North Coast Brewing Old Stock Ale 2010 Reserve

North Coast Brewing Old Stock Ale 2010 Reserve, a limited Stock Ale offering from North Coast Brewing, poured a thick, deep amber color with red highlights and a small, short lived tan head.  The nose was rich and heavy with sweet malt, barleywine-like in structure, with some vanilla and caramel.

North Coast Brewing Old Stock Ale 2010 Reserve opened as a malt bomb; rich and thick and coating the mouth with burnt toffee, butterscotch, bourbon, and vanilla.  The ale firmed up as it settled in the mouth and darkened, fading on a sweet, maple syrup and fig end.

North Coast Brewing Old Stock Ale 2010 Reserve much more closely resembled the barley wine style of ale than the historic “Old Stock” style, and is not for the faint of heart.  I’m doing a vertical today, so the 2011 Reserve version is up next!