2009 De Struise Cuvee Delphine.
This is better than the last time I had it two years ago. It is supremely vinous: Beaujolais-like character; good juice. This is a great match with the Black Albert dark-fruits-a-palooza yeast strain. There's scarcely any oak or spirit left from the Four Roses barrels, but the beer's inherent coffee roast is showing through, though faint. Above all it is super smooth. You could give this to someone in a blindfolded taste and they might think this was a decanted red wine. Really.
Could just be bottle/cellaring variance, but when I had a 2009 bottle about two years ago I thought I had already aged it past its prime. And, for the sake of barrel character, this bottle I opened tonight bears that out. I didn't see this huge red wine character coming out though. I'm digging it.
I think it's their QC. They are fanatical about keeping O2 out of their beers, and I think that actually lessens their aging potential somewhat. I did a large-ish vertical of bigfoot one time and basically couldn't tell that it had changed.
I really enjoyed a 2008 that I had some months ago.Darkness 2007, poured into a Darness glass (2012?) at cellar temp. Jeffo opened a bottle, immediately slow-poured me a nip to the very top, then capped it, then sent it.
Pours with a nice head that turns into beautiful lacing. Looked really good from start to finish. Lots of roast, dark fruit and sweetness on the nose. The sweetness isn't at all overpowering. As it opens, a very odd and offputting aroma comes through that I can't describe very well. Flavors identify closely with the aromas (except for that offputting note), with the addition of a hoppy bite right in the middle of the first few sips. There is also note of oxidation that comes with some of the dark fruit, similar to what you'd find with an older BSDA or Quad. In an odd way, there is some booziness that lingers as well. As the flavors coat after a few sips, the middle-bite goes away with any real sign of the hops.
It is an interesting experience, as I've actually been somewhat of a fan in the past of aged Darkness, but this one is not something I'll seek to find again. I think this bottle was stored as well as it could have been, so I doubt there is anything from the experience that I missed aside from actually drinking it next to friends. Overall, still good, try it if someone pours you a glass.
I had Angel's Share back in 2011. It was a new batch, so maybe the same as what you had here and it had absolutely no carbonation then either.2011 Lost Abbey Angel's Share
Flat as can be. Pretty much expected at this point. Initial aroma is fantastic, reminded me of a "junior Utopias". Brandy-soaked raisin bran bread, sticky toffee & caramel candies, some sweet cherries. Must character grew with time. Taste left more to be desired. Still plenty of sweet brandy but it had developed a tartness that was more prominent than I've gotten from fresh bottles. Tart grape & raisin skins, brown sugar, buttery toffee, sweet brandy, musty wood in the finish.
Overall, the nose was great, the taste was merely "good" at best. Mouth feel was severely lacking... Literally NO carbonation, nada.
this has, uh, not fared well in my estimation. still pretty boozy and actually a little hoppy... but it smells like ass. i had this 3 years ago and it was a very different beer. this time around it's rather disappointing. sorry i don't have much more than that, i didn't write anything down and it was from last thursday.
Uh oh... hope my 2010 bottle isn't bad...
Yeah, the barrel-aged versions are nowhere near as good as the base beer.
JW Lees Harvest Ale matured in Port Casks. Brewed in 2008. Like the last few times I've had this beer, it's got some nasty grilled vegetable thing going on in the taste with cloyingly sweet malts in the background. I'm assuming it's supposed to taste like this and I just must be missing something. Never again.
