4.25/5 rDev -1.8% look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25 2008 vintage bought at a bottle shop last fall after they told me they received some aged at the brewery. 500 ml bottle poured into a DFH tulip. Small quickly disappearing tan head over a dark brownish copper clear body. Smell is of dark fruit, caramel and sherry. Taste is very sherry forward with other sweet caramel/vanilla flavors hidden. Any wheat banana and clove tastes are long gone. Mouthfeel is still very refreshing. By itself this is very fine but I have a feeling that this is well past the time for maximum complexity. Next time I'll try a younger one or do a vertical.

4.39/5 rDev +0.7% look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25 Preliminary comment: I'd endured two infected BA stouts, for which I'd had high hopes, before "settling" for this. This was part of release #90, brewed on 5/29/2017 with an ABV of 10.8%. Kudos to Epic for making this info available at their website. 22 ounce bottle poured into a DFH tulip produced a generous and persistent light tan head topping a dark brown body. At my cellar fridge temperature of 50 the smell of the bourbon was well hidden with the malt char predominating but as it warmed the chocolate, bourbon and barrel rose up and provided an intricate balance of aromas. Likewise with the taste but even more so. The mouthfeel for this was full bodied and creamy. I had heard many good things about this, which is remarkably affordable. They've all been validated.

Infected

Infected

Although this is over a year past the recommended date this is still going strong. Still a vibrant Belgian strong ale smell and taste with no sign of oxidation or off smells or tastes. Alcohol is still very understated which is why I'm sitting in front of the Christmas tree enjoying this with no desire to go anywhere.

I'm not sure how much this has improved in the last six months but it tastes very good tonight. Everything is balanced with rich malty Belgian strong ale tastes and smells. I'll have the last one of this four pack over the holiday season.

This has aged nicely over the ten months since I first tried it. The malt and dark fruit smells and tastes seem to be deeper and richer than before with an alcohol presence you recognize but it's not out of balance. This is a very good Belgian strong dark ale that could get even better with more time.

4.39/5 rDev +4.5% look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5 10/17/2016 bottle stored @ 50 degrees. Poured into a DFH tulip, the first pour had a clear reddish amber color but the second, after being put in a colder fridge was much cloudier with sediment. Both had reasonably sized heads which faded quickly. Smell was very cherry forward with a wild yeast funk. Taste was of cherries on top of a pleasantly sour base which lingered nicely. Maybe this is the perfect age for this because I can't imagine improving on this but this is why we keep pushing the limits.

I can't think of a better way to end a year than this. According to Patrick Dawson's tasting group 12-13 years is the optimum aging time for these classic bad boys so here we are. Almost no carbonation as you can see. Sherry and dark fruit smells predominate with maybe molasses and toffee. Taste is just incredible with each sip reflecting the smell with brown sugar added and a hint of tobacco at the end but not as prominent as previous experiences (that isn't a complaint). Mouthfeel is superb with the tobacco lingering on the palate. Just an outstanding sensory experience. Happy New Year, cellar mavens.

Much as it pains me to say this, it isn't up to expectations. I'd already seen some similar comments and was thinking "these clowns are just trying to build some geek cred by having a dismissive attitude" but now I'm thinking they are spot on. Don't get me wrong; this is still an excellent stout but I'm used to being knocked on my ash can by a boozy barrel blast from the get go and I'm just not getting that here. I'm trying a 2017 next, which I thought would be blown away by this but now I'm not so sure; maybe the coffee component. This tastes like a really good Breakfast Stout.

Was noticing the number of people claiming this doesn't age well, looked in my cellar fridge and thought "shit, I'd better get on this". Poured into a DFH tulip, the carbonation is still quite present with a fluffy dark tan head of an inch on top of a dark brown body. The barrel is still present in the smell along with some chocolate and malts. It's the taste where this suffers. The coffee is almost gone and the rest just doesn't have enough bite to it. This isn't surprising since my experience in aging stouts has been that it balances flavors or an alcohol burn that predominate in a newly bottled version.

This is the second half of a vertical starting with a 2019 which was, quite frankly, a disappointment. It tasted like a slightly better Breakfast Stout with next to no barrel presence. This had slightly less carbonation but was far from flat. The coffee smell and taste was reduced but still present but, wow, the barrel presence was back and left no doubt that I'm drinking something barrel aged in bourbon barrels. This was the opposite of what I expected, which is why we do these tests.

Another 2017 in an Abbey long stemmed tulip. I think this is very balanced now and am thinking of gradually finishing the 2017s between now and late spring 2019 to ward off any off tastes or the barrel tastes disappearing and it becoming something less pleasing than it currently is.

Had another of the 2017. Poured into a DFH tulip I think the head was slightly smaller than when fresh. The barrel and booze smell is still prominent but is slightly more balanced in the taste along with the chocolate and malts. Still a very rewarding experience in the waning days of August. Still three left to consume and compare

Having a 2017 after a year (time flies when you drink excellent beer) and the chocolate flavor has faded slightly but the barrel taste and alcohol burn are still present along with the coffee. This probably isn't a long term item to cellar but there's no urgency to consume the remaining four.

Still pretty hot but smooth. I'm hoping that aging mutes the alcohol burn and brings out more of the chocolate and other flavors. But if it doesn't this is still very good.

Much as it pains me to say this, it isn't up to expectations. I'd already seen some similar comments and was thinking "these clowns are just trying to build some geek cred by having a dismissive attitude" but now I'm thinking they are spot on. Don't get me wrong; this is still an excellent stout but I'm used to being knocked on my ash can by a boozy barrel blast from the get go and I'm just not getting that here. I'm trying a 2017 next, which I thought would be blown away by this but now I'm not so sure; maybe the coffee component. This tastes like a really good Breakfast Stout.

Cellaring this was one of the better decisions I've made and I still have one left. The color just keeps getting darker and richer. Smell and taste are still very sweet from the maple aging but some of the molasses and other initially hidden smells and tastes are now coming forward into greater prominence. Plus still has a bitter maple aftertaste which sets it apart from fake flavorings. I don't know how long I'll cellar the survivor (last year a friend shared one with me but I don't think it had been stored as well as this) but I'm thinking 2023 at the earliest.

First time trying again after 10/14/2018. I'm not sure if six months have balanced the sweetness which I originally found overpowering, but after a 12/30/2016 Curmudgeon, the sweetness tastes refreshing. Further aging might balance the sweetness more but the current level isn't problematic. Maybe it's all a matter of perspective but I've upgraded the rating from 3.91 to 4.16.

3.91/5 rDev -9.3% look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4 Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a DFH tulip. Gorgeous mahogany body with a slightly off white head that dissipated slowly with some lacing. Smell was very sweet barrel boozy. Taste was just dominated by the sweetness too much; there's plenty of other things going on, with a nice bitterness at the end, but this was just sweeter than I consider optimal. Certainly not a drain pour but not as good as I was hoping. Mouthfeel was fine. I was really looking forward to this based on the rave reviews it was getting but I prefer the regular Curmudgeon from a couple years ago, of which I am still aging some. I complained about CBS not being sweet enough so maybe this is a case of be careful what you wish for. I will cellar the remaining three and hopefully achieve more balance.

No problem with it going flat because the carbonation hasn't subsided at all as the body continues to get darker. And the smell is still plenty rich and sweet with vanilla tones. But in the taste the molasses has faded somewhat leaving the bitterness of the oak barrel being somewhat grating on the palate. As it warms to room temperature this becomes less problematic as the sweetness returns to mask the barrel but I recall this being a better experience with less age under it. If/when Founders offers this again, I'll be so guided.

Poured into a DFH tulip. Carbonation is still present with no obvious diminution. Not sure if the color has darkened more from 11/13/18 but it is decidedly darker than the starting point. Molasses and oak seem to be more blended. Aging hasn't hurt this at all but I'm not sure that it's improved at the same level as, say, North Coast Old Stock Ale. Still I only have one left and I'll wait until at least the three year point if not longer.

Poured into a DFH tulip the color seems darker but there's no loss of head nor retention. The oak smell is still present along with a touch of molasses and a pleasant booziness. Taste replicates the smell but it seems more balanced than in the past. Bitterness in the aftertaste noted in February hasn't gotten any worse and might be less prominent. Cellaring hasn't negatively impacted this.

Poured into a long stemmed Lost Abbey tulip I think the color has darkened some. Still a strong oak smell and taste. The taste has a slight bitterness at the end that I'm not sure I noticed a year ago; this was a gift from a friend moving and cleaning out her fridge so I'm not sure what the storage circumstances were, so I still have three more to further age and hopefully the bitterness doesn't get to the point that it's undrinkable. Maybe in another year there will be a fresh batch with which I can compare.

Now that hot weather has gone, time to make a dent in my cellar and this is as good a place to start as any. Packaged on 10/11/2017 this was when I started cellaring Third Coast. Wasn't impressed with earlier tastings but cancel that evaluation with this because the hops have receded nicely while still retaining a pleasant presence. The dark fruit and brown sugar smells and tastes are much more prominent so this is, if not optimal, very close to it.

Carbonation was slightly reduced while still being far from flat. Smell and taste had a reduced hop presence while still obviously being there. This is already starting to age nicely. Not sure where the optimum spot is but I'm pretty sure it's not there yet. Looking forward to revisiting this in a year or so.

4.02/5 rDev -2.2% look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4 Poured from a 12 ounce bottled on 10/11/2017 into a DFH tulip. Small head over a cherry mahogany body which dissipated quickly with little lacing. Smell got much more pronounced as it warmed up since I started this in a very cold attic before moving to a warmer setting. Smell was of nicely sweet fruit with a slight, not overpowering, booze tinge. Taste was more hoppy than the smell but it in no way detracted from the sweet flavors. Absolutely no alcohol burn. Mouthfeel was fine albeit slightly thin. Overall this was a bit of a letdown because my hopes maybe were higher than were reasonable. Then again, maybe additional aging will get this to the point I wanted it to be since this is still young. Will revisit this in a year.

Poured into a DFH tulip. Nice sized head with decent retention over slightly dark brown body with good retention. Smell was nicely boozily sweet with a distinct hoppy piney bitterness, not as much as Bigfoot but still obviously present. Taste was nicely sweet but with a bitter aftertaste. The aftertaste faded as it warmed (stored at 50 degrees) but never completely disappeared, which was expected (thinking that an American Barleywine is going to be like a British one just ain't happening). It was very enjoyable as it warmed up.

4.34/5 rDev +3.6% look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25 12 ounce bottle (can't find a date but this was a 2018 one off, no?) poured into a DFH tulip. Largish dark tan head over a dark brown body which dissipated rapidly leaving these white specks which I assume (and hope) are coconut. Smell is boozy coconut with a smooth malt undertone. Taste has more of a malt base but the coconut enhances it very nicely. I've not been a big fan of other brewer concoctions aged in rum barrels but this works for me and avoids the astringent thinness which previously annoyed me. They could've cranked the alc more, I guess, and produced something different and maybe not as good. This is perfectly fine as is.