Beer of the Weekend #186: Old Stock Ale
The brown bottle lunch today is Old Stock Ale, brewed by the North Coast Brewing Company of Fort Bragg, California.
Joe at Dirty John’s said he either does not like or does not drink many North Coast brews (I don’t remember which), but he ironically managed to suggest three beers brewed at the Fort Bragg brewery. Besides Old Rasputin and Old Stock Ale, he gave me a bottle of Brother Thelonious, which I did manage to sample before escaping SoCal (see BotW #138).
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle. It has the faint, background “2010” vintage year on the front of the label, and there is a very cryptic batch code printed on the bottom of the bottle. Much like Expedition Stout, Old Stock Ale is meant to be cellared and enjoyed after a year or more.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. I messed up the pour and only got about a finger of tan head, which dissipated quickly to leave a spotted lacing and ring of foam around the edge. The color is a hazy, deep amber or dark copper that is perhaps leaning toward brown.
Smell: After popping the cap I immediately noticed a nice, boozy smell of caramel malts. Once in the glass, the beer smells of sweet caramel malts, toffee, honey, maple syrup, and vanilla. There is also a noticeable, but subtle, alcohol presence, but I can’t put my finger on what kind of hard liquor it reminds me of.
Taste: Very sour and somewhat unpleasant. No flavors stand out, but there is a definite taste of caramel malts, toffee, and honey. However, the flavor experience is mostly dominated by a vodka-like sharpness of alcohol. I suppose the taste will mature with a lot of aging.
Drinkability: Though I can’t speak for the entire 2010 vintage, I do not think this bottle was ready yet. I do not know how young it was, but more aging would have, I suppose, done it well.
Fun facts about Old Stock Ale:
-Style: Both North Coast and BA classify it as an Old Ale. Here’s what BA has to say:
-Price: $3.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City. The price of Old Stock Ale may also disqualify it for LV recommendation.
-Serving temperature: 50-55ºF.
-Alcohol content: The label pegs the ABV at 11.7 percent.
-Food pairings: BA recommends buttery cheeses (Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss) and general “digestive.”
-IBU: 36.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
Joe at Dirty John’s said he either does not like or does not drink many North Coast brews (I don’t remember which), but he ironically managed to suggest three beers brewed at the Fort Bragg brewery. Besides Old Rasputin and Old Stock Ale, he gave me a bottle of Brother Thelonious, which I did manage to sample before escaping SoCal (see BotW #138).
Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle. It has the faint, background “2010” vintage year on the front of the label, and there is a very cryptic batch code printed on the bottom of the bottle. Much like Expedition Stout, Old Stock Ale is meant to be cellared and enjoyed after a year or more.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. I messed up the pour and only got about a finger of tan head, which dissipated quickly to leave a spotted lacing and ring of foam around the edge. The color is a hazy, deep amber or dark copper that is perhaps leaning toward brown.
Smell: After popping the cap I immediately noticed a nice, boozy smell of caramel malts. Once in the glass, the beer smells of sweet caramel malts, toffee, honey, maple syrup, and vanilla. There is also a noticeable, but subtle, alcohol presence, but I can’t put my finger on what kind of hard liquor it reminds me of.
Taste: Very sour and somewhat unpleasant. No flavors stand out, but there is a definite taste of caramel malts, toffee, and honey. However, the flavor experience is mostly dominated by a vodka-like sharpness of alcohol. I suppose the taste will mature with a lot of aging.
Drinkability: Though I can’t speak for the entire 2010 vintage, I do not think this bottle was ready yet. I do not know how young it was, but more aging would have, I suppose, done it well.
Fun facts about Old Stock Ale:
-Style: Both North Coast and BA classify it as an Old Ale. Here’s what BA has to say:
Old Ales, also referred to in the past as “Stock” Ales, are low attenuated beers with high levels of dextrins, creating a full malt body with plenty of character. Old Ales of a hundred plus years ago were often transfered into vats to mature, hence the name.
Rich dark amber in color to a very dark brown; near black. Tamed aromatics. Although bittering levels can greatly vary, expect common fruity, vinous, intense malts and sharp alcohol characteristics. The often racy but mellow attitude of the beer may also include acidic notes, raisins and black currants. Vintage varieties may have a low level of oxidation. Stronger versions may have similarities to a port wine. Brewers may also inoculate a portion of the batch with Brettanomyces lambicus and age for an extended period of time to achieve an old-school acidic character.
-Price: $3.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City. The price of Old Stock Ale may also disqualify it for LV recommendation.
-Serving temperature: 50-55ºF.
-Alcohol content: The label pegs the ABV at 11.7 percent.
-Food pairings: BA recommends buttery cheeses (Brie, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss) and general “digestive.”
-IBU: 36.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
Comments
Post a Comment