Phillips Brewing Super Cooper 14th Anniversary Ale
Phillips Brewing of Victoria, BC recently celebrated its 14th anniversary, with that came a special beer release: Super Cooper 14th Anniversary Ale. This was a fairly limited production and appears to be sold out in its hometown.
The beer style isn’t listed on the bottle, online I read from the brewery’s website the following. “It’s our birthday, and we’re celebrating with a very special gorilla-sized barrel aged brew! Super Cooper was aged in freshly emptied bourbon barrels for a full year before dry-hopping. Soft malt sweetness and warm oak character from the barrel is paired with the bright kick of American hops. It’s our first Anniversary Ale with an anniversary of its own!” Personally I think it’s more of an American, er, Canadian Strong Ale.
The beer poured a slightly cloudy copper color with a white head. The aroma was sweet with glimpses of butterscotch and dankness. This beer has a solid malty base which holds up the barrel and hop flavors well.
It is very smooth, belying its high ABV and very barrel forward, the oak and bourbon combine in a vanilla flavor balanced with whiskey and a spicy hoppyness. The beer is slightly sweet but not cloying and has a bitter finish.
Super Cooper 14th Anniversary Ale is ideal to warm you on a cool fall evening and would pair nicely with dessert. This beer was excellent and I would like more. I thank Eric B for procuring and sharing this lovely bottle.
About The Author
Canal
Canal MacWhaler was born and raised on an island in the northern pacific, a town where British accents are common as are British style ales. At a very young age he started imbibing on stouts, English IPA and browns. Then came the craft beer revolution. Instead of joining the revolution he joined his band, pillowfight. But it was only for a few minutes before he joined the craft beer revolution too, Pabst could only get the band so far. Now Canal is a self-awarding wining home brewer fighting for the craft beer revolution one beer and one song (about beer) at a time. Canal can be followed on Twitter at @halfbipolar.
Cheers to being warm on a fall cool evening!
Thank you Canal. The butterscotch description really sold me.
I would like to imbibe.
Too bad it’s limited availability.
Maybe you could review some stout for us.
If you find me stout with glimpses of butterscotch I will hunt you down and marry you. With apologies in advance to Mrs. McWhirter.