Since I could only afford to buy one bottle, I would like to avoid drinking it at an inopportune time. I do not condone cellaring before tasting unless it's a price issue. To those of you who have had this beer already and past vintages, let me know what you think. I would be very ok with cracking it open tonight.
Have you checked the ratings? See what everyone who's already tried it has thought. I'm going to sit on my bottle for a while before drinking it. I've had past vintages and found that aging it around 9-12 months has helped it. Hope you like it whenever you decide to drink it!
I sat on a XIV for a year and cracked it open last night. Thought it was pretty darn good. Probably going to end up doing the same for XV.
I recently had a XII and thought it was quite disappointing. I've had a few others that were aged a year or two and thought they didn't cellar well. I'd recommend having yours now and picking up (or trading for another) if you liked it and want to cellar one. You need a "base point" to reflect on with an aged beer. How will you know if you actually like it aged if you have nothing to compare it to? Brewers generally age these beers for you in the barrels and release them to be drank fresh. There are some imperial stouts that are age worthy from my experience but I find that most of the "barrel" flavors die off quickly. This is just my opinion. Cheers, Ryan
Just realized I skimmed over the fact that you could afford only one bottle at this time and that you generally don't condone cellaring before tasting. Sorry for that. I still think you should drink it fresh...the barrel character is great. Cheers, Ryan
A different bottle shop had it for much cheaper and I picked one up and drank it last night with a friend along with many other stouts (best of the night). It was fantastic, but nose was a bit hot and muddled the barrel and stout notes - 4.7 now, could be a 5 with a few months which is what I'm planning on doing. Thanks for the input all. Cheers
Thanks Ryan. I'm new to aging and generally do not have the self control to put something down. It's interesting to me that you say the barrel characteristics die down - if that's true why are so many people holding on the BCBS Rare and others like it? Just curious. Does an over carbonated stout even out with age? I'm surious because I had a '12 BCBS bottled in October and thought it was great, but had a '12 bottled in September and was really disappointed. I want to age the rest of te septembers to let it relax but don't want to lose any of that barrel character - what do you think?
I don't see how it would. With a Stout I think over carb'n would be a double whammy. CO2 to some extent is a flavor. Doesn't go well with roasted malts. Think about why many Stouts are on beer-gas or nitro. Well, beers can get sweeter with age. But if the beer goes that way I don't think that it would be a good stout. Unless it picks up some sherry flavors, like WWS can. Okay, I'm sticking with "no".
Shoot.. This one sent me over the edge last night. Had been drinking alot of 12year aged Jameson, and then drank the XV. (after a few different 12oz'ers also.) and ended up being way more toasty than I planned. edit: but i agree with having it fresh. It is drinking awesome right now!
Drink Old Raspy Anniversary beers fresh! I drank a bottle of the 12 anniversary in fall of 2011. Drank 14th anniversary fresh and with 6 months on it. IMO Old Raspy anniversary is best fresh when you get that nice bourbony chocolate notes and the mouthfeel is fantastic! As the Raspy anniversary ages the body seems to thin out and all those chocolate bourbon notes fade. I have always felt that it just a drink fresh beer, but to each there own! Its your beer do what you want!
There is a ton of bourbon heat in fresh Old Raspy BA beers. If you like that flavor, go fresh. If you prefer something more mellow with toned-down heat, sit on it for 10-14 months. I love mine with a year on it.
I thought it was pretty hot when I had it a month ago, some time should help smooth things out a bit. Barrel character does seem to diminish over time (not as fast as hops though) and it definitely doesn't improve it but sometimes the other aspects of the beer are helped out enough to warrant some cellar time IMO.
