SPECIAL REVIEW: Central Waters Brewers Reserve Kosmyk Charlie Y2K Catastrophe Ale (AGED: 1 year - bottle)

The Dirt
Oh barleywines, how I love thee. Especially after aging, as the hops tone down and the beer usually gets quite smooth. The Y2K was a great representation of a barleywine with a very present black liquorice like profile for the first half of the beer from the hops and malt mixture. It then fades to a delicious toasted caramel flavor, something I think American barleywines do more of, and I love.

Although I haven't had this beer fresh, I can tell the aging process made the beer smoother, as there are remnants of its harsher past. As the beer warmed up, the hopes became more present and lingered longer, perhaps being a bit too hoppy and slightly too dry. The nose becomes more hoppy as well.

All in all, a delicious barleywine that's a beautiful hazy burnt orange and brown color. I've had the privilege of having the bourbon barrel version of this, which is an absolute five out of five. A year or two longer of aging might get this regular version a step or two closer to such status.

Worth it?
My brother gave me this because he's not a fan of barleywines (yet). Even to purchase, the answer is yes. A good representation of its style that is good for aging.

The Final Word

SPECIAL REVIEW: Dogfish Head Midus Touch 2010 (AGED: 2 years - bottle)

The Dirt
Every now and then I get a little too creative, whether it's cooking up a meal or aging a beer. I happened to have an extra Midus Touch lying around for a bit so, having not read anything against aging it, that's what I did. It's 9% alcohol and is similar to a tripel, so why not?

Oh silly me - I wasted a perfectly good Midus Touch that when fresh is a tasty brew (review to come someday). Turns out this beer is about as age-worthy as milk. The nose smelled like strong grape juice, which wasn't surprising given that grapes are used in the beer. But the taste was that of the worst wine you've ever encountered. It was like taking cheap champagne meets store brand grape juice and putting it in your car for all of July before drinking. There was also a nasty gray film on the cap. Needless to say I did not finish this experiment gone horribly wrong. Sorry Sam for wasting one of your perfectly good brews.

Worth it?
The beer, when fresh, is worth it as a treat now and then. But aged? No sir. I regret my decision 110%.

The Final Word

 

SPECIAL REVIEW: Real Ale Sisyphus 2008 (AGED: 4 years - bottle)

The Dirt
"Four years? What the heck were you doing!"

A fair question my friend. Barleywines can be great to age a couple of years, but truth be told, this was somewhat of an accident. I bought this when it was already a year or two old, and should have consumed it then, but wanted to hang onto it for just a bit longer. Before I knew it, I was pulling this out of my wine fridge and going "Oh crap! Need to drink this NOW."

In the end, this "accident" wasn't all that bad. I concluded that I certainly waited far too long, but this made for an interesting experience. First off, this baby was smoooooooth to the n-th degree. That's what four years of hibernation will do - obliterate any unsuspecting hops until there are none left. It was almost too smooth, as the back-end was a bit too subdued - almost stale in a sense. The front half was delicious though, with great barleywine flavor sans the usual bite, and a slight biscuity flavor in the middle. Despite the empty end, the beer left what is best described as a film on the tongue. That may sound nasty, but it was actually kind of interesting, as it was almost sweet. To put it another way, it did not detract from the experience. The beer improved a bit as it warmed up a tad, but letting it sit too long allowed the alcohol to come out way too strong.

Lesson learned: try 1-2 years next time. Leave long-term aging to the Dogfish Head 120 Minute.

NOTE: This review is primarily based on the aging of this specific beer, not for a newly bottled and purchased version of the Sisyphus. Perhaps I'll get there one day.

Worth it?
If I recall, the Sisyphus is a bit pricy. But it is delicious, especially if you like barleywines. I would certainly try this again, but age for only two years versus four.

The Final Word

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

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