North Coast Old Stock Cellar Reserve - Bourbon Barrel

Old Stock Cellar Reserve is a one-time, small batch, limited release that has been aged in oak whiskey barrels. The aging process gives this world-class beer an added layer of complexity. A memorable drink that should be enjoyed as a completely unique offering.

2005 Vintage 14.6% ABV

2007 Vintage 14.6% ABV

2009 Vintage 13.7% ABV

2013 Vintage 14.1% ABV

4.1

560 reviews

Fort Bragg, United States

Community reviews

4.0 Bottle shared at Leightons place 12/04/2018. Many thanks. An oily amber brown coloured pour with no head. Aroma is vanilla, sponge cake, jammy fruit, woody. Flavour is composed of woody tannin, caramel, bourbon, vanilla, jammy fruit, berry.. Light aged. Palate is medium sweet, some alcohol. Boozy.

3.9 March 28, 2018 - bottle, 2013 vintage. Brown pour with some head that faded quickly. Aroma was bourbon, caramel and wood. Taste was consistent with the aroma, but still quite a bit of heat.

4.3 This has been resting for a while in my beercellar. Clear mahogony colored beer with a thin head. Nose: Bautiful! Bourbon barrel, oak, raisin, plum, ripe fruit, nuts, vanilla, caramel malt and dark syrup. Taste: Fudge, vanilla, bourbon, oak, nuts, marzipan and brown sugar. Mouth: Full body. Light carbonation. Boozy and warming. A great sipper!

3.5 Bottle sampled in a glass, ‘2013’ on the label, this ale had a dark brown pour and gave a small off-white head that dissipated to a small ring with an island of bubbles the size of a quarter, it left some spots and small fingers of lacing on the glass, the nose had aromas of bourbon liquor, caramel, toasted malt, a little dark fruit that resembled raisin soaked in liquor, the flavors were bourbon liquor, a little bourbon candy sweetness, toasted malt, wood, faint dark fruit in the background, the mouth feel was medium to less than full, it had soft to average carbonation, some alcoholic bite and warming on the throat, the bourbon crowded out everything else, unfortunate for what could be a very nice drink.

4.2 Bottle share in Lodz. 2013 bottle. Aroma is caramel and strong bourbon notes. Sweet with clear barrel profile, lots of wood, vanilla, coconut, caramel.

3.8 2013 bottle. Wasn't expecting this bottle to be so far off from the 2014 Rye Barrel edition, but the bourbon-barrel version is hampered by a unexpectedly rough nose. Aroma is, well, off-putting, bready and dry with hints of bourbon but a somewhat unpleasant yeastiness offsetting the oak and booze. (Might also have a strong dose of cork.) Murky brown pour befits such a massive brew. Taste starts with traditional Old Stock indulgences, caramel and brown sugar and dark fruit notes, then grows a woodsy bitterness with hints of molasses and anise. Bourbon comes in strong on the finish, offering up a whiskey fade touched with vanilla and oak. Texture's as smooth and clean as a 14% beer can be. Would be phenomenal if it weren't for the nose.

4.1 Shared bottle @ $$$ share. Dirty amber pour with no head. Tons of brrrbn, vanilla, sticky sweet and some abv burn.

4.4 Had the 2013. About as good as a beer gets. Nice appearance aroma a little light. Wonderfully complex and mouth filling. Long lasting and very mellow evolving taste. To be savored by itself.

4.3 Bottle share at the Humboldt Homebrewer's camp out. This was the 2013 version. Very dark red with a tan head. Nose of bourbon, oak, vanilla and raisin and dark ripe fruit. Full body. Flavor is intense with a lot of bourbon/wood and a the dark fruit. Finishes boozy. Simply outstanding.

3.7 Bottle @ Erik bottleshare. Pours brown with no head. Aroma of caramel. Huuuuge boozy bourbon notes, ripe plums, raisins and figs. Taste is pretty boozy with notes of caramel, dark sweet fruits and well yeah. Booz.

3.9 500ml bottle to snifter. Still pour. Clear, deep red. No head. Strong vanilla and some oxidation. Mostly Sherry. Taste is smooth vanilla and a chewy mouthfeel. Although it's flat it's still a great beer. Carbonation would put this is the God tier range.

4.1 Bottle 2013: Poured a murky burgundy brown with tan head. Aroma is huge bourbon and vanilla. Wow, taste is very complex with loads of vanilla, oak, and malty. Alcohol still prevalent in the finish.

4.0 Poured from 500mL bottle (2013 reserve 14.1% abv). Murky brown with very minimal beige head and a tiny bit of sediment. Lots of caramel malt and stone fruit with mild bourbon, hint of vanilla, and a hefty hit of alcohol to finish. Great flavours, but the alcohol finishes a little too hard, taking away from the overall experience.

4.1 2013 Bottle at man in the moon. Thanks hirigalzkar. Pours red amber with a small head. Aroma of dried fruits and alcohol. Sweet and warming taste of prune, raisins, bourbon and licorice.

4.0 Bottle. Pours brown-orange with no head. Oily. Leather, raisin, soy and fruitcake. Really sweet and buttery taste with notes of vanilla, caramel, english fruitcake, licorice. Really smooth and soft texture.

4.3 Bottle at man in the moon Brown red clear, of white head Lovely aroma of cherry oak, raisin. Taste sweet nice balanced. Dried fruit. Caramel. Very nice!

3.1 Bottle. Pours brown with almost no head. Aroma is sweet with notes of brown sugar. Taste has notes of raisins. Too much alcohol.

4.7 The second best old ale in the world and it tastes like it. Awesome! Pours dark brown with quick fading head. Huge sweet dried fruit, vanilla and bourbon aroma. Maple too. So smooth for the ABV. Almost no alcohol detected. Wonderfully sweet, but not too sweet. Big barrel flavours, dried fruit, bread, vanilla. Pretty amazing. Close to perfect.

4.8 Aroma, Bourbon , vanilla, coconut, nuts and dark fruits. Appearance, pours three quarters dark. Almost no head. Taste, bourbon, almond, malts; coconut, toasted flavors, cake, cherry and dark fruits with a touch of cinnamon. Palate, super smooth, flat cola . Alcohol is well hidden. Warms as it goes down. Overall, an amazing complex brew. My guess aging has perfected its taste. Not much to fault here. Exceptional world class sipper. Plan on aging a few bottles.

4.4 Bottle from the north coast store in Fort Bragg. Aroma sends shivers up my spine, the chocolate and bourbon blends so well. Flavor also brings up lots of chocolate flavors with the bourbon up front and the alcohol clearing the palate quickly with a bit of sweet sticky finish.

4.2 2013 vintage draft at Bru Craft during a North Coast event. Nearly opaque dark brown pour with overflowing foam - difficult pour. Huge, rich, pungent toffee caramel flavors. Chocolate bourbon. Raspberry orange. Cherry raisin. Vanilla oak. Plum pudding. Candied ginger. Black liquorice. Celery stalks. Giant, dark, foreboding, complex, and wonderful! A galaxy of flavor in every sip!

4.4 Bottle share at BitterCreek, 2009 vintage. Mahogany pour,small thin head. Bourbon, boozy aroma, some vanilla and molasses. Taste comes on sweet, rich malts, caramel wooden barrel flavors. Big, bold, boozy classic old ale. 2013 vintage..superb from the opening. What a classic

4.2 Dark brown color; Medium slightly creamy body; Aroma of sweet malt, oak, vanilla, maple, toffee, some dark fruit, & rich bourbon; Flavor of sweet malt, caramel, molasses, vanilla, chocolate, dark fruit, and nice bourbon; Warm finish; Nicely balanced & quite complex; Oh so smooth - love the bourbon!

3.8 Nice smooth old ale with copper color. Oily, smooth palate. Big aromas and flavors of bourbon, caramel, oak and graininess.

4.0 Nice spicy banan aroma, very good one of the best in style that I could ever drank

4.2 (500ml 2013 bottle from Systembolaget web order shared) Pours mahogany with a small loose white ring of bubbles. Aroma heavily burnt sugar, char, moderate bourbon notes, some vanilla, wood. Flavour is very balanced, with a rich caramel, totally burnt sugar, and aged bourbon base profile, toasted wood and some char, subtle dried fruits, light grain. Finish is long rich malt and wood layers, a panoply of ways sugar can be cooked or burnt, and wood can be toasted. Medium-full body with average carbonation. Maybe it’s age but the barrel here was quite subtle and integrated compared to the wheat whiskey version, not so flashy but more to explore and consider. Very nice.

3.5 Bottle 2009 vintage shared by alexsdad06 pour hazy cola brown with no head. Nose caramel, toffee, raisins, molasses. Taste raisins, molasses, prune, and only a hint of bourbon late. Some burn from alcohol. A little thin on the mouth feel.

3.6 Bottle sample at a tasting at Beer & Beyond. Thanks DSG. 2013 bottle. Murky burnt sienna. Sweet, vanilla and honey and maple in the nose, sweet, deep honey and a little bitter taste, also a little alcoholic. Full body, slightly carbonated, long, sweet finish.

3.8 Bottled 375ml (Systembolaget vintage 2013) Deep ruby color, small beige head. Lots of toffee, vanilla and light alcohol in the nose. Medium-bodied. Mellow bourbon vanilla, maltyness in the flavor. Warming alcohol. Sweet robust vanilla beer. Excellent sippable brew and aged nicely.

4.3 Bottled@AIH66 Beer Session (from Systembolaget), Rubyish red colour, small head. Aroma is fruity, rum raisin, some alcohol, mild wood, vanilla as well as some nice mellow whiskey notes. Flavour is rum raisins, mellow whiskey, some alcohol and rather sweet sugary notes. Yet so very balanced and beautiful. Delicious.