North Coast Old Stock Ale
North Coast Old Stock Ale is an Old Ale brewed with Maris Otter malt, and Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops. This review is for the 2014 vintage, 11.8% ABV.
The aroma on this is fantastic, sweet caramel with hints of cherry and figs. The taste starts with some raisin and dark fruits followed by lightly roasted malts, molasses, and some hints of caramel and toffee. This beer finishes with a little hop bitterness and some mild alcohol, kind of like a nice sherry. The carbonation on this is surprisingly bright and tingly, which I’m not sure works perfectly with the style and flavor profile.
This is an impressive night cap like sipper that drinks like a cross between a Belgian Quad and an English Barleywine. This is certainly the kind of beer you can age, and from my experience an extra two years in the cellar makes the beer sweeter and surprisingly more boozy.
