Coopers 2012 Vintage Ale

[soundawake]

Well, I picked myself up a carton this morning. Paid $8 more than last year ($82 vs $74)
It is in the smaller 355ml bottles. Disappointed at that, given its still more expensive than last year. I would have happily paid an extra $10 to still get it in 375ml bottles.
I think you can only get away with using smaller bottles if the price doesn't increase.
Also now theres no foil wrapped around the neck/cap, and the labels look cheap and are poorly stuck to the bottle. Torn and peeling away at all edges. Again disappointing! For such an expensive beer it looks cheap.
But how does it taste? Given it uses the same hops as the Celebration, there's definitely similarities there.... It's not bad. At this young stage I preferred last year's.
Time will tell how it changes and matures.

 

[mjadeb1984]

picked up a carton today aswell $79 for me. got some chillin in the fridge at the moment sure hope its better than celebration ale. also with the new vintage and the celebration ale in smaller bottles i sure hope we wont see the regular coopers lines making the switch.

 

[Filfy]

Will grab a carton of this today from my local and chuck it in the cellar after trying at least one.............

 

[mjadeb1984]

had a 6er last night really enjoyed it, tho everyy now and then got a bit of a soapy smell, could have been me but it was weird. the rest has gone to the cellar.

 

[Filfy]

Had a few last night. Very very nice drop. Can see then benefit of wacking in a cellar for a year or five. Very impressive now, but will benefit from cellaring.

 

[eamonnfoley]

Well, I picked myself up a carton this morning. Paid $8 more than last year ($82 vs $74)
It is in the smaller 355ml bottles. Disappointed at that, given its still more expensive than last year. I would have happily paid an extra $10 to still get it in 375ml bottles.
I think you can only get away with using smaller bottles if the price doesn't increase.
Also now theres no foil wrapped around the neck/cap, and the labels look cheap and are poorly stuck to the bottle. Torn and peeling away at all edges. Again disappointing! For such an expensive beer it looks cheap.
But how does it taste? Given it uses the same hops as the Celebration, there's definitely similarities there.... It's not bad. At this young stage I preferred last year's.
Time will tell how it changes and matures.

Despite the price difference - it sucks to see 375ml being phased out.....I like the look of the 375ml coopers bottles. I hope LC keeps the pintzillias going forward with Lion Nathan. Get Aussie craft beer into king browns!! (or whatever you call a 750ml in your state B) ).

This country needs to get used to big bottles and selling them as single items (without inflating the price) if craft beer is going to get anywhere. We dont want to be forced into a carton of something just to make the price half reasonable.

 

[hoppy2B]

I was given a 375ml bottle of Coopers Vintage Ale this week with the date 1-OCT/98 on it. I'm wondering if it will be any good or if its gone to crap.
Was also given three half size bottles of 17 year old port.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

It will be horrible you should post it to me, I'll PM you my address

 

[soundawake]

I was given a 375ml bottle of Coopers Vintage Ale this week with the date 1-OCT/98 on it. I'm wondering if it will be any good or if its gone to crap.
Was also given three half size bottles of 17 year old port.

I drank a 98 a few months back. Liquid was very dark with large chunks through it. Tasted more like a musty port than a beer.
Drinkable, but I probably wouldn't open it.

Edit- my apologies, after going through my iPhone photos (I tend to take photos of the beers I drink) it was the 99 I drank, not the 98.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that the 98 is different to all the others that came after, but I can't remember what it was. Maybe it wasn't bottle conditioned? Where's Dr Tim when you need him?

 

[hoppy2B]

I drank a 98 a few months back. Liquid was very dark with large chunks through it. Tasted more like a musty port than a beer.
Drinkable, but I probably wouldn't open it.

Edit- my apologies, after going through my iPhone photos (I tend to take photos of the beers I drink) it was the 99 I drank, not the 98.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that the 98 is different to all the others that came after, but I can't remember what it was. Maybe it wasn't bottle conditioned? Where's Dr Tim when you need him?

It appears to have yeast in the bottom and comes in at 7.1%. Don't know if that's different to the others, maybe they changed hops or whatever.

 

[AussieJosh]

had a 6er last night really enjoyed it, tho everyy now and then got a bit of a soapy smell, could have been me but it was weird. the rest has gone to the cellar.

A 6er of Vintage? Damn! Id feel that in the morning!


Im drinking one now and i really enjoy it. I think it would be even better in 2 or 3 years.

 

[mjadeb1984]

oh i did my friend. especially when mixing it with a few other brews.

 

[Wimmig]

Though i have heard of places where you can buy a mixed 6 of vintage ale (current + 5 previous years) for less than $50. Might be an easy, and interesting, side by side tasting.

 

[fnqbrew]

Has anyone seen this outside of SA? DMs have it in their online store, but at $84 a carton, I'll be damned if I'm going to pay an extra $20 to get it.

 

[Logman]

Has anyone seen this outside of SA? DMs have it in their online store, but at $84 a carton, I'll be damned if I'm going to pay an extra $20 to get it.

I got some at DM's Oxenford/Gold Coast yesterday - $79. Drinking one atm and it's very enjoyable, seems like a year would be a nice time to crack some as others mentioned, definitely full of flavor.

:icon_drool2:


edit: damn, that's pretty nice

 

[fnqbrew]

I got some at DM's Oxenford/Gold Coast yesterday - $79. Drinking one atm and it's very enjoyable, seems like a year would be a nice time to crack some as others mentioned, definitely full of flavor.

:icon_drool2:


edit: damn, that's pretty nice

Picked up a carton at DMs Earlville today ($80). They arrived yesterday and hadn't even made it to the shelves. Bloke said there was some more there. Can't drink any. I'm on call until next week.

 

[Logman]

Can't drink any. I'm on call until next week.

Something to look forward to then, really nice, going to get a slab today and stash them.

Nice beer :beerbang:

 

[tricache]

I got some at DM's Oxenford/Gold Coast yesterday - $79. Drinking one atm and it's very enjoyable, seems like a year would be a nice time to crack some as others mentioned, definitely full of flavor.

:icon_drool2:


edit: damn, that's pretty nice

Oooo that's my local so I might have to drop in and get some

 

[Logman]

Oooo that's my local so I might have to drop in and get some

We got a Dan's and a green shed lately - good times for the beer loving brewers of Oxenford/Upper Coomera. How's that Dan's car park lol, you've got to run the gauntlet to get out of there if you're turning right and there's any traffic

 

[tricache]

We got a Dan's and a green shed lately - good times for the beer loving brewers of Oxenford/Upper Coomera. How's that Dan's car park lol, you've got to run the gauntlet to get out of there if you're turning right and there's any traffic

Worst car part EVER!!!! Place is a deathtrap at 5pm on a Friday :lol:

 

[Weizguy]

I drank a 98 a few months back. Liquid was very dark with large chunks through it. Tasted more like a musty port than a beer.
Drinkable, but I probably wouldn't open it.

Edit- my apologies, after going through my iPhone photos (I tend to take photos of the beers I drink) it was the 99 I drank, not the 98.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that the 98 is different to all the others that came after, but I can't remember what it was. Maybe it wasn't bottle conditioned? Where's Dr Tim when you need him?

Last time I tasted a '98, I thought it was bit past its prime. Same with the '99, as far as I remember.

I read somewhere that the standard coopers range of pale, dark and sparkling has no intention of moving to the smaller bottles, at least.

 

[yum beer]

picked up 2 bottles the other day, they finaaly arrived locally,
cracked one tonight while cooking the barbie, very nice,
I got the impression of a nice malty pommy bitter with a whack of 'c' hop flavour. may be wrong but regardless I enjoyed it,
in fact I may grab another bottle or 2 for longer cellaring.

 

[Logman]

Anyone drinking this that could have a crack at an AG recipe - would like to try and knock some up...

 

[joshuahardie]

Dunno about everyone else but I found the 2012 to be astonishingly bland and underwhelming.

I am still hanging onto the glory that was the 2010 version.

 

[tricache]

Dunno about everyone else but I found the 2012 to be astonishingly bland and underwhelming.

I am still hanging onto the glory that was the 2010 version.

This seems to be a common "problem" with all companies showcase beers and limited releases...maybe they are "dumbing down" for the mass market?

 

[Weizguy]

Dunno about everyone else but I found the 2012 to be astonishingly bland and underwhelming.

I am still hanging onto the glory that was the 2010 version.

Hey Josh,

Maybe it's the logistics chain up to us in the Central Coast/Hunter.

I bought a 2012 Vintage at Dan's after becoming enthused by this thread. Seemed remarkably low-hopped and close to the Celebration ale, which was bought from a local liquor chain in Adamstown and was also disappointingly under-hopped. Not sure why I bought a whole case. Maybe increasingly misplaced respect for Coopers products?

I would really expect a Special beer to enthrall me, not just amuse me, and both these beers were merely amusing.

 

[chrisso81]

The 2010 was great, so I rushed out and grabbed 2 cases of the 2011, it was nowhere near as impressive and after a year cellaring it hasn't gotten much better. I guess I'll sample a 2012 at some stage, but will not be parting with my hard earned for a whole slab. IMO most of the Coopers range seems to have changed to some extent over the years, and not for the better. Tis a shame.

 

[joshuahardie]

I got to try a Fullers Vintage last year. I forget what vintage it was, but that is what the coopers vintage use to taste like.

Now I am just acting like some tosser who goes on about how things were better in my day....

But seriously coopers, dial in some richness.

I also tried a 10 yo coopers vintage, tasted like a cross between a belgian dubbel and a sherry. remarkable experience. I just can't imagine the current vintage would age well. There is just nothng there to start with.

 

[drsmurto]

@Hoppy2B

When you drink the 98 vintage make sure it is at room temperature to fully appreciate it. Too cold and the malt gets lost behind the sherry/port flavours.

Still working my way through 98 and 99, at last count i was down to 3 or 4 bottles of each. The carton of 2000 remains unopened.

Really enjoy having one every now and then to sip on in front of the fire.

 

[jibba02]

From what i have read, beer should be consumed within 12 months of the manufacture date . What makes this beer so great after sitting in the cellar for 6 or so years? I guess the high ABV would help?
A friend of mine posted a picture of a 98 vintage on facebook and said it was the best beer he ever tasted. I have strong doubts.