[a fool in paradise]

Relax, I didn't actually drink it. If I did drink an ancient beer, it'd more likely be this one:

I do have some year old aged St. Arnold's Divine Reserve #12 (a little under a year at this point, I liked the flavor better when it was 6 months old, but that maybe because too much sediment got in my glass in my recent sample).

This beer was inspired by David Rogers’ winning entry in the 2011 Big Batch Brew Bash homebrew competition. The color is orangy amber with a light, creamy head. The nose has rich malt notes and a little alcohol that combines with a spicy hop note to create a complex bouquet. The taste has a spicy, malty beginning that smoothes out into a creamy middle and a warming finish. While this beer is enjoyable now, it is designed to be aged and will shine after a year or more in the bottle. This will allow sherry flavors to develop as the alcohol oxidizes. It is also important to allow this beer to warm up so that all of the flavors emerge and round out the high alcohol level.

We did not filter this beer. When pouring we recommend decanting it, carefully pouring the first 10 or 11 ounces without allowing the sediment to enter the glass. If you want, you can pour the bottom of the bottle into a separate glass, but you will discover that the decanted beer is a little brighter in flavor.

Vital Statistics:Reserve No. 12: Old Ale
Cases Made: 3,201 (cases of 12 oz. bottles)
682 (cases of 22 oz. bottles)
Kegs Made: 88 ½ bbls, 90 1/6 bbl, 20 casks
Date Brewed: May 16, 2012
Date Bottled: July 20, 2012
Original Gravity: 1.090
Final Gravity: 1.018
Alcohol: 10% ABV
IBU: 50

The production run sold out in about a day.

[andy58-in-nh]

The specs on St. Arnold’s sound like those of a Belgian Ale or barley wine, both of which can be successfully aged in the bottle (and as suggested should be drunk at a cool room temperature). I do remember seeing cans of Gilley’s some years back in Texas - seem to recall it was brewed by Pearl.