Old Stock Cellar Reserve (Aged In Bourbon Barrels) - North Coast Brewing Co.

kiddynamite920

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2009 Cellar Reserve.

A: Sizzling, effervescent head. On the darkish brown side with ruby and caramel highlights. Head is retaining well around the edge in a ring. Certainly up to par.

S: Aroma is unbelievably smooth and full of caramel, vanilla, bourbon, oak, brown sugar and a good reminder that this one is 13%. The barrel aging has certainly done this one well.

T: Bourbon flavors throughout, which works well with this old ale. Old stock being one of my favorite old ales, this definitely takes it a step beyond. Sweet vanilla and caramel mix with some spicy booze. Finishes sweet with a bit of heat in the back of the throat.

M: Get a bit of prickle, but this one really smooths out well. Alcohol heat doesn't really hit you until the back end. Only drawback is the body of the beer seems to have thinned. Leaves the lips sticky with a maple syrup sweetness.

O: Fantastic bourbon barrel beer. The bourbon doesn't take center stage, yet lingers throughout each sip. Really wish this beer wasn't so expensive, as I could see myself buying quite a lot of it otherwise. Great cellar candidate, and a great beer for a chilly night.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 04:06:48 | More by kiddynamite920

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.58/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thank you Jayhawk73 for bringing this one to a small tasting. I vote Jeff for Mayor!

2009 Vintage:

A: Beautiful, glistening, dark brown color, with a clear disposition and no head whatsoever... but that's not the point here anyway.

S: Liquify some almonds, pour the juice into a glass, add some bourbon, high grade malt to it, and age it. Then, stick your snout down in the glass, and this is what you get. Amazing!

T: Sweet, but in a good, candy-like way. The bourbon was totally present, but it meshed well with the malt and hop profile.

M: Fairly well carbonated for this style, and the sweet lingering was pleasant. Virtually no lacing, and the alcohol warming was perfect on a cool night.

O: I've tried lots of Old Ales in my time, and this is certainly one of the best. This one is expensive were sure, but it's worth every penny in my opinion!

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 22:28:26 | More by Chaney

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.88/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle shared by jayhawk73. Thanks Jeff!

2009 vintage

The beer is a crimson / brown / ruby color, with just a fleeting glimpse of a head. The aroma is simply fabulous. Delectable bourbon, oak, malt. Perfect blend of flavors. This beer tastes amazing. Incredibly smooth, time has served this old ale very well. The $20+ price tag is a bit steep, but wow, this beer delivers. Alcohol presence is completely unobtrusive. I highly recommend this beer. A must try.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 18:20:26 | More by Huhzubendah

cosmicevan

New York

4.8/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a - released the cage and decorked the bottle, filled my ccb snifter. deep ruby brown with a real nice shine to it when the light hits it...thin fizzy head that fizzed out. super slippery with no lacing at all...expected for a bourbon barrel aged brew.

s - oh zing...that's it! bourbon barrel aged old ale. YUM...my favorite blend of beer for bourbon barrels. nice chocolatey bourbon. dark rich fruit. nutmeggy old ale backbone. just perfect.

t - really solid and nice balance between old ale and rich chocolatey booziness. grapejuice, caramel. really amazing.

m - full bodied. rich. coats my mouth in boozy tingles.

o - as good or better than any other barrel aged old ale, but at twice the price. this beer is certainly a delicacy and provides the satisfaction you'd expect if you saved it for a special moment. although it's a pricey beer, it is a damn fine beer...world class.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 00:55:48 | More by cosmicevan

flannelman808

California

4.33/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: deep copper with a light tan head.

S: huge bourbon nose which melds into bright fruity flavors and caramel. WOW

T: Amazing beer, albeit a dumb expensive one. That said it's worth every penny. Bourbon spicy sweet flows into staple barleywine flavors of ripe fruit, citrus, and toffee bitter tree bark.

M: rich

O: too expensive but amazingly good and I think probably will get better over the next few years.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 11:37:37 | More by flannelman808

ILikeGoodCider

California

4.05/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on 09.10.2011 from a 500ml painted brown mini-750'er. Poured into a 10oz snifter.

A: Dark, chestnut body. No real head retention. No lacing. Looks dry and clean when swirled. All expected from an boozy old ale, aged in oak.

S: Bourbon, vanilla, caramel, and a bit of floral notes came through. As it warms, more cocoa and caramel.

T&M: Not nearly as delicate or complex as the aroma. The esters are quiet low for a 13%er. Carbs are subtle. Malty, warm, and just a little dry.

D:: Pretty smooth for a big beer. Got even better as it warmed up.

At $25, it lived up to it's price.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 01:41:57 | More by ILikeGoodCider

beerandcycling88

Washington

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 500ml creamic bottle into a snifter. Nervous about this one because at $25 a bottle its going to kill me if its not any good.

A Pours a dark mahogany color with a very short lived tan head.However there is a lot of bubbles in there still.

S The nose is dominated by bourbon lots of bourbon. There are also some nice notes of vanilla, caramel, and a bit of oak. A nice complex nose despite the strength of the bourbon.

T The taste follows the nose with lots of bourbon, vanilla caramel, and oak. Also as it warms alcohol makes an appearance but not in an overpowering way.

M Very smooth mouthfeel with just a bit of alcoholic warmth. I can't believe that this beer is over 13%.

Overall this is a great, very complex beer that is worth spending an evening sipping on. However that the price it is, this one is strictly for special occasions.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 21:55:33 | More by beerandcycling88

Chriscrundwell12

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Kevin for sharing this.

2009 Bottle poured into a Cigar City snifter.

A- Dark Brown color red orange hues coming off the bottom, minimal lacing, no apparent head.
S- Really nice aroma, caramel, toffee, dark fruits (plums, raisins), big vanilla and bourbon notes, brown sugar.
T- Taste is similar to aroma, nice bite after every sip, huge vanilla flavor, love the bourbon in this beer, toffee, caramel, brown sugar, oak, dark fruits, really nice, rich and complex.
M- Big mouth feel, alcohol is present but not overpowering, minimal carbonation, bitter sweet finish.
O- This beer is really tasty, strong complex beer, it’s a sipper and one that needs/should be shared with others, really enjoyable, would love to try this again sometime in the future.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 05:11:20 | More by Chriscrundwell12

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by Jason, 500ml cermaic bottle into some snifters. Thanks for saving this one dude.

Poured a dark reddish-mahogany, big bubbles are formed and compromise a transient off-white head that fades to a thin collar. No lacing or real retention to speak of. Nose is caramel, gentle bourbon notes, butterscotch and hints of dark fruits in the periphery. Some alcohol notes too, a general sweetness is found throughout the nose. Taste is rich in caramel, butterscotch, vanilla and bourbon, although the bourbon presents itself in a harsher way than found in the nose. More alcohol and leather notes. Mouthfeel is medium-heavy, rich and relatively sweet. Medium-low carb, but on second pours this appears to be much lower than I initially gathered. Great drinkability, a true sipper. Decadent, and something to really be savoured.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 16:49:34 | More by liamt07

Kilonad

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This was everything I was hoping that Utopias would be, only a lot more drinkable (and a heck of a lot cheaper). It's got a decent nose on it, similar to the Utopias (only with less soy sauce and far less alcohol), but it's far more drinkable. A truly fantastic brew, and well worth the ~$25 price it commands.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 15:29:35 | More by Kilonad

aasher

Indiana

4.78/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I decided to open one of these to celebrate my engagement yesterday. 2009 vintage. It's also fitting that this is my 500th bottle review.

It pours a nice mahogany in color, between light and medium in body, with a slight beige lacing around the glass. The aromas are of candied sugar, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, bourbon, and oak. If you let it decant and swirl it about a bit you get some really elegant brandy notes, even some apple brandy. It smells great. It tastes of vanilla, cream, brown sugar, oak, cherries, port, brandy, bourbon, and has a superb smooth creamy finish. It is as if all of my tastebuds stood up to applaud. It instantly makes your mouth salivate. It drinks so smoothly and definitely makes you pay attention. This is a superb old ale, and a phenomenal barrel aged beer, period. I knew this one would be pretty stellar but it still surprised me. What a phenomenal beer, phenomenal.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 01:36:55 | More by aasher

JamesMcPolin

California

4.45/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A:Poured from the 500ml bottle into a clean goblet. It’s a nice mahogany-like brown in color. Pours with some head but quickly dissipates. Much more transparent than opaque when held to any light.

S: Wonderful bourbon aroma, spirits accompanied by oak and vanilla. Dried and candied dark fruits like raisins and prunes. Oh god that bourbon smell is just so good!

T: Sweet and malty, beautifully balanced by the alcohol, bourbon and oak flavors. The wood and malts impart a nice charred and roasted flavor. Also detecting a molasses like flavor maybe? Excellent and well rounded.

M: Not nearly as hefty as I might have expected. Surprisingly light actually. It’s got a clean velvety mouthfeeel with a warm tingle in the finish.

O: Great brew. Man I love bourbon barrel aging! Especially with 13% abv Old Ales and English-style Barleywines. So good I could sit here swirling it and smelling it all day. Only negative is the price point. I passed on picking up this brew for a long time just because it’s pretty cost prohibitive. But I finally got one for my birthday and would have to say that it earns a definite recommendation to try it at least once.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 19:06:33 | More by JamesMcPolin

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

So I'll come right out with it--- I HATE old ales.
I bought a few of these for trading purposes, and found myself at a tasting in which DrewBa opened one of these up... I really liked it. So I brought one out to a recent tasting and here's my review.

Reviewed from notes dictated into voice notes on my iphone.

it's like a nice reddish brown color with a small head-- but I'll give it some slack because it is in fact a barrel aged beer.
The aroma is spectacular. Lots of vanilla (from the barrel , right?). Lots of caramel malt. Very nice and very pleasant.
The flavor is sweet up front with no hops noticeable. The vanilla is fantastic. A little hint of coffee-- especially in regards to the bitterness.
This is REALLY a nice drinking beer. The finish has a little hint of booziness with some alcohol warmth.
The body is full a low creamy carb level.

This works. I hate old ales... And yet, this is amazing. I actually WANT to drink these bottles I have. The barrel aging really helps cut though that stale pretzel vibe that old ales seem to have in my past experiences.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 16:16:59 | More by AleWatcher

srandycarter

California

4.22/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Between dark tea and cola. Small head, not much lace.

S - BOOZE. Deep bourbon, wood, vanilla and malt.

T - Bourbon, vanilla, burnt sugar, cooked dark fruits. Lush sweet and beautiful.

M - Medium to high carbonation, balance a little to the sweet. Hot.

D - A sipper and not meant to be a session for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 04:34:08 | More by srandycarter

sk8man121

Maine

3.73/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16.9 oz. bottle (on sale for $16.99 at Whole Foods in Portland, ME) poured into snifter.

A: Pours a deep shade of plum with ruby highlights. 1.5 finger tan head settles quickly into a flat slick as expected.

S: Brown sugar, vanilla, toffee, caramel. Sweetness.

T: Raison, toffee and caramel. Warmed sugar and quite a bit of alcohol make up the latter half of this one. Nice, but also quite cloying.

M: Thick and syrupy. Carbonation is low, yet it creams up nicely.

O: I'm having a hard time understanding the massive amount of praise that comes along with this beer. It's certainly a nice barley wine/old ale, but it's also quite hot and somewhat of a mess. I enjoyed it, but I have no intention on grabbing another bottle for the cellar given it's ridiculous price of admission.

Good, but over-priced.

Edit: Forgot to mention that one impressive factor of this beer is that it truly is a different animal from the original old stock. So there's that, which is nice.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 02:59:32 | More by sk8man121

badboyrsl84

California

4.05/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a grayish brown with a fizzy white head.

Smell- strong caramel and vanilla a notes. Very sweet smelling brew. Hints of more bourbon oak and other dark fruits in the end.

Taste- wow its sweet. Lots of caramel and vanilla as detected in the nose. Sweet finish of caramel and candy sugar.

Overall- its very smooth and very sweet. Solid showing for this brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 06:47:20 | More by badboyrsl84

WJVII

Wisconsin

3.13/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass this brew was a muddy dark brown with a huge head that dissipated quickly to nothing. No head retention what so ever. The aroma was very sweet with strong caramel and brown sugar up front. Definitely some bourbon aroma from the aging in oak barrels. The taste was way over powering with sweetness. A strong brown sugar taste takes over. Some bourbon and slight chocolate flavor is present as well. The body was thin and lacking good carbonation. Not the best brew I have had, in fact a little disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 01:06:13 | More by WJVII

marikoangel

California

4.2/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a bubble glass at Amsterdam in SF.

A: It pours a mud brown. Opaque and murky. There was maybe a 1/8in of head that dissipated almost immediately. No real lacing to speak of. A flat brown beer.

S: Intense and sweet. A huge blast of sweet rotting and candied fruit, vanilla, oak, brown sugar, with a hint of chocolate and coffee.

T: The taste is definitely different that I thought it would be. It's more stout-like with nice rich chocolate flavors, like milk chocolate with smaller hints of dark fruits, such as raisins. There is lots of vanilla, oak and light caramel, with a little toffee malts. It starts stronger and a little boozy, but quickly mellows out. Pleasantly complex.

M&O: It has a medium mouthfeel that's a bit oily and chewy. Overall it's super drinkable, almost to a fault. It doesn't taste like a 13% beer, it goes down too easily with no alcohol burn but with some boozy notes still. I'm definitely loving this one. It's the 2009 reserve and was one of three bottles left; so I'm happy I got a chance to try this at least once.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 00:04:05 | More by marikoangel

jayhawk73

Maryland

4.78/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A- Pours a dark brown/crimson w/ a really nice two finger cocoa head. Really nice carbonation and decent lacing, w/ is understandable at 13% ABV. Excellent Old Ale.

S- Bourbon, malt, oak, vanilla, whiskey. The nose is fantastic, and just a smidge under a 4.5 score. If the smell was a little stronger, or more present, it would be there in a heartbeat.

T- All the nose present here, and wow- it's jacked up a notch too. Incredible bourbon/whiskey/port aftertaste that lingers for a long time. I really can't imagine an Old Ale being better than this- this is an experience that can't be put into words.

M- There's so much going on here, I'm at a loss for words. Super complex and simply amazing feel on this beer. My description won't do it justice... Period.

O- This is the best Old Ale I've ever had, and one of the better beers I've had. Simply put, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up if you see it- whatever the price. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 23:49:04 | More by jayhawk73

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

4.58/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2009 vintage brought out at a super night out on the patio - thanks for hosting Viggo and thanks to Ian for the bottle! I'm not much for reviewing at social gatherings but hard to pass this one up.

Great looking ceramic bottle, pour is a dark brown with hints of amber, small head with just a touch of lace.

The smell is amazing - loaded up with bourbon and oaky vanilla, brown sugar, molasses, leather. A touch of dark fruits. Smells super yummy. Smooth flavor, just sultry in the mouth. Again, loads of bourbon and vanilla but they don't overwhelm the base which has some great dark fruits, nuts, leather, a hint of earth and tobacco, toffee going on. Just a hint of alcohol but mostly you're aware of the size of it through the full, round body that suits this beer to a tee.

A fantastic treat on a good night. Definitely not going to pass this up if I see it again.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 16:30:11 | More by ritzkiss

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Shared this one with the group at the "Evening Wood" tasting graciously hosted by cmrillo! Also have to give a big thanks to womencantsail for shipping this one to after I picked it up while out in Cali early this year for the Bruery Reserve Society Party! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller flute. Poured ruby red with a very minimal off-white head. There was no lacing evident throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, wood, caramel, sweet alcohol, and dark chocolate. The flavor was of sweet malt, wood, sweet alcohol, and caramel. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a great brew. It really was a hit with most of the people at the tasting who got to try it. The bourbon barrel definitely is evident and blends really well with the other flavors going on in this one. This one was quite drinkable despite the high ABV. Really glad I got the chance to try and share this one!

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 19:19:28 | More by thagr81us

Devi0us

California

3.85/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2009 Vintage poured into my trusted Tulip...

A- Pours a mucky brown color. Aggressive pour yields a 2 finger tawny head that vanished swiftly leaving no lacing whatsoever. What's intriguing is the longer this sits, the clearer it gets. Starts to look like Hennessy. I love me some Henny.

S- Right off the bat, you get an explosion of bourbon. Malts, bananas and caramel ease their way into the mixture. Did I mention Bourbon?

T- Tastes sweet up front but gives way to the burn. The alcohol heat may be too hot for some but it's right up my alley. Tastes alot better when it came close to room temp.

M- A decent amount of carbonation. Seems a bit thin to me.

O- This is definitely a sipper for sure. Im glad I was able to try this one but not worth the beefy price tag. 

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2011 07:51:31 | More by Devi0us

rye726

Colorado

4.72/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Well, never had the chance to try either of the original releases, but glad to try this new Bourbon version. Poured into a snifter. Nice mahogany color wit a silky tan head. Nose has wood, vanilla, bourbon, bready malts, nuts, caramel, toffee, cherries and plums. Barrels really tansformed this beer into something special. Thick creamy body. Simply superb, worth the price tag.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 01:13:04 | More by rye726

tmoneyba

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy brown color with a moderate rocky off-white head that lasted with good lacing. Medium to heavy dark fruit, bourbon and malt aroma. Full body with a smooth texture and flat carbonation. Full complex bourbon and toffee malt with a long complex finish with a small alcohol bite of long duration. This is a standout brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 00:18:14 | More by tmoneyba

AgentZero

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I dig the ceramic bottle, although it seems to come at a high cost.

A - Dark amber color with a little bit of red in it. Looks brown sometimes. Small head that didn't stay for very long, some moderate lace.

S - Smells great, lots of caramel and dark fruit. Also has notes of leather, vanilla, crystalized brown sugar, molasses, bourbon, and alcohol.

T - Tastes is very good. Quite smooth, no real alcohol burn, nice toffee, vanilla, bourbon, caramel, and brown sugar. Little bit of leather and tobacco comes if you let this warm for a bit. Surpringly good.

M - Full bodied, moderately carbonated.

O - Really great beer, surprsingly good actually. Wish it did not cost so much so I wouldn't feel bad about buying it and drinking it more often.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 19:59:12 | More by AgentZero