Cellared 2013.11.17 12oz
Drank 2015.12.19
North Coast Old Stock Ale
Smells of alcohol. Does not taste of it.
Initial impression was less than positive. Slightly metallic. Uninteresting flavors. Thin mouthfeel.
A bit in, it tastes sweeter and fruitier. Better. Almost like a quad.
I now have a dedicated container for doing sous vide. The plastic should be a slightly better insulator than metal. the size is great. Large enough for anything I currently plan on cooking. And it is light weight. The lid will reduce evaporation.
Cellared 2014.03.08 12oz
Drank 2015.12.04
Dark Horse Plead the 5th
In a year and a half, it did not get particularly better. It developed none of the most favorable flavors. None of that sweetness I enjoy. It was never as good as Expedition or FIS fresh. The intensity of flavor is just not there. It has not picked up this good stuff with age. Yet at least. With 11 more in the cellar, I will be revisiting this for a LONG time.
Cellared 2013.12.27 16oz
Drank 2015.12.02
Brewery Vivant Plow Horse
I disliked this a lot fresh. It was VERY hard to drink. It was kind of sour. I had a difficult time finishing it. It was unpleasant. But I got through two of them. The second one was hard because I knew it would be bad.
After nearly 2 years, it got so much worse. One sip and I drained poured it. The smell was of alcohol. The taste was metallic and sour in a very bad way. If I had to guess, this is what an infection tastes like.
I have not purchased anything from Vivant since the first time I had Plow Horse. I know I never will now.
For Thanksgiving
133°F for
Aiming for ~3 pounds
Small piece at 133 for ~17 hours turned out better than I expected. It was fantastic. Tender and flavorful. With the connective tissue melted down.
Update 2015.12.25: I did the other piece from Thanksgiving that was in the freezer for a month. It was in the bath for closer to 21 hours. It was dryer than I want. The extra time had a negative effect on the texture. I want to try 15 hours next and maybe 131 degrees.
Frozen salmon individually wrapped.
From freezer to pot.
122F
30-40 minutes cook time targeted if thawed.
Over an hour because it is still frozen.
Update: 2015.12.19 I did salmon properly this time. Thawed and rebagged the fish. 122°F for 40 mins. Amazingly moist and intense salmon flavor.
Brining: Soaking the fish in salt water seems to be the key to keeping it pretty. I have seen various times and percentages. I will try 10% for 10 minutes first. Then probably up to 30 minutes. I see many instructions for doing this in icy water.
So to get that 10% solution, I will try one tablespoon of salt per scant (a bit less than) cup of water. I will try fridge cold water maybe with a few ice cubes and put the water in the fridge. 10 minutes, then increases in time by 5 or 10 minutes until I like the results. 122°F for up to 40 mins.
For chicken salad
144F for 2 hours
Salt and pepper
Chicken Salad Recipe
Add 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish to chicken and add enough mayonnaise to bind chicken salad. Add salt and pepper. In this case, the chicken with seasoned enough before it went into the cooking bag.
Stuff like cranberries, celery, grapes, red onions, curry powder, raisins, strawberries, pecans, almonds and other dried fruits or fresh fruits work too.
Cellared 2013.11.17 650ml
Drank 2015.11.14
Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti
Nice roasty taste. Very strong chocolate but no coffee. It has probably faded. Thin but smooth. Low perceived alcohol. A nice beer after 2 years but probably not better than FIS.
Cellared 2013.11.27 12oz
Drank 2015.11.08
Great Divide Hibernation Ale
There is this tang to it. Interesting. Very rich and roasty scent. A very nice bitterness. A very nice smell. I would have expected this an aged American Barleywine for the bitterness. Old hop taste. It is good but I’m not sure it is worth 2 years.
