2021 Coopers Vintage Ale

[Captain 3 Droids]

3 minutes ago, Rob Courtney said:

Probably should have taken a second photo of this when it had settled, the head on the beer was like a cm of cream on top that you strained the beer through. On reflection, it was a nice drink but it must be near 10%, I had a stubbie of this and a longneck of Birra and I was done for the night

I usually finda photo of a creamy type of head doesn’t do it justice, the picture isn’t quite the same.

[Rob Courtney]

So after installing a new kitchen tap (one that pulls out so you can clean the droid so much easier...and hey, only put this job off since I bought my first droid...so yeah 5 years. I have poured myself one of these babies, it was just a stubbie (330ml) as i really am trying to work out how I drink a longneck or two of these ( I am keen to let the longnecks get to 3 years though.

First picture is 10 seconds after the pour, barely any head but I was pouring it very slowly. The second picture is after maybe 60 seconds and a thick, creamy foam has arrived at the top.

The good news is the alcohol taste has gone and for a beer at probably 9% it has taken time. The standard flavours of this brew are really strong and have taken away a bit from the hops but it may be that the beer is too cold...maybe.

Still, flavours are very, very good, toffee and sherry stand out, there isn't so much bitterness as before and I think I won't notice much at all at the end of the year when I drink another. I haven't eaten much in the last 6 hours so it is giving me a fair kick in the pantsbut I believe a pint of this, a selection of cheese, Camembert and crackers (that you didn't have to share but just guts yourself) would be a wonderful end to a winters afternoon.

Edit, the hops are starting to show now it is warming up. I did take the bottle out of the fridge 15 mins before opening but I guess this one may drink better at 9-11 degrees than 3-5

 

[Rob Courtney]

I guess for reference the beer is now 14 months

[Rob Courtney]

Just over 18 months in, was all full of determination to drink a longneck of this tonight, bit of a celebration from sticking to my guns when it came to a pay rise, kinda wish I was that stubborn when I was younger...anyways, good day. So I went to get a longneck thinking that was all that was left but there was still a stubbie, so I was happy to just have that.

Last stubbie I had was the dregs bottle, 2/3 of a stubbie maybe, was nice enough but thought it wasn't the best example of the beer.

This one though, this one

Firstly, really nice on the nose, you can smell the biscuity, toffee flavours, it stands out.

Then drinking it, this would be one dangerous session ale  , you would not think that it was at 9%,  it has no strong alcohol taste at all, it does have a mixture of  toffee, biscuit and a hint of sherry in the mouth and you can definitely see the hops profile coming through, they aren't overpowering and maybe I should have used more, maybe not, unsure on that one, I will say Bravo, Galaxy and Citra do combine a good hint of fruit and compliment than over power the drink.

Not an easy one to quaff on an empty stomach but chunky steak pie and smashed potatoes are cooking so that should help. Kind of keen to let the next one of these go until 2 years to see what it does in that time, if you have space, well worth the brew