North Coast Old Stock Ale

Brewed by North Coast Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Fort Bragg, California USA

This was a 2000 vintage received in a trade from greger on BA

Impressively this still popped open with a nice pfft. Wow this one still poured with the regular 1 inch caramel colored Old Stock head that I have come to know and love. it fades quickly though to a thin layer of foam. I poured this at a pretty cold temperature because I like to see how a beer this old progresses over temperatures from 45 to room temp. Its got a murky, dark ruby brown color that I cannot see through. I think some of the murkiness is from immediately throwing this in the fridge to drink and not letting the bottle settle, but I just had to dig in to this one. Little in the way of lacing.

Tons of vanilla, deep caramel malts, nuttiness and cherries dominate the nose with some brandy like alcohol sneaking through. There is also plenty of wood, rum soaked raisin and slight oxidated richness adding to the nose. I can stick my nose in this for hours. Delicious.

Taste follows suit from the smell. lots of vanilla, caramel, cherry and nuttiness up front. Some of those aforementioned rum soaked raisins and overall very brandy like. Very dry wine like finish and it leaves a lingering sweet brandy and fruit taste on the tongue. As it warmed all the way to room temperature I got a slight bit of chocolate and grape as well. This is one complex mother of a beer with this much age on it.

Nice and syrupy sweet with just a hint of prickly carbonation left, but it felt a little watery at times.

Warming alcohol burn in my stomach that is reminiscent of a fine after dinner drink which is exactly what this is. Definitely a sipper. One I will enjoy for hours to come. Soo sweet but this is an unbelievable beer with this much age on it. I feel like I am never going to drink this fresh again. It just keeps getting better and better and better with time.

Orange copper pour with no head, incredible appearance when held to light. Sweet molasses and light fruit in the nose. flavor is sweet with raisin and more molasses. Alcohol is prevalent and almost overpowers the other flavors, I would love to stock a couple of these in my cellar and drink them in a year

Pours reddish copper with zero head. Glows and radiates when held up to the light. Nose of caramel, brown sugar and molasses with some dark fruit and vinous qualities. Flavors is sweet and dark, with raisin and molasses prevalent. Alcohol is present and noticable, and could be hidden a bit better. Almost lacerative, detracting from its smooth quaffability. Palate is very mellow and dry with carbonation a bit on the heavy side. Balance is a bit off, but tasty just the same.

2007 version. Murky orangish-brown with a thin tan head, slowly fading. Aroma of alcohol, citrus, fruit and caramel. Taste of alcohol, fruit, sweet malt, caramel with an alcohol burn finish.

Sweet aroma and dark brown to amber color. Drinks smooth with a little sweetness and a fruity flavor. Not easy to tell this is an 11.6% ABV.

poured this 2008 into a snifter, a dark caramel with a small tan head, good lacing.
smell of burnt toffee, roasted nuts, some berry, some cocoa.
taste is thick, nuts, toffee, malt, touch of cocoa, oily finish, as it warms becomes more smooth.

2004 vintage. Dark ruby color. Tan head with lasting carbonation. Aroma is sweet and sticky like pomegranates. Flavor is spicy sweet chocolate with intense alcohol warmth. Good beer, but not worth the price.

2007 vintage. pour is mid amber with almost no head. aroma is sweet, somewhat spicy. flavor is sweet, hot alcohol. probably would be better after another year in the cellar, but who has that kind of patience?