 
Owen Ogletree recently pulled a dozen well aged beers from his cellar and gathered together a tasting panel at Trappeze Pub in Athens to comment on how the character of each has evolved over time and to pick our favorites. Panelists: Owen Ogletree, Kerri Allen, Dean & Gail Graves, Eric Johnson, Thel Melton, Nick Allen and Mark Hall...
Dogfish Head Raison D’Extra 2006 – Imperial Brown Ale with raisins – Our FIRST PLACE pick.
Milton, DE
Color: Murky brown; very flat. Brown.
Aroma: Wort, apples, rum, raisins, toffee, sweetish; caramel apples; butter; caramel cake icing; molasses
Flavor: Very sweet; caramel-like; overripe raisins; figs; definitely a sipping beer; could age for another 20 years and still be good; peaty, scotch-like note; hints of smoke; lots of warming alcohol; slight bitter note in the finish; very complex
Bell’s Expedition Stout 2006 – 10.5% ABV – Our SECOND PLACE pick.
Kalamazoo, MI
Color: Opaque black with no light able to penetrate; extremely light carbonation
Aroma: Roasted malt; currants; raisins; alcohol notes; licorice; malted chocolate; cocoa; woody resins; stewed tomatoes; balsamic notes
Flavor: Chocolate; vanilla; leathery; rich; smooth; almost no alcohol burn; roasted malt; malt balls; sugary; dark, bitter chocolate; slightly sweet; chocolate syrup; cherry hints; vanilla; dark, ripe fruits; candy bar notes
Mea Maxima Culpa 2007 – contract brewed by small beer store in Brussels. 6.5% ABV Belgian Blond Ale
Brussels, Belgium -- Our THIRD PLACE pick.
Color: Dark straw with nice white foam. Slight haze.
Aroma: Citrusy, lemon, spice, slightly tart, fruity
Flavor: Acetic acid hint; lemony; kiwi; pleasant acid note; soft mellow; earthy; very pleasant and refreshing. Held up well after four years of age.
New Glarus Unplugged Imperial Saison 2009
New Glarus, WI
Color: Deep gold, murky light amber.
Aroma: Caramel malt; acetone hint; green apple note; paper hint.
Flavor: Tart with cider hints; like a granny smith caramel apple; light and refreshing; wheat; cereal; acidic; still very drinkable and pleasant; spicy rye note; bready; at this point does not taste much like a Saison.
Dogwood Barleywine 2003
Atlanta, GA
Color: Relatively clear; garnet ruby brown; little to no carbonation.
Aroma: Alcohol; toffee; burnt sugar; butter;
Flavor: Sweet caramel; malt; backed by good hop bitterness; flavor not extremely intense; vanilla; raisins; still very drinkable; crème brulee; apricot; mango; good fruitiness; wood resins; cedar hint; pleasant and elegant
Full Sail Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale 2001 – 8.5% ABV
Hood River, OR
Color: Murky, dark brown; very low carbonation.
Aroma: Butter; molasses; sherry; cardboard note; earthy, mushroom note; cellar-like; herbal note; blue cheese hint
Flavor: Sweet caramel malt; apricot; sugary; wood resins; port-like; sweet beginning and slightly dry finish; a bit thinner than the aroma would suggest; grassy; celery; minty; sherry; still very pleasant; a sipper; would go well with a cigar; hint of sweet chocolate
Squall IPA (bottle conditioned 90 Minute) 2009 – 9% ABV
Milton, DE
Color: Murky amber; very low carbonation
Aroma: Like hopped sherry; citrus; soft; lemongrass, thyme; subtle; subdued; hops are still there.
Flavor: Sweeter than a regular 90 Minute; subtle flavors; spruce; sugary hint; piney; wild honey; very mild notes; still excessively pleasant and drinkable.
Tyranena Hop Whore Imperial IPA 2007
Lake Mills, WI
Color: Slightly cloudy brown; no carbonation
Aroma: Tobacco; prune; herbs; paper;
Flavor: Dry; dry malt note; earthy; short finish; hops have faded; caramel hints; sugar note; white peppercorn.
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Ale 2006 – 9.6% ABV
Chico, CA
Color: Dark brown; almost no carbonation; hazy
Aroma: Subdued aroma; mustard green hint; chalky; earthy; herbal; old cut grass; earthy
Flavor: Cigar; leather notes; herbal; pine hint; alcohol notes; spruce; tree sap; sherry, oxidative notes; still quite an impressive brew
Thomas Hooker Imperial Porter 2005
Hartford, CT
Color: Very black; zero carbonation
Aroma: Mild; peat smoke hint; caramel; cocoa hint; slight fruity esters
Flavor: Roasted malts; slight licorice; sweet malt; chocolate malt hints; subtle hints of dark raisins and prunes; dark sugar undertones
Left Hand Imperial Stout 2005
Longmont, CO
Color: Jet black with very little carbonation.
Aroma: Yeasty; star anise; cocoa; overripe dark fruit; slight acid note
Flavor: Honey; vanilla; chocolate in finish; sweetish; ripe fruit; cantaloupe; prune; fig; mild roasty notes; lactose sugar notes; creamy; smooth; slightly cloying; nutty undertone; pecan shell; munster cheese hint
Victory Storm King Imperial Stout 2002 – 9.1% ABV
Downingtown, PA
Color: Deep black color with almost no carbonation
Aroma: Prunes; tobacco; earthy; aged hops; coffee; rich fruit notes
Flavor: Soft, roasted malt; black patent malt; vegemite; yeasty; burnt espresso; herbal; dark chocolate; ash notes; smoke hint.
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Owen was pleased to learn that the hip and ultra-bohemian Hair of the Dog brewery recently opened a tasting room and food hall next to the brewery locale in Portland. Hair of the Dog cranks out some amazing craft ales and barrel-aged brews conceived from the mind of owner/brewer Alan Sprints (pictured with with Owen Ogletree). From the website: "Hair of the Dog Brewing Company was founded in November of 1993. The first person to purchase our beer was Fred Eckhardt, beer historian, inspiration, and mentor to the brewers. His purchase of Adam took place on August 23, 1994. Hair of the Dog Adam was originally called Adambier after a German beer style that was no longer being produced at the time."
For an in-depth guide to Oregon's craft beer scene, pick up a copy of Bob & Debra Ledford's 
Pictured to the right are John Pierce (assistant brewer) and Glenn Golden (owner/brewer) of JailHouse Brewing sending out a pallet of new bottled beers from their microbrewery in Hampton, Georgia. 
