Fish Tale Anniversary Ale - 10²

Brewed by Fish Brewing Company/Leavenworth Beers
Style: American Strong Ale
Olympia, Washington USA

Bottle from mbackus. Pours a slightly hazy deep amber color with a small beige head. The aroma had a nice dose of hops, but had started to turn more barleywine like. Fruity and sweet malty, but had vestigial amounts of pine and citrus. The flavor was more of the same, big sweet caramel malt and fruit with slight hints of the pine and citrus. Alcohol remains well hidden. Finish is dry with some toasted notes and wood. I would have liked to have tasted this when it was first released.

650 ml bottle courtesy of ditmier. Thanks eric. Pours a murky orange-brown color with a medium cream head. The aroma is ripe with dark fruits, toffee, caramel and pine. The flavor profiles sweet dark fruits in a barley wine style fashion with a good biter hop kick that is harsh at times. Also present in the flavor is a nice caramel and toffee backdrop which accents the hops nicely. The palate is full and chewy. The finish is medium in duration with lingering biter sweet fruits. Overall: I think that this one is starting to get a bit long in the tooth, but it is still quite enjoyable.

Slightly hazed orange pour with light tan head and lace. Aroma dominated by dried fruit and brown sugar. Dried fruit flavor with a very nice bitter finish laced with a sweet maltiness. Medium full bodied with good carbonation.

I knew this would a great one as soon as I started pouring it. Hops absolutely burst out of the stunning reddish hue and its medium head. I was almost frightened to sip this one knowing how many different hops were used and how high the abv was. All of that diminished quickly....the thickest strongest blend of hopiness ever yes, but the bitterness was nowhere in sight...at least not at the strength is rightfully should have been at! Oh, and 10% abv? Where?? I simply sipped this one with every drop being a pleasurable experience. The finish was just the icing on the cake with barely a trace of dry bitter hops but instead more lush, thick and malt goodness. Well done Fish Brewing!

Bottle thanks to decaturstevo. Clear caramel orange-bronze with a finger of light tan foam. Aroma of fresh leafy hops, some pine, some spice, some citrus. Taste is toasty, caramel malt, big citrus hops, light alcohol warmth.

***review from May 19, 2007***

Picked up in mid-May, ’07 - no year shown on bottle. Brew is a nice clear deep amber with a very small dark tan crown and some speckled lacing. Man, I freaking love hops and there is no shortage here, obviously. Aroma is quite complex. The standard cascade grapefruit seems most prominent but no where near dominant as my nose is finding all kinds of things - sweet candy, light roasted chewy malts, licorice, earthiness, orange, a slight wood aroma, touch of pine, a kitchen sink. Can’t much better. Taste is pretty good with a good chunk comming from the grapefruit flavour, but the malts are quite tasty, mid-strength and somewhat caramelly. slight wood too...probally more there, but at this point in the night the senses are not what they could be. Mouthfeel is very appealing. Great bitterness throughout gaining strength along the way. Medium bodied and a solid thickness. Fine carbonation, a touch of heat on occasion. 10%??? Where? Ends smooth and thick with permanent bitterhoptosis and after a minute or so - piney...but oh, the hops....breathe them in, breathe them in. This beer is quite soothing and highly drinkable, that is if you like your hops assaulting your senses while you whisper sweet nothings into the glass...staring at it with loving eyes, giving it a name....maybe I’ll call this one Claire...so sweet, suckling the finest of juices...love.......

Brown to burnt orange in color with ruby red edges when held up to light, looks thick and oily. On the initial pour nothing for a cap was produced not even a skiff I can’t even see any bubbles floating up from the bottom, did I get a bad completely flat bottle here? Gave the brew a few good swirls and this finally produced a nice thick creamy brown cap, beer looks good. Aroma is spectacular sweet candied fruit, nice bitterness from the hops, lots of earthy caramel malts and something what I can only describe as celery. Flavor is dominated by intense grape fruit hops, there is a very bitter almost smoky after taste. Malts are very dark and sweet tasting, the longer I drink the more a pine tree Mr. Clean flavor appears. Where the hell is the 10% alcohol can’t even notice a single drop of it. This beer is a sipper can’t really slam it to harsh for that but I mean harsh in a good way. Highly enjoyable brew very well crafted this is one of the best IIPA’s I’ve ever tasted, I must buy more."

Poured deep orange with an amber tint. Large pale yellow head. Smells like flan. Heavy body, loads of caramel, vanilla, hops are fairly bitter, taste like warrior hops, slight vegetable taste to hops. Big sweet and malty body.