BS: Old beer... old me.

Subject: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Bill D
Date: 22 May 12 - 02:31 PM

So... Sunday was my my birthday. I made it to 73, and as part of my celebration I decided to open my bottle of 1986 Thomas Hardy's Ale.

here I am, holding it with the horn & antler mug my son gave me for Christmas. (Made in Germany)

http://my.opera.com/extree/albums/showpic.dml?album=11113512&picture=154593762


When I bought it, it was advertised to be 'good' for at least 25 years. I waited one extra year. It was beyond 'good'! I shared it (well, a taste anyway) with my wife and friends who made me a birthday dinner. All agreed it was special. (You do need to like beer with deep, chewey flavor. If all you like is lager..or IPA... this would not impress you.)

There was the temptation to advertise it and sell it, as they no longer make the stuff...at least like this... and bottles are quite the collectors item. I assume I could have gotten $20-$30 for it....but I bought it to drink. (I did drink one at about 10 yrs, and it was quite good... but this was smoother and richer, as best I can remember. I couldn't afford enough bottles to have side-by-side comparisons every few years.)

I do have ONE more bottle...of the 1992 vintage. I'm not sure I'll wait the extra 5 years for it.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: maeve
Date: 22 May 12 - 02:37 PM

Happy Birthday, Bill. I'm delighted you had a fitting way to celebrate.

Maeve

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 May 12 - 02:51 PM

Well, you might as well get drunk on your birthday, seeing as how OLD you are.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Bert
Date: 22 May 12 - 03:13 PM

Well another post of mine just disappeared.

Happy birthday Bill, you don't look a day older. Are you sure that you didn't Photoshop that picture and add a younger face?

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: gnu
Date: 22 May 12 - 03:39 PM

Happies atchya!

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: gnu
Date: 22 May 12 - 03:40 PM

BTW... thanks for all yer posts... witty and intelligent and otherwise. Hehehehee... just kidding. Keep up the good work. Yer one of the good guys.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 May 12 - 04:18 PM

Well, Bill, happy birthday. Your survival to this ripe, old age, is an inspiration to us all.

-Joe in Dublin-

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: GUEST,999
Date: 22 May 12 - 04:23 PM

Happy Birthday, Bill. And many more.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Beer
Date: 22 May 12 - 04:29 PM

Wish I had been there for a taste. What a great treat. And a very Happy Birthday.
Adrien

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: topical tom
Date: 22 May 12 - 05:11 PM

Happy Birthday, Bill, and may you have a good year (with the occasional libation!) Cheers!

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: alanabit
Date: 22 May 12 - 05:12 PM

Happy Birthday Bill. Hope you will be enjoying your beer for many more years to come!

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Gurney
Date: 22 May 12 - 05:21 PM

3 years past your sell-by date, eh, Bill? Congratulations.

IPA was made originally for its lasting qualities, and I like its bitterness, but overall, Ale and Stout satisfies best.



How in the world can you have booze and NOT drink it, for years! You must have a will of iron!

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Bill D
Date: 22 May 12 - 05:36 PM

Ah, Gurney... it was hard to resist. I hid it in a dark corner and tried to keep 'other' libations on hand for when I was tempted.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: bobad
Date: 22 May 12 - 07:00 PM

If beer be the food of philosophers drink on good man, drink on.

And a happy birthday to you too.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Leadfingers
Date: 22 May 12 - 07:19 PM

You still look good for a few more beers Bill and I am chasing you -
But I had a SONG written for my big Seventy . Nice rewrite of Three Score And Ten .

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: CET
Date: 22 May 12 - 07:26 PM

Many happy returns Bill. I will bring you some of my new favorite beer the next time we meet.

Edmund

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Bill D
Date: 22 May 12 - 08:29 PM

Yum! You never fail to find something wonderful!

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Janie
Date: 22 May 12 - 11:57 PM

Happy belated, you lovely Young Man!

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 May 12 - 01:13 AM

Thought you might enjoy this from one of the folks at "Beer Advocate:"

I have wanted this beer, any of the vintages, for at least 6 months and the time finally came.

This old chap pours a very deep ruby color with a few flakes of yeast. Amazingly there was a light spattering of bubbles on the surface that merely lingered as a thin thread around the perimeter of the glass.

Nose is sweet with fruits like raisins, similar to some wines and very characteristic of other beers with a good reputation of being able to survive while being forgotten about in a cellar or closet.

Flavor isn't as sweet as the smell suggested. There is more tartness than sweetness, a common effect of the age and other more mysterious things. This one is one that you hear about that turned sour, but still valuable none the less. In some cases this beer can be sweet and syrupy like a 7 to 10 year old J.W. Lees Harvest Ale or a 6 year old Le Baladin Xyauyu. Still good, and surprisingly light on the alcohol presence, I was expecting a little more heat but it is very smooth. Way in the background there is a lingering sweetness. Probably better several years ago.

Very light tingle from the remnants of carbonation. Drinks almost like wine. And the more I think about it the more it reminds me of tea.

Spaw....and Happy Birthday!

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: frogprince
Date: 23 May 12 - 11:04 AM

Bill prefers his beer consistently logical, with just a trace of sarcasm.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 May 12 - 11:36 AM

All A is B.
All B is C.
Therefore, Bill is old.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Bill D
Date: 23 May 12 - 02:13 PM

"All A is B.
All B is C.
Therefore, Bill is old."

Undistributed middle, post hoc, ergo propter hoc, assuming the consequent...... and 2-3 others.

Besides, the gubberment, in its infinite wisdom, TOLD me I was old, and sent me money to soften the message.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 23 May 12 - 09:13 PM

Oh, so this is a birthday thread! If I'd known that, I wouldn't have skipped it yesterday. Belated happy birthday, Bill D.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Bill D
Date: 23 May 12 - 10:14 PM

Nawww... the thread, from MY viewpoint, was about that special beer. Being 73 is not very special in this group.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 May 12 - 10:30 PM

Everybody can BE 73. Not everyone lives to BE 73, although some are still walking around, breathing.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 May 12 - 06:05 AM

Now then - Firstly, Happy Birthday, Bill. Secondly - Maybe someone here could let me know if anyone in the UK buys old booze? As it happens I have just unearthed (From the attic) a bottle of Whitbreads Liverpool Garden Festival Beer - 1984 and a bottle of Pomagne (Apple stuff - sold as poor mans champgne) dated 1977. I will never drink either but I was wondering if I could sell them. I guess ebay is out due to laws on selling alcohol?

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 24 May 12 - 06:33 AM

keep enjoying your birthday celebrations, Bill

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 24 May 12 - 09:54 AM

Well I thought I'd have a beer for my birthday,
And just sit & drink it quietly on my own.
Grabbed a bottle of the old 'eighty-six Hardy's
And poured it in my Drinking mug from Rhone.

Then I thought I'd share this moment on the Mudcat,
Let you all know what this beer means to me.
When they ask "Who's the fool in the corner, burbling?"
It's little ol' beer drinker me.


Happy birthday (belated) Bill
(Apologies to Dean martin!)

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Bill D
Date: 24 May 12 - 11:30 AM

Ha! Immortalized in 'poetry'?? I am semi-humbled...... but appreciative.

Dave.... collectors of bottles 'sometimes' like unopened bottles, but most beers don't survive that much aging. Google "beer bottle collections" and such like phrases.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: frogprince
Date: 24 May 12 - 01:33 PM

You may be a redneck if

you've tried to put the used beer back in the bottle and save it as a collectable.

Subject: RE: BS: Old beer... old me.
From: Bill D
Date: 24 May 12 - 03:03 PM

"...put the used beer back in the bottle..."

When done commercially by experts, it's called either Budweiser or Iron City.