A few years ago I did a review on Young's Special London Ale for the Oxford Bottled Beer Database. In fact it was April, 2001. In it I mention that I had another couple of bottles I was going to lay down for a year or so. Well doesn't time fly? A mere six years 10 months later, I thought I'd better see how they are doing. I dug one out last night and intended to drink it, but as usually is the case, I went off the idea. This afternoon I opened it after it had had a few hours in the fridge. Had it lost its condition. No!! It went off like a bomb, covering me and my kitchen in a spray of foam that had me cleaning up for ages.
There isn't a happy ending. The few remaining inches were only good for chips. Still I have one left so I'll try that soon. Maybe it has a better seal? I live in hope, but I'll be putting a towel round the next one before I prise it open!
The bottle was best before September 2001 according to the "nicks" on the back label
Clearly down to poor cellaring!
ReplyDeleteReally though, it is 6+ years out of date. Just because it's bottle conditioned doesn't mean it's immortal.
As I alwasy say, just drink the bugger never mind messing about!
ReplyDeleteIt couldn't be worse than the abomination that WellsYoungs are churning out now and sticking in a Special London Ale bottle. My favourite bottled beer of all time, ruined.
ReplyDeleteSame thing happened to me recently with a Titanic Christmas Ale from 2006, and it was only about 6 months beyond its bbe date. At 8% and bottle conditioned I'd assumed it would survive a bit longer - maybe I was unlucky. Still, you don't know until you've tried.
ReplyDeleteI had a bottle of their London Ale recently. It was awful!
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