I know way past its prime. All hops nose is gone. Just big malty back bone. But I can still taste how great this beer was when it was fresh. I’m sure amazing.

Sehr süßer und würziger Geruch, der Hopfen ist zwar erkennbar, geht aber zwischen den anderen Tönen fast unter. Süßlicher Antrunk, wie im Geruch ist der Hopfen erkennbar, wirkt aber fast schon schwach, stärker im Vordergrund steht die Malzigkeit und der leicht würzige Unterton. Zum Ende hin wird das Bier kurz alkoholisch, kann sich durch den stärker werdenen Gewürzton doch noch beherrschen und gefällt hier durch die stärkere Hopfigkeit. Zum Ende prickelnd, eher mild und mit wenig Hopfen. Vielen Dank an den Doppelbock für das Teilen des Bieres! Test vom 1.10.2008, Gebinde: Glasflasche Noten: 10,13,11,12,11,10 - 10,95

Sampled at the Double IPA fest. Really nice big sweet hop bomb. Port Brewing always delivers when it comes to hoppy beers.

12oz bottle. Pours a bright, clear golden orange color; perimeter of white bubbles at the edges of the glass; patchy lacing. Solid presence of candy sugar, dried caramel (some oxidation at this point), and residual citrus and earthy bitterness in the aroma; despite having certainly lost a ton of hops, the malt core remaining in the nose is quite nice; like an aged, light-bodied barley wine. Loads of sweet dried caramel, candy sugar, dried oranges upfront; good levels of carbonation; decent amount of viscosity in the mouth, a touch of warmth, and solid levels of bitterness (earthy, citrus, some floral notes); soft edges, good depth in the malt character, still balanced, though certainly not the hop bomb it once was (this is my only experience with the beer); I imagine this to be remarkable fresh; it’s still very enjoyable and pleasantly composed with age behind it. Lengthy finish, with relaxed bitterness: earthiness, candy sugar, and some dry toasty malts.

UPDATED: APR 30, 2009 First taste GABF in 2004. Second taste from an aged bottle. Mostly clear orange copper colored body with a small white/tan head. Nose has a big, stinky, dank, wet orange hop note, no doubt tempered by age, and moving more towards a nutty, old orange and cardboard/bran character, dampened hops on top of some chewy malt. Flavor is resinous, old oranges, little to no apparent oxidation noticed, not the typical wet cardboard at least, but some sort of wet, nutty, orange fruit and honey flavor. Texture is resinous, oily and properly thick, and there’s little to no bitterness left after all this time. Sweet, sugared oranges and pine needles in the finish, it’s still quite delicious. I have to compare back to 2003 when I had Frank on draft at the GABF (too far gone for a proper rating), and I remember it being unbelievably dank, vibrant and thick, with a smooth-but-rough bitterness throughout. Quite different now, but still really good.

Courtesy of kmweaver. Cloudy amber body with a small beige head. The nose is rich caramels and toffee, citrus and floral hops. The flavor is moderately sweet, moderately bitter with grapefruit, tangerine, lots of caramel and honey. Medium/full body is soft with light carbonation.

Bottle, courtesy of Dr. Bill. First 2/3 of the bottle pours pretty clear. The bottom one-third is sludgey. My sample came from that 1/3 so that’s most likely affecting my rating. Aroma is soapy. Also basil, mint tea, and forest smells. My sample is phenolic and slightly acrid in the back of the tongue. Not in its best form.

Date: 04/17/2005
Mode: Bottle
Source: Trade

hazy orange, whispy head, aroma of sweet grapefruit sprinkled with sugar, perfect creamy body, nice sweet malt with a citrus nugget, just enough hops to balance with a light bitter finish, estasy in a glass

Aroma: 9/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4.1/5.0
Score: ***4
-------- /> The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

bottle.....not sure why i saved this one for so long, my god i hope i’m not becoming another BeerCellar with cellaring off dipas!! heaven forbid....aroma: very sweet hop profile. is that an oxymoron? seriously, the pineapple citrus aspect of it all is very sweet and candied up nut still held is presence nonetheless....taste: happy to discover that the hops were still evident. nice balanced flavor between the that and the malts. would definetely like to have tried this one fresh to make a comparison.

Hazy amber red body with a huge very creamy lasting off white head; Very beautiful and elegant nose, not to much, not to little simply right, very well developed aromas the actual hop flower aroma ain’t present, instead they have developed into aromas of ripe orange juice, soft sweet flowers, aromas of sweet ripe lemons right of the lemon tree are blowing into your face; Very pleasant soft textured body, but a little to much very soft carbonation, the body is very settled and very well composed and balanced bitter, slightly salty and slightly sweet; Quite long finish, smooth and elegant, fading and changing slowly from the very soft slightly sweet to the bitter sweet and ending bitter dry, all the time with the right amount of aroma and the right aroma. What a great beer. Very very well made and elegant in all aspects. If this beer is on its way down I would have loved to taste it at its prime. Thanks Chris!