Old Stock Ale - North Coast Brewing Co.

AtrumAnimus

Texas

4.85/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This one is the best barley wine I have ever tasted on draft. The nose reminds me of a Hennessey XO cognac. The alcohol smell is very strong and usually something I don't enjoy as much in the nose. This one is the exception though. I love good cognac therefore the nose is exceptional in my opinion. The taste is also exceptional. The Cognac like nose lends to the flavor - and they are right - the warmer this barley wine the better it tastes. The after taste is fruity and not bitter like many barley wines I have tried. According to their web site this is a vintage limited run of 12,000 cases. So I would grab the bottles while you can. But if you can get the draft - man you are in for a treat.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2003 11:14:16 | More by AtrumAnimus

TXHops

Texas

3.08/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2002 Bottling.

-OG: approx. 1115
-FG: approx.1.030
-ABV: 11.4%
-AA: approx. 72%
-Calories/12 oz: approx 379
-Real Extract: approx 11 P
-Floor-malted Maris Otter Pale Malt and Fuggles Hops imported from England
-Fuggles Hops


Note--I don't have the exact Original Gravity for Old Stock Ale (though if someone gets it for me, I'd be quite appreciative) so most of the above numbers are approximations based on the fact that I know OG is greater than 1.100 and my own rough estimation of apparent attenuation (AA).

Old Stock Ale pours a deep, but brilliant garnet color: maybe chestnut or mahogany is more accurate... A tan head is thrown up with the pour, but it slowly relents to the high ABV and becomes nothing more than wisps of cirrus clouds across the top of the beer.
Interestingly, Old Stock Ale smells almost completely inert. You'd think that with that much gravity and the requisite hopping rate that I'd be able to pick up something. However, I only get the vaguest dried-fruit maltiness and a bit of wine-like alcohol.

The flavor is similar--frightfully subdued. While there's a LOT of viscous mouthfeel, and quite a bit of carbonation, there isn't much flavor. I taste (and feel) a considerable amount of alcohol--the mouthfeel is hot and peppery and the finish burns and tingles inside my mouth for quite a while after the beer's been swallowed. If I thoroughly rinse my mouth with water, wait 5 minutes and then really concentrate, I can get a slight brown sugar flavor to come through before the alcohol takes over. Where are the hops? Where's all that malt? For something with the shear quantity of raw ingredients as Old Stock Ale, there should be a lot more going on in the glass. I'm suspecting that there's something wrong with my taste buds tonight, so I'm going to re-visit this review after my next sample of Old Stock. However, I remember drinking last year's vintage and having the same reaction--UNDERSTATED. Talk about subtle. Subtlety is a great trait in most beer, but this is over the top subtlety.

Now that I've let the beer warm to room temps, I can also pick up some raisin flavors, though the alcohol presence has increased. Like I said, I'll re-review soon to verify these results...

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2003 20:28:58 | More by TXHops

Wildman

Ohio

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2002 Edition:
This beer poured a nice deep red amber color and formed a nice foamy off white head that subsided quickly and left a small amount of lace. Some carbonation is present. An aroma of malt, caramel and fruit. A flavor of malt and fruit with some of the alcohol present as well. Not bad for a barleywine, but probably could use some cellaring.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2003 18:26:10 | More by Wildman

hyuga

North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2002 edition. Dark ruby red with a beige head, which unfortunately doesn't stay that well, but that can be expected with this style. Aroma of berries and nuts. Definitely some cherry in there, maybe a little soaked wood as well. Alcohol is definitely present. The flavor is hop-infused berries and raisins with pretty big maltiness backing that up, sweet, nutty, and woody, with a little caramel. Very spicy Sharp hop and alcohol twang on the back corners of the tongue. Bittersweet is a good one-word description. This is a great barleywine, but I find it odd that it doesn't seem to be bottle conditioned. I think all barleywines are just perfect for bottle conditioning. Still, I imagine that you could cellar it and get some good results. In fact, I think it could stand a little cellaring before tasting. Very nice as is though. Try this if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2003 14:24:54 | More by hyuga

Morris729

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2002 edition. Pours a reddish mahogany color with a very thin white head that immediately fades into a thin lace. Nose is sweet malts, brown sugar, and ripe fruit with some alcohol notes. Taste is quite sweet at first with notes of candied sugar, caramel, raisins, and spicy hops. Very smooth with some buttery toffee notes and a warming alcohol effect. I love a good barley wine, and this one is in that category. I plan to lay several down for a year or two and see how they mature.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2003 16:34:10 | More by Morris729

Valevapor

Oregon

4.78/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A nice, dark amber to ruby hue w/ zilch haze. Sweetness and alcohol dominate the aroma, with notes of raisin/prune and a mild floridity. A huge, malty blanket wraps around the tongue. An almost praline-like dessert quality with subtle prune characteristics. Hops definitely play second fiddle in this bold ensemble! A healthy gulp will light a small fire in your belly! Overall, an incredibly smooth, big barley wine that sits on the sweet side of the fence.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2003 19:26:22 | More by Valevapor

mickeymac

California

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is a 2002 and should be sitting for a while before it's consumed. Patience has never been my strong suit. It pours a nice mahogony with a smallish head the dissipates quickly. The smell is ripe fruit with a definite alcohol aroma. It's certainly a different beast from Bigfoot but every bit as enjoyable. The hops are more subtle, but the malt makes its presence known in a most pleasant way. Apricot and just a bit of cherry are rounded out nicely by enough bitterness to balance everything. The assertiveness of the alcohol will almost certainly mellow into something to be cherished. It's deliciously creamy. If the remainder of my supply makes it through another year, it should be absolutely remarkable.

Reviewed again over a year later on 01/19/04. This has met expecations as far as aging goes. The head and carbonation have diminished but the flavor has certainly improved. The alcohol smell and taste have mellowed a bit, allowing dark fruit to dominate completely: raisin and date with just a hint of brown sugar. Enough hop bitterness remains to keep things in check. In hindsight, I felt that I overrated it when I originally reviewed it, but it has aged so well that I have no qualms about notching up the ratings on taste and drinkability. I was certainly lucky to run across a large stash of the '02 OS in early '04.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2002 22:21:04 | More by mickeymac

mjohn27603

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

It is just after midnight on New Year's and I broke one out of the beer cellar. This is the first beer I bought to cellar. This is a 2001 vintage I bought in early 2002. It poured out of the bottle almost like molten orange steel. It looks more brown in the glass. Kind of a caramel color that you can't see through. I couldn't put my finger on any aroma just sweet smellling. The taste is like a mild caramel. I'll say like a port even if I'm not expert in ports. A bit meaty. After aging everything is a bit subtle and not in your face at all. Watch the ABV - 11.4%!

I am drinking an old beer and listening to old records like the Replacements. A winter warmer that I'm drinking by the stereo with memories rather than the fireplace. I've got 3 more that I'll probably drink at a rate of one a year.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2002 21:40:02 | More by mjohn27603

marc77

California

4.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Turbid chestnut brown hue. Light tan head quickly settles into a thin, tight ring that coats the glass rim. Enticing blend of caramelized nuts, buttery malt, vinous alcohol soaked plums, with hints of grape and floral hops. Akin to a more intense Young's Old Nick aromawise. Intensely rich caramel driven malt profile, accompanied by notes of toast and buttery diacetyl. Fruitiness is of a mellow prune like nature and when coupled with the mild chocolate note, an impression of chocolate covered dried fruit is left mid palate. Notes of sherry, bittersweet alcohol along with muted hop bitterness emerge. Full bodied, w/ a viscous mouthfeel. Finishes with a spicy hot candy like sweetness. An intense, yet tremendously smooth barleywine. Its inherent satiating richness precludes quaffability. Old Stock is thus a beautiful nightcap. Surprisingly reminescent of Bell's 3rd Coast Ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2002 09:36:35 | More by marc77

Mark

California

4.58/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This 2001 vintage bottle was supplied compliments of a butcher at a Whole Foods market. Color appeared to be a deep red with orange hues, head was tan, and lacing was good. This beer had a very strong fruity nose, plums and pears? Not surprisingly the taste was very smooth with a strong alcoholic kick. Good rounded mouth feel and for such a powerful ale, quite drinkable. Not my favorite style of brew but very good nonetheless. A potent warming ale. Perfect for a gloomy rainy day. Addition: I have fallen in love with tis brew and consider it one of the great beers available to us. The 2006 vintage aged one year has done it for me. Ultra smooth, warming, enjoyable, the ultimate sipping ale? Maybe, all I know is it is stupendous.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2002 16:37:45 | More by Mark

StevieW

Florida

4.6/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2001 version. Rich deep burgundy to brown color. Thin, fizzy beige head settled to a dusting atop the viscous liquid. Smells were a rich warm inviting combination of roasted fruit, oak, and sweet carmel malt smells. Taste was unbelievably smooth. Initial shots of sweet roasted plum tastes and syrupy feel. As the glass warmed, undertones of malty sweetness erupt, with the subtle oak and whiskey like belly warming alcohol prescense is felt. The beer thins a touch, but only in a way to balance the syrup like feel earlier. Unbelievable beer, smooth, rich, and delicious. No harsh bitter bite like some other barleywines I have had. Had I not known better, I would have guessed it to be a strong belgian ale. One bottle left of this for a special night !
Cheers to North Coast for making a wonderful barleywine !

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2002 05:48:11 | More by StevieW

BeerManDan

California

5/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A beauitful dark copper color with very little foam in the glass. The aroma show's a fruity and spicy flair with a hint of carmel. This ale taste's what the aroma smell's like, plus. Complex aroma and taste is what this beer is. The alcohol is not over bearing or powerful and the bitterness on the after taste and palate is well balanced, with a hit of sweetness. Drink at room temperature, if cold it just doesn't have the flavor, aroma and compexity it should have. Storing up on this beer. Going for a week-end drive to Ft. Bragg if I can't find this locally! This Ale will blow your stock's off! At least it did mine.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2002 16:53:33 | More by BeerManDan

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2000. The aroma starts with dark fruit, alcohol, a touch of sweet maltiness, and some light hop character. The color is brownish with some crimson tints. The head starts fairly creamy with a light beige color but dissipates quickly as expected in a high alcohol beer. The flavor starts with a burst of sharp dark fruit and malt, followed by a fairly heavy touch of alcohol, and then a drying hop character which is somewhat aggressive, but far from overwhelming. The finish is dry, but one sided. An excellent beer, but it's no Samiclaus or Thomas Hardy's either. An excellent beer from an excellent brewery!

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2002 18:09:49 | More by NeroFiddled

Bierman9

New Hampshire

4.18/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured this thinking I was having an old, strong ale, not a barley. Pleasant surprize! Great mahogany/chestnut color, with ruby hues, too! A decent head sat on top, faded quickly, and left ok lacing in the glass. Big-time aroma! Reminded me a bit of Samichlaus....rich, sweet, strong alcohol presence. Lovely body, and really caressed the tongue. Some raisiny notes mixed in with the sweet maltiness and warming alcohol. Tasty! just keep an eye on how many you've had; they'll sneak up on you! Vielen Dank, Herr Murph, und Prosit!!

overall: 4.25
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4.5 | drinkability: 4

260

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2002 05:43:14 | More by Bierman9

Murph

Arizona

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2001

Well I am laying the rest of this 4-pack down and after tasting this one i am going to be having dreams about what they will be like. It poured a great deep amber color with a bit of a creamy head that faded a bit faster than I would have liked. It smells very malty with alcohol undertones in it. The taste is all malt from the first sip till you swallow. A huge malt character that almost completely drowns out the alcohol. A different kind of malt sweetness than a double bock (tend to be too sweet for me, or the wrong kind of sweet.) The mouthfeel is very sticky and it completely coats your entire mouth and tongue with its flavor. I think as young as this is I could still drink a few of these with no problem. A class brew. It should dry out a little as it ages. Can't wait to see how it is doing around next Christmas.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2002 23:49:58 | More by Murph

Brent

Kentucky

2.85/5  rDev -30.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Sorry Matt, but this one did not score with me. Great bronze/ruby color, but the flavor was an overwhelming bittersweetness that coated my tongue so that I could not get any other dimension from the beer. At a whopping 11.4% abv, I did not even get any spicyness from the alcohol. Perhaps this beer will integrate the flavor over time and develop more character, but for the time being, it just wasn't my cup of tea ... I mean beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2002 21:55:45 | More by Brent

mattmaples

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I don't know of any other domestic "Old Ale" to compare this to but this one rocks. The carbonation was a little low (even for the style) but maybe that will improve with age. Huge, malty and smooth. Unlike some "Old Ales" this one is good now and it should continue to get better for at least 3 if not 5 years. Although a touch sweet it is not overly so and it should dry out if you age it. If you can get this one make sure and pick up some so you can put them down.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2001 17:42:19 | More by mattmaples