The Brew Basement

Here’s the latest updates to my tasting notes. For this round, I’ve updated the notes on nine different cellared brews, encompassing a pretty wide range of styles. Here’s the links - starting with the first four that held up the best.
Unibroue 15th Anniversary Ale - Big fruity flavors showing no signs of slowing down, fantastic!
North […]

Name: Blue / Grande Reserve
Brewer: Chimay
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Vintage: 2006
Cellared On: August 30th, 2007
Original Tasting: October 17th, 2007
I thought it would be only appropriate to follow up yesterdays post about aging the beers of Chimay with the results of my first Chimay Blue tasting.
I wasted no time in opening this bottle up. After I […]

Name: Black Chocolate Stout
Brewer: Brooklyn Brewery
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Vintage: 2007
Cellared On: October 19th, 2007
Original Tasting: November 10th, 2007
Since I enjoyed the tasting of my first cellared Brooklyn beer (Local 1) I decided to come right back with a second Brooklyn offering. The eagerly anticipated Black Chocolate Stout (or BCS) is Brooklyn’s late fall/early winter seasonal […]

Name: Local 1
Brewer: Brooklyn Brewery
Style: Belgian Blonde Ale/Saison
Vintage: 2007
Cellared On: September 28th, 2007
Original Tasting: November 8th, 2007
Today I finally get to talk about the first Belgian-style offering from Brooklyn Brewery, their Local 1 Belgian Blonde Ale. It always makes me happy to be able to write about a brewery that’s at least somewhat […]

Name: Old Crustacean
Brewer: Rogue
Style: Barleywine
Vintage: 2006
Cellared On: September 21, 2007
Original Tasting: October 28, 2007
Trust me here - prepare yourself before you take your fist sip of this beer. Close your eyes, take a deep breath. Clear you mind, and try to be ready for the assault on your taste buds that Old Crustacean is […]

Name: Oro de Calabaza
Brewer: Jolly Pumpkin
Style: Biere de Garde
Vintage: 2007
Cellared On: October 12th, 2007
Original Tasting: October 21st, 2007
To continue my pumpkin-based tastings this week (also check out my Weyebacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale first tasting) I have this fantastic brew from Jolly Pumpkin Brewery. I was overjoyed to see this beer in my local shop (Oliver’s […]

Name: Samael’s Oak Aged Ale
Brewer: Avery Brewing Company
Style: English Strong Ale
Vintage: 2006
Bottled On: May 2006
Cellared On: Sept 7th, 2007
Original Tasting: October 11th, 2007
I have to admit I was a bit concerned when I noticed the bottling date of May 2006 on this beer (after I had already bought it, of course). With already nearly a […]

Name: Storm King Stout
Brewer: Victory Brewing
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Vintage: 2007
Cellared On: August 30th, 2007
Original Tasting: September 26th, 2007
Every Victory beer I’ve tried in the past has been fantastic, so I’ve been really looking forward to trying their Storm King Imperial Stout.
Let me tell you, this is one dark beer, even for a stout. No hints […]

Name: Kriek

Brewer: Limdemans
Style: Lambic

Cellared On: July 3rd, 2007

Original Tasting: July 20th, 2007
Fruit beers seem to be a polarizing thing here in the US. You either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I personally love them. Fruit and beer seem to be a great match to me, espically when you take into account all of […]

I saw this review the other day on the BeerAdvocate website and just had to share it with you. The poster, basica, was lucky enough to get his hands on a 1984 La Trappe Bubbel. He shares in very great detail exactly what you can get from a properly aged vintage brew. Man, do I […]