[Growler] Pours dark reddish-brown with a small white head. Aroma is big on the pinot, with raisin, blueberry (as Guerde pointed out), a touch of brown sugar and some grape. Taste is fairly bitter, especially when chilled, but it really opens up after awhile with raisin, light sourness, a little chocolate and some malt. A bit of alcohol is detectable after awhile also. Medium mouthfeel with a long finish. At first I wasn’t overly impressed, but it really grew on me and overall it is a very, very nice beer.

(growler) Pours out light brown with a soapy white head. The aroma of this beer is incredibly complex. When colder the oak really asserts itself, and is a lot more sharp, with some hints of pepper, but there’s also some raisin that makes its presence known as well. Upon warming, the aroma really rounds out, with a lot of fruit coming through, (notably blueberry along with plum), with a lot of vinous smells too. Being 10%, there is only a subtle whiff of alcohol in the nose. The taste is very good with raisin, light caramel and plum, along with a lot of Pinot taste as well. The finish is really great with plenty of tannins, slight pepper, and just a hint of baker’s chocolate. The oaky finish and earthiness just lasts forever on this beer. Medium mouthfeel that really does coat the mouth. This is a great beer, and the barrel has been superbly integrated, very well done.

Winterfest 2008. Boy was it a treat to get something barrel aged in something other than bourbon! Fruity aroma with cherries and some misc berries over the grape and hints of oak. Similar body with a smooth finish.

Huge thanks to Oslo and Guerde for bringing this one back. Dark brown or reddish color. Wonderful aroma of sweet barley, wine and grapes, and a bit of French oak towards the end. The flavors are just outstanding. Plenty of sweet malt and barley. Woody and French oak vanilla. A little berry and raisin. Not much Belgian yeast character. Out-friggin-standing.

Winterfest 2008
Very fruity aromas of cherry, plum, blackberry, caramel, with oak secondary. I enjoyed this very much. The flavors all seemed to work well together. Probably my 2nd or 3rd favorite beer of the night.