Coopers Brewery has released its 2009 Extra Strong Vintage Ale.
And for the first time, the beer will be available in special 12 bottle packs as well as the traditional 24 bottle slab.
The 2009 Vintage Ale is the ninth in the series of Vintage Ales. According to Coopers Managing Director and Chief Brewer, Dr Tim Cooper, it pays special attention to the use of hops for bittering and aroma.
“This year we have used four different cultivars of hops, one more than last year, to achieve a full flavoured, aromatic beer which builds on the success of the 2008 Vintage Ale,” he said.
“The beer can certainly be enjoyed now, but if carefully cellared, it will develop sweet caramel and toffee characters which will increase with age.”
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.
The alcohol content has been retained at 7.5% alcohol by volume, making it the strongest beer brewed by Coopers and one of the stronger beers produced around the world.
Coopers Marketing Director and Chairman, Mr Glenn Cooper, said he expected strong early demand for this year’s Vintage Ale.
“We have released it slightly earlier than normal so that people looking for a hearty winter beer can enjoy the new Vintage Ale with a meal or by itself as a winter warmer,” he said.
“This year we will be releasing the 2009 Vintage Ale in special 12 packs, as well as the traditional 24 bottle slab, following the installation of a new packaging machine at the brewery.
“We expect the new packaging will broaden the appeal of this unique product.”
Mr Cooper said that as in previous years, there had been only a limited production run with stocks allocated to retailers on a first-come, first-served basis. Strong demand had also been received from New Zealand and the US.
“We have been told that there is an increasing number of people collecting the Vintage Ale and enjoying vertical tasting nights to see how the product changes over the years,” he said.
“I’m also aware of a number of hotels that have been arranging vertical tasting nights with both quality wines and Vintage Ale so that people can see how top quality wines and these unique ales age.”
Dr Tim Cooper said the 2009 Vintage Ale would be a good match with spicy meat and poultry dishes, or complement after dinner sweet desserts.
He said that if stored correctly, Vintage Ale would continue to develop over a number of years, providing patient drinkers with a unique beer.
“In recent weeks, we re-tasted some of our earliest Vintage Ales and have been surprised at how well they have lasted and how they have developed,” he said.
“They are still very drinkable, although they taste completely different to when they were first made, with the bitterness generally replaced with caramel and toffee notes.”
Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale was first released in 1998, with further vintages in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
(The price for the 2009 Vintage Ale is about $75 per carton, or about $20 per six pack of 375 ml
bottles. Tasting notes for the 2009 Vintage Ale are attached.)
Coopers Vintage Ale 2009: Tasting Notes
The use of four different hops varieties from Germany and the UK highlights Coopers recently released 2009 Extra Strong Vintage Ale.
While the delicate use of premium quality bittering and aromatic hops has always been the foundation of Coopers Vintage Ale, this has been expanded in the 2009 release.
The traditional English aromatic hop varieties of Fuggles and Styrian Golding, used in the 2008 Vintage Ale, have been retained.
Late hopping with these varieties has provided upfront intense fruity, citrus and floral aromas.
The bittering hop cultivars Magnum and Perle, grown in Germany, were introduced early in the boiling process and provide a backdrop of intense bitterness.
The combination of these bittering cultivars provides the main point of difference from last year’s Vintage.
The 2009 Vintage is a dark brown to copper red coloured beer supporting a fine and creamy layer of rich foam when poured in a glass.
A portion of the best Australian malted barley and crystal malt from the 2008 crop was reserved and used in this beer, giving a strong and robust aroma preceding a smooth and delicate palate that lingers long enough to entice the consumer to savour more.
The generous level of bitterness combined with specially conditioned yeast used during secondary fermentation in the bottle ensures that this beer remains fresh during cellaring, helping to preserve flavour with no additives and preservatives.
The beer can be consumed now, but it will mature and eventually develop a sweetish note of caramel and toffee characters.
Because of the strong flavour of this beer, it is a good match with foods that are spicy and contain either meat or poultry. It also complements after dinner sweet desserts.
