North Coast Old Stock Ale

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

2002 bottle. Considering how strong this beer is during the first few years of its life I would have to say after 6 years in, this flavors finally comes through. The malt finally took the lead with a huge jump in flavor and finally overpowered the alcohol that always seems to make this beer so unenjoyable.

Bottle @ Coles Barleywine Tasting Buffalo NY. 2005 Version. Pours a beautiful whiskey like amber color. Caramel malt sweetness with hints of whiskey, peat & alcohol. Rich, complex & delicious. Loved it

2007, bottle. Poured a medium amber color with a nice tan head. Aroma of nuts, chocolate and ripe dark fruits. Flavor is more of the same, lightly sweet, and with a great alcohol bite and smooth finish. Delicious.

Re Rate- 2007 Vintage. Bottle courtesy of BMan1113VR. I will judge based on this sample seeing as my first was spoiled. Pours a beautiful deep reddish amber color with a small top colored head that turns into a nice thing ring around the glass. Nose is caramel, sugar, bourbon, dark fruit, and a little bit of bread. Mouthfeel is medium to thin but coats the mouth pretty well and warms the back of the tongue. Taste is sweet and mellow especially after about a year and a half of age. Little bit of cherries, oak and vanilla in the taste too Nice brew. 2008 Vintage. Wow the folks at NC have really screwed up this year. My beer was an absolute nightmare and turned into a drain pour for all parties involved. Pours a beautfiul reddish brown color with a cinnamon colored head that is quite large for a BW. But that is where the praise stops!!! Nose is a disgusting combination of stale wet vegetables, vegetable oil, and the inside of an uncooked pumpkin. Taste is grainy, husky, and finish sweet and alcoholic. There was nothing good about this beer. I assume this year’s batch or just my batch were a mistake. Beware of the 08!

2007 bottle. Pours a ruby colour with a tan head. Big on the nose with notes of dried fruits, caramel and milk chocolate. You can feel some of the alcohol. The taste is sweet with notes of dried fruits and a bit to much alcohol (giving the beer a medicinal taste). The finish is long, a bit roasted and with some bitterness. Good one - a bit to alcoholic though, but hopefully that will go away with some ageing.

2007 Bottle - I imagine that drinking a four pack of this will do to your voice what smoking a pack a day for 20 years will do. This was all alcohol, no finesse. It should come with another warning label...

On tap at Flying Saucer. Has a very dark ruby color with a thick off white head. The aroma is sweet hops and caramel. Very good lacing on the glass. The taste was syrupy with a lot of alcohol. A good barley wine from North Coast

Red color with a decent head. Aroma is of brown sugar, caramel, and maple. Strong in alcoholic content. Complex flavor with notes of caramel. I had the 2006 vintage and the added alcohol was definetly evident, but I found that very pleasing with the feeling it left.