137-year-old brew tastes 'absolutely amazing'

Post by **kman** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:21 am

And you all thought I was crazy for trying 26 year old MCIs...

From http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061211/a ... 124183.asp :

Beer from 1869 that can be guzzled
DAVID DERBYSHIRE

London, Dec. 10: It was brewed in the year that the Suez Canal opened, Charles Dickens embarked on one of his last literary tours and the Cutty Sark was launched in Scotland.

But the recently-discovered cache of 1869 ale should have been undrinkable, given the conventional brewing wisdom that even the best beers are supposed to last no more than a couple of decades. Beer experts, however, say the 137-year-old brew tastes “absolutely amazing”.

The Victorian beer was part of a cache of 250 vintage bottles found in the vaults of Worthington’s White Shield brewery in Burton-on-Trent.

The bottles will not be sold and have yet to be valued.

According to Steve Wellington, Worthingon White Shield’s head brewer, said: “It was always rumoured that there were some vintage beers on site but no one had bothered to taste them because it was assumed they would not be drinkable.

“Uncovering such an interesting collection is fantastic, the most exciting discovery ever made in British brewing. I assumed they would taste awful. But they had the most astonishing, complex flavours.”

The bottles were sealed with corks and wax and stored in even, cool temperatures, in the dark and placed on their side to stop the corks drying out.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

dermeister025 · Post by **dermeister025** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 2:11 am

Aah don't worry, we still think you're crazy! It's just that the brits are crazier! I gotta try me some of that, anyone know what the going rate on ninjas is these days?

Demoncase · Post by **Demoncase** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:24 am

Having drunk fresh Worhingtons I'd happily wait 137 years before I had another one.

Gimme an ice cold Stella Artois or Kronenborg any day of the week.

Note: Any mention of Budweiser will be met with derision, amusement and more than a pinch of head shaking.

Stef · Post by **Stef** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:12 am

I prefer Red or Blue label Chimay from Belgium.

I'd like to wait 137 years before I open and drink it but my record must be about 137 minutes

Post by **kman** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:17 am

Demoncase, funny you should mention Budweiser...

A few years ago, I was in Windsor, UK, at a reception and I walked up to the bar. They had four or five beers to choose from and one of them was Budweiser...the label looked different but it definitely said "Budweiser". I stood there shaking my head, thinking "I came all the way to the UK for some good beer and they server Budweiser??".

It took me 10-15 minutes to figure out this "Budweiser" wasn't the golden elixir of American brewing fame...no, this was a Czech beer called Budweiser. I was relieved.

Demoncase · Post by **Demoncase** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 5:08 am

Yeah that's Budvar Budweiser- the original Czech Pilsner that the US Budweiser nicked the trademark from....

Budvar is much, much more sophisticated brew than the normal Bud-Soap-Suds.....

Though, agreed, I've noticed a worrying amount of mainstream pub chains having the US Bud on draught over here....

If you get the chance again I highly reccomend you sample Budvar: also have a crack at Staropramen, Stella Artois, Kronenborg and (if you like a challenge) Hoegaarden...it's a Belgian White Beer so it looks like a pint of watery milk but has an interesting fresh and yeasty flavour due to all the yeast still being in suspension.