Name: Old Stock Ale

Brewer: North Coast Brewery

Style: Old Ale

Vintage: 2008

Cellared On: March 30th, 2008

Original Tasting: May 2nd, 2008

Much like the 2007 version - okay, more like exactly like the 2007 vintage; North Coast’s Old Stock Ale pours a dark mahogany brown with streaks of red shooting through the beer. It was very cool looking.

Extremely powerful sweet smells were come off this brew. You could just smell the thickness here - there’s no doubt that the body on this one is going to be beyond syrupy. There’s no missing the very ripe dark fruits suggested by the sweet smell, or the brown sugar for that matter.

Just as advertised by the smell, the sweetness of this brew was almost overwhelming. The roasted malts had a slight port-like feel with suggestions of fig, raisin, and brown sugar. A bit of an alcohol burn comes in, but nothing too extreme. I also tasted a little burst of the brown sugar sweetness at the end that kicks off the long and sweet finish. A tiny bit of hoppy bitterness joins the party and lingers with the sweet malts. Do I even need to say the body on this one was thick and syrupy with almost no carbonation?

This brew was sweet, thick, and bursting with flavor. It’s not easy to drink, but the flavor kept me reaching back for more.

Cellar Outlook: Strong and sweet with lot’s of alcohol power, I have no doubt that this one is going to hold up well.

Next Tasting: April 2009

Jason

jason@brewbasement.com

www.brewbasement.com