Emerson's Old95

[Hopfull]

Hi Guys and Gals,

We are having the best month ever down here in Dunedin - not only our best sales month ever but I hope you've noticed the temperatures......30C and late 20's .... pretty damn fine for Dunners! Great times to sit back and sup an ale or three and contemplate the brews of 2009. I hope you are all enjoying the break.

We've just sent out a batch of Old95 that was completely sold over a two week period. It basically went out only just having finished its warm conditioning - yes just like a certain Auckland lager it was couriered out 'hot' not from pasteurisation but at 30 from the bottle conditioning room. Tasting what we have left in the brewery I've noticed some flavours I'm not happy with and the beer is
a little firey pouring. Not sure if the flavours will alter overtime due to the beer going through a maturing phase straight after warm conditioning which happens and the higher than normal carbonation isnt helping the flavour profile either.

As you know we've had issues with the Old in the past and we've been really vigilant on quality with it since then - I dont want another series of Old we're not happy with out there. Its a small batch and with it going out so fast i might not have caught what i think was 'too hot a ferment' and potentially over priming for the style. A catch twenty two with falling behind on a beer that whilst isnt our biggest seller is still passionately sought out by a committed group. And when we are out of stock of Old boy do i get it in the ear!

So in your beer travels if you could provide feedback on recently purchased Old that would be great. Please mention to any stockist if you experience dissatisfaction and get them to contact us here for potential exchange....

We are still struggling with Xtra emails coming to our email network from time to time - I dont understand the issue but apparently its still occuring. So it may take a landline call - happy to discuss directly - just ask for me - if I'm not immediately available leave message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

I've been enjoying plenty of other brewers ales lately over the Xmas season - one in particular Three Boys wild plum - holy hell this has to be their best! Stunning - Well done to Ralph and his team - I was in the middle of brewing Taieri George (stuck mash, brewed from 5.30am to 10.30pm, this old bugger was a tired wee lad - but the pleasure of its aroma fermenting next morning made up for the tired bones! Look out for TG in 2009 its going to be beautiful - better be for that long bloody day) Richard handed me a glass of the Wild Plum and I was blown away - incredibly delicate, plum character really there and a lovely soft finish, too bad Richard only had one bottle - or did he......? Basta*d? Once again Ralph - a stunner.

Right back to fining the IPA and keg cleaning - have a good break and keep your palates on the lookout for any Old95 you're not completely happy with.

Cheers and see you in 2009

Chris
Emersons

[Greig McGill]

Chris, this sort of direct communication with "we the drinkers" is great. Please keep it up. Old 95 is a favourite of mine, so I shall let you know if I have any issues. Is there a batch number we should look out for?

[Stu McKinlay]

I concur with Greig - good show fellas. (and with your thoughts on Three Boys Plum - I liked it a lot).

Slainte mhath
Stu
ps. Chris - you should get a better looking profile pic, the one you have makes you look like a cross between an ABBA singer and a viking! ;-)

pps. I'm going on a beer hunt... I'm going to catch a big one. I'll keep a look out.

[Hopfull]

True on the photo Stu - I may have to consider your suggestion - he does look a little like one of the Gibb brothers in this shot though! LOL

Chris

[Mike Neilson]

Can confess that I think i have one of these Old 95 Vintage 2008 A211. Upon Opening, it was fine but as soon as it hit the glass its all foam I have included a photo to show what I mean I tried it in 2 difrent glasses also. the beer smells Acetaldehyde, and is acidic on the palate. The beer was bought from Regional Wines and Spirts on about the 27th. I hope this helps, any other questions regarding the beer maybe more specifics feel free to contact me. Oh might as well have a bookie then!!

[Stu McKinlay]

If it had hop pellets floating in it, I'd swear I'd seen it on here before...

[Kempicus]

holy crap! that looks familiar......
SO-4 is starting to give up the flavours and aromas.....finally! thank goodness!

[Greig McGill]

Same batch - A211. From New World Te Rapa in Hamilton. Poured a bit frothy, but no more than expected from fresh Old 95. Quite sweet and malty on the palate, slightly worty, but again, I almost never drink them this young. No real flaws, all the usual flavours are there that I expect, just lacking "evolution". Slightly thinner body is about the only thing I can't attribute to lack of aging.

A nice beer. No real problems. I might just be lucky?

*EDIT* I spoke too soon. As it warmed up it developed a slightly phenolic taste. Plasticy. Not very dominant, I can still enjoy the beer.

[Hopfull]

Okay as I thought. Its a little heart chilling, just what you need after a record month. Its not across the whole batch of 180 cases or so, but maybe thats because we are having a little bit of variability amongst the maturation? I know what I want to do with things at this stage and will confer with The Phenomenon aka the ABBA Viking dude. Watch this space.

Chris

[James P]

What is a good maturing time in the bottle for Old 95? I want to buy a couple and mature them in the cellar.

[Hopfull]

How long is a piece of string? This is very much up to the individual's palate James. eg with true traditional bottle conditioned witbier many enjoy the citrus character within three weeks of bottling, while others prefer it in those 'quieter' 12 months or so after bottling, a well matured witbier will have madeira type flavours also enjoyed much later (years sometimes). So too it is with Emersons Old95. Fresh - say less than a month from bottling the Old has its hop character in tact, the bitterness is there, with a little hop flavour and the malt balanced. Being bottle conditioned, as Old ages beyond say 6 months, the beer 'creams out' and the hops drop off allowing a more vinous malt character to come through. A bottle conditioned beer continues to evolve in flavour if kept at a cool (not cold temperature). It is a live beer. So in summary here's what would be my suggestion if you wanted to really explore flavour evolution of a beer that can really handle cellaring beautifully. Take eight bottles and lay four of them on their sides, the other four store upright. Sample one bottle from either method at three month intervals. The last two you'll be sampling at 12 months after bottling date - this is Old95 at the point I enjoy it the most - but then thats my humble opinion! Richard and others enjoy Old we have in the archives here which is up to 5 or 6 years old! By this time the autolysis from the yeast within the bottle has produced characters which are hinting on marmite (yes not a very romantic description but nonetheless a reasonable description) The most classic beer I know that has this character is Utopia - well Old at 5 years old is not that extreme but you'll get the comparison if you ever get the chance.

The ultimate would be to do what some Old afficiandos do and that is have a vertical tasting of Old across 5 years - yep its done. Best done with the better half and kids away for the weekend with plenty of good mature cheese and lots of time on your hands !

Hope that helps James. If you or anyone else wants to purchase bottle conditioned beers from the brewery with a known bottling date and some specific brewing details on the batch itself let me know and I'll arrange this for you. Most of our bottle conditioned beers are actually individual vintages in their own right and have personalities of their own. So some additional brewing detail is often helpful when comparing batches over time.

All the best - I hear the sweet melodic sounds of my master calling - bottling time once again !

Cheers

Chris

[Kempicus]

Once again i'm stunned by the willigness to share information, offer rare beers and openess from Emersons! Thank you very much!

[James P]

Thanks Chris, I will admit this is only to broaden my horizon past the Pilsner, however if I can understand when to enjoy a beer at it's best (as I do with my own beer) then I can appreciate that beer as it is supposed to be!

(That means not being as unlucky as you Kempicus!)