 FlacoAlto (2074), Tucson, Arizona, USA
Jan 14, 2006
Best by date of April 2008, Sampled January 2006
This beer sits a hazy, amber brown color in my tulip. The beer is quite well carbonated and is topped by a frothy, three-finger thick, tan colored head that leaves lacing on the side of the glass as it slowly subsides in a cacophonous mix of large through small bubble. The aroma is quite concentrated with sweet fruity notes reminiscent of figs, sweet plums, raisins and even prunes. There is also a healthy, bready, yeasty note here, as well as some notes of clove. The aroma is quite rich and sweet, but without being heavy. After a bit of time a note of alcohol becomes evident as well.
The taste has that same sweet, fruity character to it, and the body while hefty is perhaps not as rich as I was expecting. It is still palate coating enough to make this a satiating, slow sipping evening as I work my way through this 750ml bottle. It is definitely quite well carbonated as the beer foams up on the tongue, it is not quite as noticeable as in a lighter beer, but it certainly helps to lighten the body of this beer.
Actually at this point I think I would like it to be a bit less carbonated, so I spend the time to make it so. The beer softens out, and becomes even smoother than it was before. The sweetness is a bit accentuated as well, which tends to magnify the fruit notes of sweet plums and figs. In the end this beer does not quite seem rich enough, though in its defense it is at the perfect level for me to be able to finish a 750ml in an evening. The finish has a light sharpness to it (a mix of carbonation, alcohol, and a bit of spicy yeast character), plus a phenolic note of clove.
This is definitely a beer I am happy to have a 750ml bottle of, allows for a quite evening; it is contemplative when I want it to be, and light enough to just add to the experience if I happen to be distracted by a book. Definitely a good beer, one which even grows on me over time; it almost becomes greater than the sum of its parts.
<font size=-4>Purchased: <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=18>Sam’s Wine & Spirits, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>
evanrail (15), Prague, Czech Republic
Aug 19, 2008 .75-liter bottle from Cheesy cheese shop, Prague (price: 230 Kč; locations around town, perhaps the biggest being at Letenské náměstí 6, Praha 7). Pours a beautiful golden amber with many visible particulates (4/5). Aroma brings up honey, leather, dirt and walnut husks, wet bark — sweetness in the front, earthiness in the back. (8/10). Ten minutes after pouring, a worm of foam has risen up and out the bottle top, now climbing out and slowly angling down the bottle neck. In the mouth, it’s sweet and nutty, rinsing to a clean tannic finish — really akin to a reduction, with concentrated, complex flavors appearing now several lonesome breaths after the last swallow (8/4). Did I forget to mention I did a full-bore, full-room spit-take with the first sip?
dogfish120love (41), west hartford, Connecticut, USA
Aug 17, 2008 pours amber brown in coloration. Hints of fruit, apple raison, sherry. pleasant mouth feel with exquisite lingering taste
kmweaver (1948), Takoma Park, Maryland, USA
Jul 27, 2008 75cL bottle. Pours a medium, bright amber-brown color; off-white head with solid retention and creamy lacing; very nice pour. Enormous amounts of dried fruits (raisins, dates, prunes), intricate yeastiness, and dense Belgian sugars; intense, generous, focused nose; no show of alcohol. Full mouthfeel: sweet, intricate Belgian sugars and yeastiness, dried fruits (following the aroma), some vanilla and raisins and dates; intensely dense and drinkable and generous; smooth and creamy, with loads of dried fruits. Excellent, tasty, very satisfying stuff. Lengthy finish: creamy vanilla, dried fruits, and sweet caramel.
BoBoChamp (618), Gent, Belgium
Jul 26, 2008 75cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, very complex, but too sweet, cloudy, good head, the best of the Achel-range, a topper!
haukur (663), Reykjavik, Iceland
Jul 22, 2008 aahh so here is the reason why a tasting session with the nyc crew down at the gingerman went very hazy. Nice firm head, cloudy golden color. Yeasty aroma, with some dough notes. Heavy finish.
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