 2008 vintage. Mahogoney pour with an orangy-tan head. Nose was malt, toffee, and alcohol. Flavor was sweet malt, caramel, and alcohol. Finish was nicely hopped, slightly bitter, with a pleasant alcohol warmth.

Sampled at West Coast Brew Fest ’08 ~Pours an amber colour with small white diminishing head. ~ Strong sweet malt scent. Sugary ~Taste very sweet, some fruitiness. ~It’s too sweet for me.

Vintage 08 Poured from 12oz bottle a darker amber with thin beige head and little to no visible signs of carbonation. Aromas of caramel, molasses, maple syrup. Flavor is caramel and maple with a big dose of alcohol on the finish. Palate is heavy malt mouth sweetness almost chewy at first then thinning to a big alcohol warming and a faint bitterness. Overall not one I would seek out often. It has a watered down whiskey character to it. Not bad but there are many BW’s that are much better.

2008 - 12.5%, enjoyed as much as 2006. (2006 review below and represented in the new score.) - 2007 Vintage. Reddish caramel color. Aroma of shadows and earth of growing things with pungent fruits. Flavor dark cloying fruits mixed with apples all starting to turn, with spices to mask the flavor and grain water to thin the drink. Alcohol is noticeable and some gives an almost oily feel. I don’t need to buy another 07, but this was interesting enough to try other vintages. (Now have tried 2006 and like that one a very much. It was 11.6%, and just so much better balanced and drinkable. Very complex, something I would pick up again. The rating now reflects the 2006.)

Pours a red amber color with a creamy light tan head. Mild malt aroma. Carmel taste with malt and hops to balance it out. A really nice barley wine.

Re-rate. Tap Capital Ale House Innsbrook 08/27/2008. Spicy fruity character with caramelized malts in nose. Mostly clear dark mahogany with small fine white head. Earthy sweet maltiness with spicy/peppery bitterness and notes of wood. Medium body with medium creamy mouthfeel. Dry finish with alcohol warming and malty bitterness lingers. Very tasty. Tap at Capital Ale House. Clear amber/brown with creamy off-white head. Slight maltiness in nose. Carmel, raisin and wood tones with alchohol warming. Medium to full mouthfeel. Very nice.

2007 Vintage. Pours a reddish brown color w/ a creamy head. Aroma is really nice - sweet, with some cantaloupe and a bit of toasty malt. Flavor is malt-forward with some metallic tones. Very dry, lots of spice coming through, including some yummy black pepper. Some noticeable red wine vibes. Not at all the palate you would expect from the aroma, but it’s still mighty enjoyable.