A Taste of North Coast Brewing

A few days ago, I tried a couple of ales offered by the North Coast Brewing Company, a micro-brewery located in Fort Bragg on the ... north coast of California. This brewer has made itself a fine reputation with such offerings as Old Raputin Russian Imperial Stout, Pranqster Belgian Style Golden Ale and Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale, as well as their more standard, but quite delicious potables.
I tried a couple that I had not tasted before. First I opened a small bottle of the 2011 Old Stock Ale (11.9% ABV). To tell you the truth, this was a mistake. Not because the beer was bad... But some beers are meant for aging. The first flavors on my tongue were sharp, verging on sour--but in the good sense, like some of the marvelous Belgian sour ales, but nothing stood out except a mere hint of smokiness. Still, I could tell that there was a lot going on in an indefinite, immature way. With age, this will become a great beer, but you need to be patient and let it age. So I recommend getting a few four-packs now and stacking them away in a dark place to mature. The brewers say: "Like a fine port, Old Stock Ale is intended to be laid down." So for the best results store it on its side like a fine wine, break one out in 6 months to see how it is, then try a few more in a year... I bet it will be a most delightful experience.
Then, just before viewing a horror film with friends, I opened a bottle of Le Merle Saison, North Coast's Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale (7.9% ABV). This is a very tasty ale that has some weight on the tongue, somewhat surprising in such a blond ale. The brewers say that they used an abundance of hops, but they were clearly not aimed mainly at bittering (an appropriate decision for a Saison), but rather at bringing out interesting aromas, and fruity and flowery elements of the flavor. The first flavor I noticed was a delightful butterscotch, element of tropical fruit, particularly, according to my tongue, mango and papaya, also blended into this in a flavorful harmony, in the background were some hints of spiciness. All around, a very fine ale.
With both of these brews, North Coast has lived up to my expectations of them, but remember, the Old Stock Ale is an ager. Get several now to enjoy a year from now. Cheers!