This rating is from my notes from 2004. This beer started off rough as a cob when first released in September of the year. When the last bit was consumed at Christmas it had mellowed most delightfully. The nose was of wonderful aromatic hops, the body smooth and the finish had a nice balance of bitterness which lingered but did not overwhelm. It showed me the value of giving big ales a chance to come into maturity.

if a beer taps in the forest and there’s no one there to drink it, does it make a sound? here’s a beer that OUGHT to make a sound in the world of beer, and little ’ol me WAS there to drink it. alas, it only exists here-- seasonally-- at the cozy little amicas brewpub in salida colorado. this fine double IPA is as solid as a USGS benchmark; a rich, rust-orange pour, (about the same color as the tomato and roasted red pepper bisque served at the pub) it’s a flaming peach pit orange with soft buckskin colored head that lingered more than adequately. there’s a big but soft aroma, like a cream of hop chowder-- or perhaps more sweet-- say, a hop puree with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. flavor is a veritable hop-bomb, a pineapple pungency of hops-- hops that lift weights, eat right, and bristle with strength and vitality. very full bodied, like pureed pine cones, with overtones of sweet and potent fruit liqueurs, a bit of tobacco and cantaloupe. it’s a big beer and i think it would be a serious contender in the heavy weight category of imperials, if it can only be heard beyond this quiet backwater, this pleasant oasis in the deep forest.