Coopers Vintage Ale 2009
Posted by Jared Birbeck on Friday, August 21, 2009
A pint of Coopers Vintage on tap, could there be anything better? Well today, sadly, there might be. Coopers Vintage is one of those beers that receives countless acolades for its rich flavours and ability to improve with age. Each vintage has been different and in many ways they have improved over the years. However, there is little doubt the first vintage was the best.
Today, a pint of deep copper coloured vintage with a tightly packed white head did not live up to its reputation. There wasn't the characteristic toffee notes or hint of caramel. The first impression was all about bitterness. this latest vintage has a much higher level of bitterness than its forebears. The previous vintages had a lingering sweetness that kept you coming back for more. It was a well balanced beer. The latest seems out of balance.
The press release for the latest vintage talked of the use of four hops. Up on the previous three. the description is as follows:
"Dr Cooper said that the 2009 Vintage Ale used the German bittering hops Magnum and Perle and the English aromatic hops Fuggles and Styrian Golding, as well as the best Australian malted barley and crystal malt to produce a distinct beer that would drink well immediately, but would develop further with careful cellaring."
It will improve with age but the aromatics from the fuggles and Styrian do not come through. Coopers could not have done much more than wave a couple of Fuggles and Styrian hops at the beer.
The bitterness from the Perle and Magnum hops do, however it is not the smooth bitterness needed for this style. It is too much.
Perhaps it is too harsh to say it is not a good beer. It may be too early to tell. This after all is a beer to be aged and with a bit of age the hops will mellow, and the toffee and caramel falvours will come to the front. I will try and develop my recipe for those that want to reproduce it to cellar for a while so that the flavours come together.
Today, a pint of deep copper coloured vintage with a tightly packed white head did not live up to its reputation. There wasn't the characteristic toffee notes or hint of caramel. The first impression was all about bitterness. this latest vintage has a much higher level of bitterness than its forebears. The previous vintages had a lingering sweetness that kept you coming back for more. It was a well balanced beer. The latest seems out of balance.
The press release for the latest vintage talked of the use of four hops. Up on the previous three. the description is as follows:
"Dr Cooper said that the 2009 Vintage Ale used the German bittering hops Magnum and Perle and the English aromatic hops Fuggles and Styrian Golding, as well as the best Australian malted barley and crystal malt to produce a distinct beer that would drink well immediately, but would develop further with careful cellaring."
It will improve with age but the aromatics from the fuggles and Styrian do not come through. Coopers could not have done much more than wave a couple of Fuggles and Styrian hops at the beer.
The bitterness from the Perle and Magnum hops do, however it is not the smooth bitterness needed for this style. It is too much.
Perhaps it is too harsh to say it is not a good beer. It may be too early to tell. This after all is a beer to be aged and with a bit of age the hops will mellow, and the toffee and caramel falvours will come to the front. I will try and develop my recipe for those that want to reproduce it to cellar for a while so that the flavours come together.