Draft at Brewvival. Cloudy amber color, tan head. Aroma of vanilla, lightly spiced toffee. Taste has maple, vanilla. Tasty.

Brewvival Trip Beer 107. Draft at Brewvival. Pours a dark hazy red-brown color with a medium creamy tan head. Good head retention. Aroma of vanilla, oak, herbal hops, caramel. The taste is vanilla, oak, herbal and citrus hops, mild toastiness. Medium bodied.

Brooklyn Black Ops 750mL brown bottle (caged & corked) I was lucky to get a good size taste of this at the Great Orlando Beer Fest. A: poured into a tasting glass. pours a pitch black obsidian color with a deep rich tan head with an amazing retention level and excellent lacing. S: amazing rich roasted malts in this with a wonderful vanilla and cherry aroma from the oak. chocolate, caramel, and coffee. T: its like an angel pissing on your tongue. So much chocolate and coffee form the roasted malts followed by that wonderful vanilla and cherry oak flavor. M: smooth and buttery mouthfeel, with a hidden 10% abv. crisp and clean tasting. solid carbonation level. D: unbelievable, and a hard brew to come by. Garrett Oliver has no limitations. Could be the best beer I have ever tasted.

Source:On tap at 12 south.
Glass:10 ozer.
Appearance:Poured a clear amber/red color with a thin off white head.
Aroma:Caramel malt, oak and citrus hops.
Flavor:Strong citrus hops, vanilla and oak. The vanilla and oak are present, but not dominant.
Palate:Medium/full body with solid carbonation.
Overall:Excellent beer. Sticky, slightly sweet and slightly oaky. Couldn’t ask for much more.

On tap May 2008: Pours a transparent copper amber with a nicely-lacing off-white head. Aroma of sweet caramel and crisp toasty oak with some fresh grapefruity hoppy notes. Body starts with good fullness, rich sweet caramel and complex fresh oaky character and crisp grapefruity flavoring and bittering hops. A nice, oaky double IPA.

Draft had a light tan head with a golden amber body. Laced the entire glass. Aromas of citrus hops and some biscuit. Flavors of pineapple, honeydew, and a little vanilla. Finish is smooth with a mild bitterness and sticky sweet.

Draft at 12 South thanks to the tip from illinismitty. Thanks for the heads up! Pours a near clear orange with good solid khaki head. Nose is muted floral hops with vanilla and oak. Fruity flavor with alcohol flavors but no warming or burning. Several vanilla notes, but not to sweet and a lingering woody bitter finish.

UPDATED: FEB 19, 2009 Draft at 12th South Taproom. Pours amber orange with an off white head. Citrusy aroma with some grains in the background. Medium to full bodied with a solid, full texture. Flavor of toffee, rye, and grapefruit countered spicy bitterness, perhaps a tad muted. Finishes dry and woody. I don’t pick very much vanilla. I prefer the regular version better because it has a little more sweetness and the absence of oak brings out the hop profile.

Subtle, this one. On tap at Tylers. At first, I honestly wondered if they had simply given me the Rye Squared, until I noticed they only had the regular Rye on tap. Similar orange/amber pour with light head. Spicy rye resiny and malty nose with slight citrus. After a few sips, the wood and vanilla showed themselves and became more present as I continued to drink. Probably how it should be with a DIPA. Thick, warm palate. Good beer.

UPDATED: MAR 10, 2009 Re-rate on 3-10-2009, rye squared release party. This is a re-rate with the 08’ oak version on tap at Trappeze. Rye was a lot more attenuated, emphasis on oak was more prominent and very smooth on the palate with a bourbon like touch coupled with some chocolate. Very refreshing. Tap at Trappeze. Pours orange with beige head. Aroma has notes of oak, rye and malts. Taste, thick and grainy with plenty of rye and caramel malts. The oak presence is moderate compared to some other strong beers. There is also the feeling of a fruity presence that is almost of apricot with a touch of vanilla. Alcohol is noticeable and overall mouthfeel is very enjoyable dry finish.