Coopers Brewery has released its highly anticipated 2008 Extra Strong Vintage Ale in time for Father’s Day on September 7.
The 2008 Vintage Ale is the eighth in the series of Vintage Ales and according to Coopers Managing Director and Chief Brewer, Dr Tim Cooper, has benefited from the lessons learned during the brewing of the previous seven.
“The 2008 Vintage Ale is ready to be consumed and enjoyed now, but like a good bottle of red, it will continue to develop complex flavours with extended careful cellaring,” Dr Cooper said.
The alcohol content has been retained at 7.5% alcohol by volume, making Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale the strongest beer produced by Coopers and one of the stronger produced around the world.
Coopers Marketing Director and Chairman, Mr Glenn Cooper, said stocks of this year’s Vintage Ale had been allocated to retailers on a first come, first served basis and were likely to be available in coming days.
“Because there is only a limited production run, we expect the 2008 Vintage Ale to be quickly snapped up by enthusiasts around Australia,” he said.
“It would certainly make a fantastic gift for Father’s Day.”
Dr Tim Cooper said the 2008 Vintage Ale was a perfect choice for those who appreciate full flavoured, aromatic ale.
“The 2008 Vintage Ale has been brewed with choice malts and has undergone an extensive fermentation process,” he said.
“It has a distinctive red/brown colouring which derives from the use of Australian grown malted barley and crystal malt and pours to give a rich, heady foam on the surface.
“Its high alcohol content also contributes to its distinctive flavour and ensures it will only improve with age.
“As it ages, the beer will develop a more rounded flavour and aroma with characteristic caramel and toffee notes becoming apparent. The after-bitterness with soften with the development of these sweeter flavours.
“It is a strong Vintage Ale, so it will compliment foods that have the same richness.
“Meat and poultry dishes would be a good match as well as sweet desserts, rich in flavour.”
Dr Cooper said this year’s Vintage Ale benefited from the use of three different varieties of hops which balanced bitterness with strong fruity, floral and orange peel aromas.
“The combination of these three hop varieties gives the Vintage Ale a high level of bitterness, but also ensures the delicate balance of flavours will last throughout extended cellaring,” he said.
Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale was first released in 1998, with further vintages in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007.
Coopers Vintage Ale 2008
Tasting Notes
The 2008 Coopers Extra Strong Vintage Ale is a full-flavoured aromatic ale that has benefited from the generous use of three varieties of premium hop.
Despite limited hops supplies world-wide that is forcing brewers to be conservative in their use, Coopers has used generous amounts of the English ale hop varieties Fuggles and Styrian Golding along with the main bittering hops Pride of Ringwood to add complexity and balance along with strong fruity, floral and orange peel aromas.
The combination gives Vintage Ale a high level of bitterness, but still ensures a delicate balance of flavours which will last throughout extended cellaring.
As this beer ages it will develop more rounded flavours and aromas, such as caramel and toffee notes and the after-bitterness will soften with the development of the sweeter flavours.
When poured, the beer gives distinctive rich, heady foam on the surface and a deep copper red/brown colour, which is derived from the use of Australian grown malted barley and crystal malt.
The initial aroma is of intense estery, sweet and floral characters followed by moderate to strong palate fullness, rich in malt flavours and finished with a lingering crisp bitterness.
The cornerstone of this Vintage is the use of Coopers traditional ale yeast for primary fermentation and applying a specialised technique of pre-conditioning the same strain to carry out the secondary fermentation and conditioning in the bottle. This is done in a manner which maintains the yeast in a healthier state for longer.
This is needed as the yeast inside the bottle is required to maintain freshness of flavour in the presence of strong level of alcohol, at 7.5% alcohol by volume.
As the beer ages, it will develop more rounded flavours and aromas such as caramel and toffee notes and the after-bitterness will tend to soften with the development of sweeter flavours.
While ready to be consumed now, the 2008 Extra Strong Vintage Ale will continue to develop complex flavours with extended cellaring.
