North Coast Old Stock Ale

2005 Bottle thanks to CMUBEERMAN. Pours opaque rusty amber, thin off white head. Aroma is dried fruit, malt, slight spices, graham, slight alcohol. Flavor is pretty much the same with a bit of pine, vanilla, and caramel. Toasty alcohol warmth, good barley wine.

2007 Old Stock. Pours a red/amber color with a medium sized, creamy head. Hops and pine undertones dominate which are complimented nicely by a sweet edge. Hard on the palate at first but finishes light. Didn’t even realize it was seasonal, similar to Double/Imperial IPA in taste and character. A very nice selection.

It was a dirty and dark copper in color that poured a thin white head. Initially this was served to cold and the first aromas were of candied tropical fruits. Given a chance to warm up these scents transferred to darker fruits along with caramel and a hint of vanilla. In the mouth it was full-bodied with solid weight in the midpalate and a lingering finish. The hops were still present giving off a slight bitterness on the finish though there was plenty of malt to keep the midpalate sweet. The flavors were similar to the nose with some added chocolate. This is definitely one that is nice now but seems like it will continue to improve over the years.

Hazy dark red with a small but lasting head in a quite unusual orange tan colour. All the right barleywine aroma notes, dates and figs, bready malt, port and some berries. Sweet and malt heavy flavour, and very vineous, full body and warming alcohol. Classic all the way.

12 oz bottle, 2008. Pours amber with thin cream head. Aroma is of wine. Tast of carmel with bitter alcohol finish. Sprightly on the tongue.

12 fl oz bottle, 2004. Pours slight cloudy deep amber/light brown with a diminished off-white head. Solid overripe and dried fruit aroma, into wineous notes. Liqourice like flavoured with a solid caramel malt base. Growing bitterness into the finish. Very smooth fruity note lingering inbetween the fullbodied brew. Nicely balanced and smooth into the finish with an intense and slowly declining flavour.

Strong alcohol aftertaste but would probably be great after cellaring. Poured a deep amber with a small head. The aroma was malty with a brown sugar hint. A nice mouthfeel with a good malt characteristic but too much of an ethanol aftertaste. Not my favorite but want to cellar one for a while and try it again.

2007 - Great brown pour, with lots of caramel and smoke in the nose. some licorice? maybe. Sweet to start, full bodied, clean finish. A feel of a thick grape juice, quite carbonated on the tongue. Complex for sure, is that chocolate? Yes it is. Was that caramel? Yes it was. What fruit was that? I don’t know but I sure did like it.