North Coast Old Stock Cellar Reserve Brandy Barrel

Formerly brewed at North Coast Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine
Fort Bragg, California USA

Bottled tasted blind. An unclear red-brown beer with no head. The aroma is sweet malty with notes of caramel and over ripe fruits. The flavor is sweet mlaty with notes of over ripe fruits, alcohol, hops, and whiskey, leading to a bitter finish. I have no idea why I picked up whiskey in this one - but I did.

(Bottle 37,5 cl) Courtesy of toncatcher/fordest. Pours a very cloudy orangey brown with a small, beige head. Distinct oaky aroma. Extremely full-bodied, low in carbonation. Very sweet caramel flavours - almost a little sticky. Plenty of overripe fruit flavours and oak - wonderful oak. No bitterness but an extremely warming alcohol. Almost cognac-like. A drink for the gods, oh how I dig this. Yum - big time. 190408

Blind tasting at Papsoes place, another great session, thanks Henrik! Beer #19: Pours hazy dark brown with a fully diminished white head. Solid brandy and wineous aroma. Flavour follows this closely by being solid brandy and mild spiced. Dense alcohol warming feel into the finish. Chocolate and mild roasted malt appears going into a light fruity and malty finish. Nice and smooth wineous/oaky.

Bottle. Hazy orange red coloured with a small beige head. Sweet aroma of caramel and dried fruits with notes of sherry and oxidated notes. Sweet flavour of caramel and dried fruits with notes of sherry and alcohol. Finish of dried fruits and alcohol.

Name: Old Stock 2005 Brandy
Date: December 15, 2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party
Appearance: clear dark brown, scant beige head
Aroma: sweet brandy and caramel candy aroma with dark fruity and a bit of hot alcohol that melds well with the other characters
Flavor: sweet chocolate and caramel flavor, candy sweetness, nice fruity character, sticky sweetness, alcohol leaves fumes but stays out of the way

Name: Old Stock 2005 Brandy
Date: December 18, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar stock
Score: 4.4 to 4.7
Appearance: viscous enough to almost have legs
Aroma: dark fruit is coming out stronger in the aroma with essence of raisons sautaed in a brown sugar reduction and drizzled with a vanilla infused white chocolate sauce
Body: body has initial high carbonation but quickly settles into being thick and sticky
Flavor: flavor is all chocolate covered caramel with a brandy center, touch of molasses, a bit of the dark fruits, just a hint of the alcohol

Name: Old Stock 2005 Brandy
Date: April 05, 2009
Mode: bottle
Source: cellar stock
Score: 4.2
Aroma: sweet dark fruit aroma continues to take domonance, vanilla sweetness follows
Flavor: sweet dark caramel flavor, brown sugar sweetness, touch of brandy along with the brown sugar, dark fruits still trying to gain a foothold, alcohol is all but gone leaving a peppery wake then makes a return at the finish
Overall: tasty but loosing some of the brandy caramel candy character

Aroma: 10/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 9/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 20/20
Rating: 4.7/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***4

Reddish-brown colour and flat. Big wood nose with lots of alcohol. Slightly vinous. Burly, brash on the palate but with a smooth maltiness. A hint of maple helps take the edge off. Well-rounded for such a big beer.

Muddy with tiny beige head. Sweet vinious aroma with notes of caramel, ripe fruits. Sweet vinious flavor with sherry notes, overripe fruits, roasted malt and caramel. Sweet flavor with vinious, sherry and madeira notes. I get overripe fruits, toffee and caramel notes. Ends sweet with alcohol touch.

(375ml bottle, thanks kmweaver) Medium beige head atop dark brown body. Aroma is moderately sweet, vanilla, caramel, some raisin. Taste is sweet, caramel, vanilla, some Bourbon, light raisin. Smooth medium-full body. Good stuff, but I prefer "unbarreled" Old Stock.