4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
750ml bottle, with thanks to dirty martini from almost exactly a year ago, so this bottle has at least that much age on it. Pours a clear honey amber with a one finger frothy tan head that drifts down to a thin but complete cap, minimal spots of lacing. Aroma is initially some of telltale that belgian yeast, with sweet spices, dark fruits, maybe some breadiness. Flavor is a touch sweet, with more bready malts, ripe fruits, and light spice. Nicely done, and wouldn’t expect anything less from AleSmith. Thanks Larry!
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle into chalice. This example is about a year old. Pours a clear, incredibly effervescent, stunning red-brown, with a tight, fizzy off-white head that recedes quickly. This is a beautiful beer. Nose is figs, white grapes, bit of yeast and sweet caramel malt then blend into a beautiful breadiness - clean and wonderfully crisp. Picks up some nutty cocoa notes as it warms. Flavor is equally fantastic - starts with a big hit of yeast, but then a big toasty sweet malt quality is folded into the massive vinous fruity notes - raisins and dates, slightly over-ripe apples, pears - it’s all there, along with a bit of spicy brown sugar sweetness. Finish is yeasty, rich with lingering fruit and doughy malt notes, and a vinous exhale. Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, smooth and a bit syrupy, full. This one is a home run.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle. <b>[thank you, after4ever]</b>
My #1 Birthday beer!
Pours a wonderful, clear ruby with nearly no head. Aroma is malty, some red currants, caramel, earthiness, plums and overripe red apples. Some slight vanilla, coriander and hops as well. Quite vinious as well. Low carbonation, wonderful creamy mouthfeel. Flavour is lovely balanced even if it is quite vinious. Lots of overripe, dried fruits (raisins, plums) with some Belgian sugar. Aftertaste is lingering with chocolate, lightly roasted malts and the red currants peeping through again. Really wonderful beer.
3.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
poured with little to no head, brownish color. nose is malty, kinda sugary like uncooked cookie dough. flavor is strong alcohol and sweet sweet malts. some dried fruits odd finish
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
6-9 months old. Little to no head quickly dissipates to a minor lace. Aroma is of sweet overripe fruits. Flavor is sweet malty, raisin, ripe fruit, with a residual sweetness and caramel. Mouthfeel is sticky. Poured at about 50 degrees F, got much better as it approached 60 degrees.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Pours brown with virtually no head. Aroma of yeast and dark fruits. Taste of yeast, raisins, amd berries. Medium mouthfeel. Pretty good.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Pours dark amber/brown, quickly dissipating head. Sweet malt, yeasty fruit and very akin to belgian brown in the nose. Excellent spice and dark fruit flavor, amazing belgian style output. Great alcohol component that lingers well in the finish.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
UPDATED: APR 27, 2011 Bottle, 2006. Pours a slightly cloudy red-orange with no head and a few sparse bubbles. The description says it should be crystal clear if served properly, I guess mine is a little on the cold side. Very sweet on the nose. A lot of apple aromas a faint hint of vanilla. Very sweet start that quickly turns tart. A fair amount of an apple cider flavor to it. A trace of pine or spice, a tinge of oak too. Very light and clean mouthfeel. A greatly delayed alcohol warmth. Good in small doses.
Had a glass from a bottle of the ’07 vintage at the OTM 1st anniversary AleSmith tasting. This particular batch is full of warm chocolate and a melted vanilla cream. The Belgium yeast isn’t too forward. The mouth is even smother with almost no alcohol warmth as was before.
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