SPECIAL REVIEW: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (AGED: 1.5 years - bottle)

The Dirt
Another accidentally aged beer! And a Russian Imperial Stout no less. I've had one of these un-aged and it was tasty, but like the Stone Russian, the aging mellowed it out. This guy has a little more spicy dark chocolate tone right up front, but smooths out and has great body. As noted, it has become more velvety in texture with age.

Worth it?
The couple of times I've bought this at Spec's it was on sale for like $5 or $6 for a 4-pack. Both times I got the last pack on the shelf. I would have bought more if they were there. If I were forced to pick only one between the Stone and the Brooklyn, I'd have to narrowly pick the Stone. But this guy is definitely worth it, on sale or not.

The Final Word

Real Ale Phoenixx Double ESB

The Dirt
This is one of Real Ale's seasonal releases, which I've had before, but it's been a while. Beautiful color in the glass, with almost an IPA look and feel at first. However, my friend pointed out that the overall taste profile is like that of a barleywine, with that bite of alcohol in the back, but lacking the fennel/black licorice tones that are often present. Overall solid, but I'd suggest trying to age one of these for like a year. I accidentally did this once for 6 months and noticed a nice, more mellow difference.

Worth it?
It's a little raw in my opinion, thus the aging suggestion. Not sure what this is going for in 6-packs these days, but I do recall it being a little pricey. I personally prefer the other Real Ale seasonals, but like any other beer they do, it's quality stuff.

The Final Word

SPECIAL REVIEW: Stone Imperial Russian Stout (AGED: 2 years - bottle)

The Dirt
Aging beer is fun, but tough. It's not about keeping it in the right conditions or anything like that. It's tough because the beers that are best for aging...are the most difficult to put away and avoid drinking for years. Fortunately I hid this one in my wine fridge, and completely forgot about it until 2 years later. Boy did it pay off.

I don't think I've had this beer straight from the store, and I'm sure it would be great, but aging 2 years hit the ball out of the park. It poured dark and thick, which got me excited from the start. At first it had heavy dark chocolate tones and a silky disappearance that left you excited for the next sip. As it warmed up, the beer got a bit more complex, with a mocha dry back end, great malt and roastiness, and eventually a little spice in the middle. But overall it was very smooth and you could tell it mellowed a bit with the aging.

Worth it?
I have no idea what I paid for the 22oz. bomber, probably like $6, and it was more than worth it. And as tough as it was to let it sit, that was WELL worth the wait as well. This may be one of the best beers I've ever had. It had it all, from start to finish, and from cold to warmed. I couldn't get over the smoothness and flavor profiles, as they were intense, but perfectly balanced. I'm going to have to buy a case of this next time and try them over different aging periods...if I can hold myself off from them over time.

The Final Word

Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Oak Aged Dunkel

The Dirt
I found this little treat tucked away in the back of my local Spec's. Harpoon always makes quality beer, so thought I'd give this 100 Barrel Series a shot.

The first thing you notice is a nice, but subtle, toasty oak flavor, which is perfect for this dunkel. It then slides away smoothly off your palate if the beer is fully refrigerated. I recommend letting this sit a little bit to warm up. Once that happens, you get much more of the dunkel taste. You also get a little spicy dry hop action on the back-end at this point.

Worth it?
It was about $6, or just under, for the bomber. I think it was pretty reasonable for what tasted like true quality. Looking forward to trying others in the series. If you like dunkels, you'll like this guy. The oak flavor was perfectly balanced and made it a treat.

The Final Word