Saturday, April 25, 2020

North Coast Brewing Old Stock Ale 2020

Picked up a bottle of the 2020 version - it still holds up

A version of Old Stock Ale 2011, aged in oak bourbon barrels, was my personal choice for best beer at the 2011 Lincoln Okto Beer Fest a few weeks ago. While this incarnation doesn't have the silky smoothness of its cooler big brother, it's certainly no slouch.

Cloudy, dark apricot-orange in color, not much of a head. Technically a barleywine, it undoubtedly shares some characteristics with its grapey cousins. Very strong raisin tastes, maybe some plum, and lingering on the borders of perception...figs. Hold on; I think that I detect some black cherry on the back of my tongue. Almost syrupy in consistency, similar in feel to those "nectars".

Very tasty; but be careful, 11.9% ABV makes this a sit-at-home-and-don't-operate-heavy-machinery brew.

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