Divine Reserve No. 1 at 1 year
It has been just over a year since we bottled our first batch of Divine Reserve. To celebrate this, I thought I would open a bottle and see how it was aging. Actually, I came home, my head was in a fog, had a Fancy Lawnmower Beer and, wanting something special for some reason, opened a DR1 and when halfway through, realized it was a year old! That's when it became a celebration.
I believe the last time I opened one of these was in April. My tasting notes: Wow! This beer is great! The overwhelming character is a chocolatey malt, but without any roast. The hops are still very present but in a pleasant background spiciness. Creamy mouthfeel pairs nicely with the chocolate flavor to create a very satisfying glass of beer.
Out of the 7,800 bottles of this that were made, I'm guessing that there are about 1,000 still in existence, but for those that have saved them, you are in for a treat. At this point, it appears that this beer will continue aging elegantly and become increasingly interesting for a few years. If you do have some, keep it cold. The aging reactions are greatly enhanced this way. And if you feel like a celebration, open one. But just one!
Cheers!