Surly Ten Ale-- Five Years Later

Surly Ten Ale-- Five Years Later. Old Ale. 

9.5 % ABV, 63 IBU, Surly Brewing, Mpls./BC, MN. 

Maybe I didn't need to open this bottle tonight. After all, an old ale should last even longer than five years. But, you know what, I just felt like it. Why the hell not? I wish I had some party to bring it to, but, alas, ...here we are, with a beer to open and I wish I had someone to share it with. C'est la vie. (Is this a blatant cry for more of my friends, or potential friends, to invite me to their parties? Maybe. But this is still going down tonight.) 

Oh, those days of bomber bottles, and wax-coverings. Ah, nostalgia! So, so...so sweet, the memories! 

Dark burgundy hued, deep and opaque, large, rich, creamy tanned head. Looking great, five years on. 

In the nose: soft, malty, warm, rich. Grapes, dates, raisins, ...leather, tobacco...wer're in barleywine country. Plums, apples, rich malt, so much goodness. 

In the mouth: Mellow. Smooth, Malty. Rich. Just a little indulgent. A panoply of dark fruits, malt-forward, minor hops, much molasses, slightly syrupy, but well-balanced. I feel like I should compare against fresh notes. 

But first...I reviewed this one first in July of 2016, when it was brand new. I checked into it on Untappd nine times before today. The first check-in was from a the first bottle I bought and reviewed in September of 2016, them later, one at the taproom. Next, in October of '16, at Acadia. I must have been sitting on a keg for an event. A few days later, I posted a picture with a slurry of Surly tap handles.  Apparently, I still had it on in November, and then it next appeared at a Surly event at McKenzie's, and something at Jason's farm, and once in a while cracking one open at home, and this is my last one. 

It's still, five years later, huge, rich, powerful, full of flavor. I certainly could have waited several more years, but you never know, do you? Better safe than otherwise. The last thing I want to do is tell everyone: "I waited too long. I's past it's prime." This is not. There is no drop off in flavor, in body, in anything at all. This is brilliant, and I love it.