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: