Stoudts Anniversary

Formerly brewed at Stoudts Brewing Co.
Style: Dunkler Bock
Adamstown, Pennsylvania USA

From a 750mL Bottle, #582. Courtesy of Dickinsonbeer. Mostly hazy, fig-flesh amber body with a tall head of quickly dissipating off-white head. Impressive amount of carbonation for a beer of this age. Aromas of dark fruit malts combine with some corn-like grains. Certainly oxidized, but the oxidation notes work well with the malt suggestions of raisin and figs. Clean aromatics yeast-wise, leaving this a little lacking in terms of aroma, since the only aromatics are oxidized malt. Again, excusable and not unpleasant. Medium bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel with a spritzy texture. Flavors of pale chocolate and raisin. The munich malt characters seem to have lasted better in the aroma than in the flavor. A bit leathery and thin from the oxidation, but otherwise is exceptionally clean. Flavors of chocolate and faint roast linger in the finish. This has aged remarkably well. Thanks, Paul!

750mL Bottle. #582. Thanks Andy for sharing! Aroma gives off a green olive tone to some sourdough bready in an old brown malt manner. Soft and salty. Very well carbonated at 8 years old. Pours a dark brown, with a tall finger of banana-bread tone. Flavor gives off a strong honey character, in a shallow buckwheat way, with a bit of bread. Some light browness, rye, and caraway. Gentle and nuanced. This is interesting. It’s aged gracefully without too much oxidation, cardboard, dust or old hops. Nicely dry. The malts have gracefully developed some really interesting complexity and holding good carbonation, this has a beautiful softness that makes it really attractive. Graham cracker in the smack fills it out. Surprisingly enjoyable.

750mL bottle, #582, dated March 2001. Poured deeper reddish-brown with a creamy cap of yellowy-beige head. The aroma was sweet and toasty with caramel, lighter chocolate, and a faint hint of molasses supporting herbal accents.. mild oxidation.. this held up very well! The flavor found semi-sweet chocolate and molasses again at the core with lightly sour black malts and dry herbal surroundings.. finished dry and warm, picking up a little more of the oxidation. Medium-bodied with little carbonation left on the palate.. dry and definitely aged, but it certainly aged gracefully!

Brewed March of 2001. Thanks guys! Pours a dirty brown with a ring of off-white head. Aroma is alcohol, malt, brown sugar, and dark fruit. Taste is malty, caramel, brown sugar. Amazing.

750ml bottle @Vero Beach Throwdown-pours a thin off white head and brown color. Aroma is sweet caramel, medium malt. Taste is sweet caramel, medium malt, dry secondary earthy hops. OK effervescence. Thanks mgumby10/from dickinsonbeer for sharing.

765 ml. bottle dated 02/04/03 courtesy Buffalohead, my mysterious younger brother. Well, here is an interesting offering - a bottle conditioned lager that is now 5 years old. Very minimal sound as the cap was popped, raising concerns about the carbonation and general condition of the beer. Not to worry, as a medium, creamy, light tan head formed above the dark, ruby/brown pour. Actually, the head lasted well, and produced a very respectable lace.

Prominent dark malty aroma, some chocolate, molasses, prune, and maybe even a hint of vanilla, but no hops to speak of.

Medium to full body and very light carbonation, smooth and rich. Big malty sweetness to start off with, followed by a slowly building soft bitterness that has a distant tangy character at the finish.

I’ve had a couple of other bocks this old, but I don’t think they were bottle conditioned, and they didn’t fare too well. This, however, has some character and seems to have developed some complexity with time. It would be nice to have a fresh bottle as a baseline, but apparently they’re not making this anymore. Too bad.

Courtesy mgumby10. Cloudy brown pour with almost no head. Raisins and brown sugar. A very solid drinker with a flavor of dried fruit and a nice bitter finish. Palate is solid. A very nice offering that is solid all round.

Courtesy mgumby10. 2001 vintage. Bottle #629. Pours a muddled, murky dark brown color. A small, off-white head leaves random spotting on the glass. The aroma is very malty, with brown sugar, molasses, cola laying the backdrop for dark fruits, such as red apples and plums. Cinnamon adds a hint of spice, completing the nose. The flavor follows suit, with sweet malts and dark fruits again dominating. There is a touch of graininess, which I interpret to be a faded floral hop component. Medium bodied and a bit under-carbonated, I think this one might have past its peak some time ago. Still, this was a very enjoyable brew.