244721 Mon Dec 13 19:59:02 -0800 2004 5 19 Outer Boroughs 0 1299772 Here's a post of interest to vanishing few people. But that's what we're here for! Lucky Beverage (29-10 21st St, Astoria, Queens), easily accessible from Triboro and 59th st bridges, has a huge stock of Belgian beers that's not selling. They've sat for 4-5 years, gathering dust. The owner is freaking out. I'm freaking out from happiness. The light level is low, the temperature is fairly cool even in summertime, so these are (not quite, but almost) cellar-aged beers for no premium. Go buy anything corked (they're not stored horizontally, alas, which is bad, but they're not so super old that it's totally fatal). Or pick up a case of nice aged Scaldis for below the owner's cost. The owner (Raj) will love you, and you'll make out like a bandit. ciao Mon Dec 13 19:59:02 -0800 2004 0 Jim Leff 1 1299783 I can attest to the fair treatment at Lucky Beverage. I was fortunate to be able to clean them out of their Aass Bock and Le Coq's Imperial about a year or so ago, both in fine condition. He even let me have a couple of sixers of (the defunct)Catamount for free, which made for an interesting experiment to say the least. Anyway, I haven't been in the area since then but I am sure that there is still some gold beneath all that dust. Mon Dec 13 22:38:49 -0800 2004 1299772 0 Tongo Rad 2 1299808 Aass Bock's a lager, so it's not really best for aging (also it's a pale imitation of the Aass Bock of yore...new brewer), so I'm not sure you killed on that. But the Le Coq was a real good buy. He's got more, fwiw. In aged beers, you want dark, strong, and top fermented (i.e. ale). Go for the corked Belgians, especially if you see yeasty sediment on the bottom of the bottle. ciao Tue Dec 14 11:59:58 -0800 2004 1299783 0 Jim Leff 3 1299826 Yeah- the Aass Bock was a pure nostalgia purchase (I distinctly remember my first from 1982), but I hadn't seen any in years, didn't even know it was still available. They were willing to bargain if I took them all, though, so that's why I brought it up- nice folks. The beer was in decent shape, too. The LeCoq really was a nice score. You do have to have a taste for the brettanomyces 'horse sweat' character, though, which this beer has developed nicely over the years (I love it in conjunction with the roasted malts). I'm definitely interested in the others- so fair warning... Anyway- thanks for the heads up and the reminder. I guess my head was in the wrong place last time- I was thinking 'rare' when I should have been thinking 'aged', so I bypassed the Belgians. I'll definitely be asking Raj about them this time around. Cheers! Tue Dec 14 14:08:53 -0800 2004 1299808 0 Tongo Rad 1 1299791 Jim, Can you tell us some of the beers that are available? Tue Dec 14 09:26:04 -0800 2004 1299772 0 DeeDee 2 1299807 too numerous to list. Here's what I just bought, mostly nice dusty bottles: big bottle of duvel st. feuillien noel la trappe dubel liefmans frambozen (probably a mistake; riva's ruined this beer) abbaye des rocs gouden carolus chimay grand reserve le coq imperial extra double stout 1999(!) and a couple of schlenkerla rauchbiers rule of thumb is any belgians in tall bottles and anything corked should be snatched up. Do NOT take from the refrigerator (too much light, and too slow a development in the cold) though. Tue Dec 14 11:56:29 -0800 2004 1299791 0 Jim Leff