North Coast - Old Stock Ale 2011

Tonight I am enjoying a bottle of Old Stock Ale from North Coast Brewing.  I love this beer.  Lets just get that out of the way right now.  It's one of the few beers that I am keeping a bottle of from each year to eventually do a 10 year vertical tasting.  The only other beer I'm currently doing that with is Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot.  And everybody has at least a few years of Bigfoot in their cellar.

Old Stock is an Old Ale.  Although some will liken it to an English Style Barley Wine due to the Fuggles and Goldings hops used.  For 2011, North Coast changed the label on Old Stock.  I'm not quite sure what prompted the change, but I like the old label better I think.  Here is my review of the 2010 version with the old label.  Let us know which one you like better.  In the meantime, I'll see if what's inside the bottle is better than 2010.

This brew looks almost identical to the 2010 vintage.  Perfectly clear, with a cherry wood and amber color.  Any foam that appeared during the pour ran away into oblivion, leaving behind no trace of its existence.  Brown sugar, candied dark fruit - cherries primarily - and booze jump into my nose.  Some tobacco and vanilla is noticeable too.  The flavors are bold and full; toffee, dark cherries, raisins, cocoa and more brown sugar.  It almost reminds me of a nice whiskey, especially with the strong alcohol warmth present throughout.  The finish is slightly sweet but mostly dried out by a moderate carbonation and booze.

Overall - Old Stock 2011 is far and away better than Old Stock 2010 was early in its age.  I felt the 2010 version was rough around the edges and needed some age to be fully appreciated.  2011 is fantastic right away.  The booze is borderline harsh but doesn't detract from Old Stock's enjoyability.  This will no doubt get better with age.  But I wouldn't feel bad drinking the entire four pack right away.

North Coast - Old Stock Ale 2010

Tonights brew is one I've been saving in my 50 degree chilled beer fridge for a while.  I bought this four pack at least six months ago, if not longer.  I distinctly remember being very excited about this ale since its brewed by the same guys that make one of my favorite Russian Imperial Stouts, Old Rasputin, which Dunz reviewed last year.  And honestly, outside of North Coast's RIS, I wasnt sure what else they brewed.  So getting my hands on another big beer from these guys makes me a happy beer drinker.

I remember after I got this home and in my fridge I opened one up a few hours later after it had some time to chill.  The flavors that I tasted then were hot.  Hot as in hot, cheap vodka alcohol hot.  Not good.  Bad... it made me sad.  But at 11.7% ABV I wasnt entirely surprised.  Old ales are brews that need some age on them before their flavor profile really starts to shine.  I am saving the other two from my initial purchase for later this winter after they have a year of mellowing behind them.  I dont think North Coast ages these at all at the brewery so as far as Im concerned these beers require some aging before enjoyment can commence.

Color is crystal clear and a deep amber.  No head at all.  Aromas are very malt forward with a sweet toasted bread and caramelized fruit, marmalade and brown sugar.  Alcohol sneaks its way in at the end.  Very viscous with medium carbonation.  The flavor profile is full and not hot!  Caramel bread with raisins, plums, hints of orange and brown sugar sweetness lead the charge.  Butterscotch and toffee are intertwined within this sweet but not cloying flavor profile.  Alcohol still plays a prominent role but its much more subdued than six months ago.  It helps to dry out and support the flavors as opposed to taking over the entire scene.

Overall - Far and away better than what it was six months ago and will be twice as good in another six months than what it is today.  As I said before, some age and patience will do wonders to old ales.  North Coasts website recommends it!  Grab the 2010 if you can find it.  But this is an annual, seasonal offer from NC so grab the 2011 and wait until well into 2012 to enjoy it.  You wont be disappointed with the result if you can wait!

Acme California Pale Ale

Happy Friday! 

Tonight I'll be drinking a beer from North Coast Brewing (the same brewery that gifted us with Old Rasputin RIS) called Acme California Pale Ale.  This concoction is brewed with Yakima Valley hops, American 2-row and British specialty malts.  It registers at 5%ABV, with a mild 21 IBU's.  If I'm reading their website correctly, it looks like this beer won Silver in the World Beer Championship for 7 straight years ('00-'06)....but no Golds.  It would be terrible to come that close for that many years, and not have a Gold to show for it. 

The label on this bottle is simple but well-done.  It depicts a red-headed dame swinging on a rope with a beer in her hand - they seem to be going for a Cirque-type style.  Pouring into my ale glass, this pours a glowing, hazy orange color with a frothy pure white head that sticks firmly to the glass.  The nose is subtle, with crisp grapefruit and sweet banana bread maltiness.  Nothing overwhelming, but it smells great.  This ale hits the tongue immediately with bubbly bitterness.  It quickly gives way to some distinguishable flavors; a touch of orange zest, and a boat-load of sweet bready malts.  The finish brings some peppers and spice, which morphs into a tin-can flavor that's a bit unpleasant, but doesn't ruin the beer.  Carbonation is fairly heavy, which gives the beer a light, crisp texture. 

Overall Rating:  (3.9 out of 6.0)  This isn't a bad Pale Ale.  It's full of flavor and well balanced between the citrus tang and the sweet malts.  After drinking the remainder of the beer, that tin-can metallic flavor does hang around, but again, not a deal-breaker.  I would drink this beer again, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.