North Coast Old Stock Ale

2003 bottle. thick mahogony pour with swirly head. maple sugar, rich caramel malts, raison and fig, oak barrel aroma. sweet and sugary, delicious. great rich malts with nice hop. candy. sweet and bitter finish.

2005 bottle from Churchill’s pub. Tried to kmweaver. Great microbubble foam. Clear dark amber color. Still a bit young, but certainly a great beer. Tasty.. a bit sweet.

A very smooth and sweet barley wine. Very good for sipping and relaxing. A wonderful elixir that glides down your throat.

12 oz bottle, 2006. Pours a dark red color with a bubbly tan head that you can hear fizzle out. Very sweet aroma, strong malt background, lots of raisins and caramel. Taste is also sweet, lots of malts, caramel, alcohol. Alcohol is a little on the strong side, and it’s too sweet for my tastes, but I guess that’s typical for the style. It’s pretty good.

Aroma has me thinking of cherry jam made with grape juice instead of sugar. Still, quite a bit of sweetness and also in the mouth. Almost pastry-like would describe it, I think. Caramel followed by pastry glacing-like sweetness. More hops please, less sweets. The last few Barley Wines I’ve had have me reconsidering my love for the style. I need to find some hopped Barley Wines soon.

From memory so I will have to re-rate one day. My memory isn’t great. Bought it with high expectations but wasn’t thrilled. Maybe I wasn’t ready yet for this beer.I found it too syrupy.

Color and transparency-wise, this fits right in there in that Arrogant Bastard glass. But no head after a cuppla minutes, little nose, alco-slick, syrupy, light burn on the finish. Could do better than this one. ’07 vintage. Maybe needs to age?

2007 Bottle. Pours a hazy amber with a small off-white head that leaves little lacing. Aroma of caramel, dark dried fruits, and alcohol. Taste is the same as aroma with vinous notes and a good kick of alcohol. Medium mouthfeel with a medium amount of bitterness. Alcohol is very present but never hot. Very good.