Open It!!!

I was reminded that this weekend is marked as the first Open it!! of the year, an excuse to get out those beers your hanging onto for 'that' occassion but then never get round to opening.

George Gale & Co Ltd. D-Day Anniversary Ale.

I was given this bottle by my dad a couple of years ago, it had been in his garage for several years alongside this Prize Old Ale bottle. I am assuming that they are both from 1994, there is no date on the Prize Old Ale bottle, but the D-Day bottle is a 50th anniversary release.

I had no idea what type of beer the D-Day one was, Google searching two years ago produced very little results, it appeared in a couple of lists from collectors websites but no details beyond what I already knew, but today when I decided to open it tonight I searched and found an entry on a Dutch site listing it as a pale ale.

Its 275mls, corked, 6.5% abv, bottle numbered. 15430.

I was worried about the cork disintegrating when pulled out but it stayed in very good condition.
A reasonable pop upon opening but on pouring it was obviously flat, zero carbonation. I was not sure if this was bottle conditioned but the bottom of the bottle showed a lot of sediment.

Aroma was like a fortified wine and the taste was not far from that also, more like a very watered down port or red wine. It was not unpleasant but there was also a sour element which combined with the flatness meant that I poured it away after a few mouthfuls.

I suppose not every 'Open It' will end up with a beautifully matured barely wine, or an imperial stout brewery collaboration that rocks your world. Sometimes they will be a duff beer, but all you do is open the next beer and sup that.