Old Stock Ale - North Coast Brewing Co.

Reaper16

Alabama

3.6/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz. bottle served into a tulip

2008 vintage

Pours a dull red that borders on the color of rust. A typical kind of pour, mechanically that is, resulted in a one and a half finger head that looks somewhere in between cream and yellow. When held directly to light it takes on a sort of butterscotch hue. It looks competent enough but colors aren't particularly mouthwatering.

Big, malty waves of toffee and fresh cream caress my nostrils in such a specific way that only breathing a vapor of finely crushed Worther's Originals candies could replicate the experience. "Wait, Reaper -- would you like blueberry muffins to go along with those Worther's Originals?" Sure, I say! I thought it was the standard raisin/dark fruit thing going on, but as the beer warms it became more pronounced as blueberry (with malty cake batter scents, too). It really works as a dessert beer as far as the aroma goes.

Ah, if only the taste was as unique and rewarding as the nose. Lots of chewy caramel flavor (and mental rememberings of a chewy texture that you aren't actually experiencing -- thus my use of the word chewy). The cream and cake batter don't carry over (though there is a touch of buttery diacetyl). Its all too much of a generic "sweet" taste on the tongue. Dark fruits are present and cut through the syrupy maltiness. This is really like an old Quad without the interesting yeast flavors.

The mouthfeel has its ups and downs. I appreciate that it isn't too thick so as not to make the sweetness too cloying. At the same time, the relative thinness makes it easy for the alcohol to burn through to the tongue if you hold the drink in your mouth too long. It is a large ABV% beer and the alcohol, while not a detriment exactly, can bully some other, subtle aspects of the beer.

I sound disappointed, and maybe I am, but this was a nice beer to drink. Tucking away with a single bottle of this from my cellar on a chilly night watching postseason baseball is a nice night indeed. I wasn't blown away by this beer. I expected more depth of flavor but what is there is pleasant enough.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2009 02:38:15 | More by Reaper16

nmann08

Maryland

3/5  rDev -27%

06-19-2013 18:16:18 | More by nmann08

t_carterb

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-19-2013 16:10:56 | More by t_carterb

Broanoke

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

06-18-2013 01:38:37 | More by Broanoke

sevenarts

New York

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

06-17-2013 22:42:25 | More by sevenarts

Hallertau

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-17-2013 01:39:29 | More by Hallertau

zipper8650

New York

4.24/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Good Beer Sunday
2009 poured straight down the middle of my new Savor tulip
A - thin fizzy head, goes away very quick, I see more brown than the expected dark amber, the amber is still there in the lighted edges
S - super bourbon boozy, very strong
T - wow, the smell is a total throw off! I love the balance on this one. lots of vanilla, still boozy but really really well balanced for me. its sweet but not overly. its like a really good tiramasu, your know its sweet and boozy but it all works together really well
M - different but i like it, again surprised with this one. Its not the usual syrupy thick feel (that i like) but it has some lightness to it, but its not carbonation. Its not too light by any means.
O - overall this beer was more than i was expecting. Color and smell didnt have me too confident but taste and mouthfeel really impressed
Skol

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 23:29:27 | More by zipper8650

Jayeblue24

Idaho

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

06-16-2013 16:23:31 | More by Jayeblue24

Hessian257

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-16-2013 13:34:46 | More by Hessian257

JamFuel

Sweden

3.25/5  rDev -20.9%

06-16-2013 08:41:17 | More by JamFuel

SanFranJake

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-16-2013 03:47:20 | More by SanFranJake

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

06-15-2013 05:23:42 | More by ZEB89

eagle55

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-14-2013 16:31:09 | More by eagle55

InfernoBoss

California

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

06-13-2013 05:58:12 | More by InfernoBoss

Topher78

California

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-11-2013 16:42:47 | More by Topher78

praxis16

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

06-08-2013 09:22:55 | More by praxis16

abeaulieu

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

06-08-2013 01:56:19 | More by abeaulieu

bigclydeoliver

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

06-07-2013 00:58:44 | More by bigclydeoliver

JT99125

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

06-06-2013 22:36:59 | More by JT99125

EigenBeer

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-05-2013 04:20:29 | More by EigenBeer

meghmmm

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +21.7%

06-04-2013 03:40:12 | More by meghmmm

kjyost

Manitoba (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

06-02-2013 18:17:30 | More by kjyost

griffeyb

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

06-02-2013 14:33:28 | More by griffeyb

Why-P-A

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Dark brown and slightly hazy, lower carbonation with minimal head.

S: Huge bouquet of aromas ranging from molasses to toffee to raisins to oak.

T: Very complex, quite alcohol forward which isn't surprising at nearly 12% but the malt and ester flavors come through as well. The flavor changes throughout the glass as your pallet adjusts to the powerful flavors of the beer.

M: Not overly think or syrupy despite the high alcohol and residual sugar.

O: This is a very unique beer and definitely a lost style that very few breweries are making well these days. I have had the 2010, 2011, and 2012 versions and each is subtilely different. This beer can really benefit from cellar aging in the bottle to let the flavors mellow and come together, it only gets better with time.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2013 19:02:38 | More by Why-P-A

ironchefmiyagi13

New York

4/5  rDev -2.7%

06-01-2013 17:17:29 | More by ironchefmiyagi13