Coopers Vintage 2013 Extra Strong Ale

[Logman]

^^ My local Dan's still has them, I get a carton every so often - was just wondering whether to expect them to go to $50 or so when they bring out 2013, might grab 5 or something....

 

[AlwayzLoozeCount]

If you're going to buy a case of this and let it age for a few years does it matter about fluctuations in temperature or should it be done in a cellar?

 

[Logman]

Had one last night, not as good as the 2012 imo but it's very fresh tasting. Hard to feel the 7.5%, you could drink a fair few and wake up pretty hammered.

What is the hop that is so detectable, is that Nelson?

 

[soundawake]

Citra I reckon.

 

[Logman]

Ah, never brewed with Citra before, but watching this bizarre you might be right. Might have to get some :icon_drool2:

 

[Liam_snorkel]

this bizarre

bizarre indeed!

 

[lukiferj]

I don't get it.

 

[Will88]

Since when are Centennial, Chinook and Citra noble hops?

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I believe the marketing department were given too much rope.

 

[fnqbrew]

Grabbed a 2013 box today. I won't get around to drinking any until late September when I catch up with a mate who appreciates good beer, and we'll session a few. 2012 was underwhelming to start, but cracked a couple of bottles a few weeks ago and it's improved a great deal. Might hang on to the last dozen for another year. I missed out on 2011, but I reckon 2010 was a cracker. It's the beer that got me buying bloody $83 cartons!

 

[Proffs]

What I don't get is I thought hop driven beers should be consumed fairly quickly before the hop presence fades out. I know with most of my beers they change dramatically in about that 2nd month after bottling; and not for the good.

 

[joshuahardie]

Interesting reviews,
I thought the 2013 was a great drop, easily as good as my favourite which was 2010

I felt 2011, and 2012 were very poor in comparision

Horses for Courses.

 

[Logman]

Citra I reckon.

Might have to get some :icon_drool2:

Just put on my first Citra brew, was that I was smelling for sure.

The Citra has really died down in my Vintage Ale slab. I've been drinking plenty of Hop Hog so it could be that, but I'm sure it's died right off -_-

 

[mwd]

Bought my first 6 pack of 2013 today. Very nice my kind of beer might even be tempted to try the recipe on Cooper's website.

 

[fnqbrew]

Yeah, finally tried some while camping over the last few weeks. I don't mind it. Very fruity.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

I tried the 2013 vintage ale at the Darwin Beer Festival last weekend.

Honestly the glass I tried tasted pretty much 100% like Coopers yeast to me. That's all I could get from it. No hops or malt, just yeast. Maybe I got a bad bottle or something.

I absolutely agree with you slash, tasted like very alcoholic coopers pale ale yeast to me. I think my mates hyped it up to me too much before as well, I'm glad I got the 6-pack for free!

I've got it in the fridge at the moment, for the remaining 5, I can just remove from the fridge and put under the house to cellar with no adverse effects from initially being chilled right?

 

[mwd]

The six pack I got was not yeasty at all in fact it poured very clear into the glass. Found the flavour to be vaguely similar to an English Barley Wine a sipper not a gulper.

 

[elcarter]

Brought 2 cartons mid year and stored them.

1 Carton and 2 six packs made it this far, pretty good job I think.

Put two six pack in the fridge for Chrissy and I'll leave the carton for a while yet.

Bottle says;

Stored under cellar conditions the rich and full flavor of Coppers vintage will become more complex over an extended period.

Just cracked one. Description's Not wrong.

Chocolate, malty, caramel sweetness a first but transitions smoothly and quickly to a very long bitterness that seems to last an eternity.

Feels the caramel has reduced quite a bit since I last had one.

I'm trying to decipher the other complex flavors but having trouble. Their there but the bitterness seems to almost cover them perfectly and they come and go quickly.

I think it's citrus, orange-ish and possibly a hint of cherry but seems odd. I guess complex is the correct word for it.

I'm rubbish at defining this pallet flavor adventure but thought I'd share my 6 month old 2013 Vintage with you all.

 

[fnqbrew]

Yeah, I put a couple of my stash in the fridge a couple of weeks ago. I'm really enjoying this beer. There's still some around in Dans. I've been wondering if I should hit another carton while I still can.

 

[soundawake]

In my opinion Vintage hits its peak around 18 months. See if you can hang on to it for at least a year. I've got 3 years worth stored in my cellar - the 2011, (5 bottles left) 2012 (half a carton) and 2013 (3 quarters of a carton). The 2011 was amazing, the 2012 so-so, too early to tell how well the 2013 will age yet. Definitely could taste the new addition of Citra they added this year though.

Once you've got a few years worth of cartons stacked up, doing a back to back comparison can be really fun (and inebriating!)