Js Australian Strong Ale

[Doc]

Tonight I got home and my wonderful wife had picked up some JS Australian Strong Ale for me.
I still had a 2003 vintage in the imported beer fridge so I thought I'd do a comparison between 2003 and 2004.
I tried the 2004 first and it didn't strike me the same as the 2003 one did when I first tried it last year.
Opened the 2003 bottle and immediately there is a noticable difference. The 2003 version has much more aroma to it. When I tasted the 2003 one it also had more body, depth and the underlying hint of alcohol.

You could argue that the 2003 vintage has had a year to age but the aroma should still be present in the 2004 version.

IMO 2003 over 2004.

Anyone else done a side by side comparison ?

Doc

 

[barfridge]

I dont think many of us would keep such a nice brew sitting about for that length of time, I know I dont.

I'm really proud of myself for not touching the goodies in the cupboard that I bought from the IBS about 3 months ago, but sometimes the temptation is strong.

 

[Bobby]

The 2003 vintage does age well, i found a couple bottles hidden in the fridge the other day and tried one. It was even better after a year for my tastes. Still got one left too....hehe
I will try a comparison soon when i get some of it in at work.

 

[Doc]

Barfridge,

The reason I had a couple of bottles left was because I was cloning the beer and needed a couple to do side by side comparisons with as I refined the recipe.
But I drank the last one last night for the side by side comparison :angry:

Doc

 

[barfridge]

I wasnt criticising you Doc, just expressing a bit of jealousy that you have the discipline to be able to have such a great brew sitting around untouched for a year.

I cant do this, but I think I have a solution.....make sure I have enough beer here that I cant drink it all in a year! YEAH! I like that idea

 

[Doc]

I didn't think you were barfridge.
They wouldn't have lasted a year if I hadn't wanted to hold back for taste tests
This years supply won't last more than a couple of months at the outside :huh:

Doc

 

[Doc]

Time to drink some of the back catalogue.
Having a JS Australian Strong Ale now. Not sure if it is the 2004 or the 2005.
It has aged well. Some nice raisen flavours with a big malt profile.

Anyone else still sitting on a few bottles ?

Doc

 

[sinkas]

What happened to JS's winter special brew this year?

 

[danbeer]

What happened to JS's winter special brew this year?

Would that have been the hop thief?
I seem to recall (hazily B) ) drinking it about wintertime.

 

[Doc]

Hi Doc.

I found about a dozen of these little beauties out in one of my shed fridges recently.

The best before date is 28/1/2005 - so I'm thinking it's a 2004 batch.

Just checked the BBD on my last bottle and it is 25/2/05 so mine must have been a 2004 as well.
Was an enjoyable drop.

Doc

 

[Muggus]

Never occured to me to age one of these when I last bought some, albeit that would've been a few year ago now. I'm keen to see how some of the Coopers Vintages i've got from last year line up against this years offering, not to mention years to come.
I've also held onto a couple of bottles of Cascade First Harvest '06. Not sure how that will age though.

 

[PostModern]

Does pastuerised beer actually "improve" with age?

 

[Muggus]

I spose any beer will eventually get oxidised with aging. In some beers, a bit of oxidisation adds to the character. Whether that or not can be considered 'improvement' i'm not sure.

 

[Tony]

Ive got 10 bottles of 1999 vintage Hahn Milenium Ale and i think its gotten a bit past its prime.......... if it ever had one?

I was lucky enough to try the first release of the JS strong ale that wasnt releasd to the public. It was a 100 case release and my dad (who used to work for tooheys) got a 6 pack of it. I only had one bottle but it was a real heave, malty, bitter strong ale.

I bought some of it every year since then and its slowly been watered down each year.

I got a 6pack of it 2 years back and it reminded me of coopers real ale with an extra KG of sugar and i wasnt imressed.

If it was a 2004 model it was still a good beer but after that they went down hill.

cheers