The Beer Circle » American Barleywine, Beer, Cellar, Tröegs Brewing Co. » Cellar: Tröegs Flying Mouflan: 2011 vs. 2012
Cellar: Tröegs Flying Mouflan: 2011 vs. 2012
2011 (left) vs. 2012 (right) Flying Mouflan
My friend Jack sent me a message and asked if I would like to share a two-year vertical of Tröegs Flying Mouflan, and I didn’t think twice about accepting his request. Not only do I love Flying Mouflan, this tasting has so many underlying stories. What does Flying Mouflan taste like after a year compared to fresh? What is the difference between the Harrisburg and Hershey Tröegs breweries? Do I like to drink beer?
As many of you probably know, the new Tröegs brewery in Hershey opened its doors in November. Therefore, the 2012 batch of Flying Mouflan was brewed, bottled, labeled, and released from the Hershey location and not the Harrisburg location as it had been since it was first brewed.
The colors of the 2011 (left) and 2012 (right) Flying Mouflan
From the appearance, you can see that the beers look very different. The fresher one is darker in color, and I’m not sure that the aging made that much of a difference in color, so that may be a brewery variation. The fresher version also had a stickier lacing on the glass, while the aged version had more of a bubbly head.
From the aroma, the hops jumped out of the glass in the 2012 Flying Mouflan, giving it a much more funky presence. The 2011 version was like a laid back uncle and gave off softer tones. Mostly caramel, fig, and malts were present in the elder version, and the alcohol was a bit more pronounced. If you like peppery and spicy aromas, the fresh one will be just to your liking.
As with the aroma, the tastes of each type of beer followed suit. As the hops dissipated in the aged version, the alcohol showed up and announced itself. Sweet and sticky flavors hit the tongue with a nice alcohol burn, rather than the biting hops of the fresh version. Not only does the newer bottle taste fresh, it has a more pronounced attack on your tongue with pepper, spruce, and lemon.
If I had to pick a version of this beer that I liked, it would be the aged Flying Mouflan. However, each version had its own highlights, and I do love a fresh bottle. Whatever you decide to do with your bottle (put it down or drink it), you can’t really lose and you will have a wonderful experience.
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Written by Jeff Kupko
Jeff is a traffic engineer that loves his beer, and especially loves trying new beer. As a student at the University of Pittsburgh, Yuengling was a staple and the beginnings of liking something better than fizzy yellow water. This has evolved into an entire hobby, with Jeff keeping a blog of all of the beers he tries. Vacations most certainly involve at least one brewery or bottle shop visit to gather a region’s coveted fruits. Now, Jeff has ventured into homebrewing, and there is probably no saving him from being engulfed entirely by beer. While Imperial Stouts and IPAs rank highest in Jeff’s eyes, sours are sneaking up on those styles, and Jeff loves to try all different styles. Find Jeff Kupko on Google Plus
Filed under: American Barleywine, Beer, Cellar, Tröegs Brewing Co. · Tags: Cellaring, Flying Mouflan, Troegs Brewing Company
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