 deftim13 (103), California, USA
Mar 11, 2008
750 Bottle.
Pours orange/red with a small off white head. Smell is of apple, dried fruit, light vanilla and yeast. Taste leans toward a more caramel and apple with a slight sour note. Little bit of heat. Mouth feel was creamy and played well with the style. Does finish a little dry.
JCB (1001), Durham, North Carolina, USA
Aug 26, 2008 750ml from HiTime Wine. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve not had especially good luck with either the Horny Devil or the Grand Cru from Alesmith. Clearly the aim here is to produce a rich, wine-dark quad, and it’s clearly got the rich and complex aroma of that style. It’s complemented by some of the features of the original Decadence, too - toffee, chocolate, a hint of tobacco. But the problem I just can’t avoid is that it’s almost completely uncarbonated, resulting in a thin body that does the brew no service whatsoever. Still a very well crafted, complex, and flavorful beer, but not top shelf.
PaulHegedus (41), Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Aug 26, 2008 Bottle, vintage 2006. Opened August 2008. Wow, this thing is complex, has a surprisingly low carbonation. Aromas are not strong, but there’s some caramel and vanilla. The flavour is more like dark fruit, raisin, with maybe a bit of caramel. This reminds me quite strongly of Thomas Hardy’s barleywine. I will open a bottle and compare it soon! Was wonderful with a strong cocoa (86%?)dark chocolate bar!
grant (759), Martinez, California, USA
Aug 22, 2008 Shared by DYCSoccer17, thanks! Hazy garnet, light head formation. Bold aroma of caramel, dank hops, complex malts with dates and figs, ocean. Not many belgian yeast characteristics apparent in the aroma, but still delicious-smelling. Sweet, churled chocolatey flavor, vague background of estery yeastiness. Rounded malts, lightly toasty with some hazelnut. Finishes quite sweet and very smooth. It doesn’t seem very belgian-influenced to me but it is a very good beer.
DYCSoccer17 (2012), Davis, California, USA
Aug 22, 2008 Vintage 2006 courtesy of Peter Zien at RBSG 2008. Thanks!! Aroma is very vinous, caramelly, with some molasses and a bit of sweet honey. Some brown sugar and a bit of sherry aromas are present. This is really quaffable. Moderately hazy amber body with virtually no head. Just a little yellow bubbliness is present. Start is sweet and sugary before a nice rush of molasses and brown sugars hit. Lots of caramel with some raisiny flavoring is also in there. A bit of cardboardy oxidation follows. Has a touch of dryness and some lightly ethanolic notes to finish. Very smooth and drinkable and I would probably say this beer is near its prime right now. Very delicious!
kegbear (73), Orange, California, USA
Aug 16, 2008 Bottle. Aroma of sweet malt, caramel and dried fruits. Tastes of caramel, dried fruit, vanilla and sherry. Finishes slightly dry. Reminds me of an aged barley wine. Would buy again.
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