3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
22 oz bottle pours a dak chestnut body with a fluffy beige head. Incredible aroma of orange, spices, bubblegum, dark roasted malts, chocolate, cherries, and floral hops. Wow! Taste is bold. Pine and floral hop bitterness combine with fruits, spices, chocolate and caramel notes. Interesting, to say the least. A little bit of several styles at work here. Surprisingly, it works very well.
4.3 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle. Nice big lively tan head with excellent duration. Color is dark ruby. Aroma is powerful with malts, spices and fruits. Taste is complex with malts, fruits and notes of alcohol. Good bitter finish.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
Dark brown, nearly black, monstrous 3 finger spongy head. Smells strong of ashy smoke. The creamy head is a great initial buffer for the syrupy fig, raisin, and bourbon flavors. The finish starts sweet and ends with the sting of warm alcohol. You can feel it in your chest.
2.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 11/20
Bottle, RBESG 2007 in Glasgow, Grand Tasting. Dark brown colour, tan head. Malty and oaky aroma. The flavour is very malty, too sweet and alcoholic for me.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Picked this bottle up at Piccadilly’s in Champaign, shared with Duane. Very dark brown pour. Molasses, candied fruit, and some spice in the aroma. Flavor was similar with some hop presence, although not very bitter. Interesting brew.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle: Deep brown, cola accents, large foamy beige head, clingy lacing. Bready aroma, slight white/black Necco wafer tinge, minor cocoa powder. Has a candy sweetness that fills the nose, the powdery kind. Quite malty on the tongue, dark, moderate hop presense but without too much bitterness. Somewhat of an odd duck as it is. Big in malts, remains bready through to the finish. Seems like a really hefty American Amber crossed with some sort of Belgian. Picks up a little bit of citrus rind as it warms. I reiterate, this one is somewhat of an odd duck. I am getting some heavy breadiness, dark malts, slight citrus peel, and a touch of anise. Makes for a weird combination. Moderate to full body, moderate mouthfeel. Certainly an interesting beer, but one that just seems a bit confused. Lingering cocoa powder, Necco wafers, and subtle citrus peel. Well crafted, just a bit weird.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bottle RBESG 07 ... Deep brown... meaty fruit malt ... sweet fruity malt littlemeaty quite rich.
2.8 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 10/20
Dark, dark brown with a light brown head on it in a trappist glass. Smell is of some hops, licorice like maltiness, and almost belgian like yeast. Very unique smell. Very unique taste as well, with a rich, thick, malty, definite licorice like sweetness, a bit of alcohol is present, but not bad for 9.5%, and perhaps again, a belgian like almost very light spiced quality to it. Different than any other American Strong Ale I’ve had, and much more drinkable. Reminds me a touch of New Belgium’s Abbey. Although not quite my speed, I can see some people really enjoying this beer.
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