 theisti (1092), Leawood, Kansas, USA
Jan 7, 2008 Updated: Jul 20, 2008
***RE-RATE 6/5/08***
2007 Vintage
12 oz bottle purchased by after4ever for me at Bottleworks in Seattle, Washington. Pour is brownish orange with a big 2 inch off white head that left behind some amazing lace. Aroma is resin pine, sweet orange hop goodness. There is also a bit of herbal honey in the background. The maltiness is present as well. The taste is orange sweet citrus hop and caremel malt sweetness. The honey is present in the taste as well. Even in the 5 months since I last had this beer it has rounded out a bunch and improved. (8,5,9,5,18 - 4.5)
***ORIGINAL RATING 1/7/08***
Sampled the 2004 and 2007 side by side with tjthresh.
2007 vintage
12 oz. bottle, purchased at Bottleworks in Seattle, WA. Pour is mostly clear brown orange with only a thin off-white head clinging to the edges of the glass. Aroma of a lot of citrus and pine hops, with a bit of sweet malt in the background. Almost an IPA / DIPA nose. Taste is great, orange citrus hop, rounded caramel sweetness and a pronounced bitter hop finish. Additionally, some honey sweetness is present in the finish. (8,4,9,5,17 - 4.3)
2004 vintage
12 oz. bottle, from MrBendo. Pour is a murky brownish with only a very small tan head. Aroma of huge, soft, wonderful (perfect) caramel malt. Some dried fruit is present as well. Truly the perfect nose. Taste is layers upon layers of complexity caramel malt, dried fig fruitiness, earthy spiciness, even some char character all meld and swirl in the taste. There was a touch of oxidization, though it detracted only slightly from an incredible beer. Perfect body. Almost a scotch finish. Todd, a million thanks for this one - you are an incredibly kind RBian. (10,4,9,5,19 - 4.7) I will use this rating.
Side by side notes. Wow, not even like the same beer. The 2004 was big, serious, complex. The 2007, was clearish, hoppy and bright. Both are wonderful, just in very different ways.
Hawksfan17 (657), Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA
Sep 20, 2008 I had a 2007. This dark amber pour has notes of hops, citrus, and grain. Sweet, warming flavor. It is a very distinct barley flavor. You can definitely taste the northwest in this beer if that makes any sense.
DYCSoccer17 (2040), Davis, California, USA
Sep 19, 2008 Sampled in a single blind tasting side by side. I had 2 properly stored vintages, 04 and 05. The total score is an average of the two scores. Beer #1 (2005) - Aroma is sweet, fruity, vinous, and very aromatic. There is a lightly ethanolic note to this. This is wonderfully aromatic and very pleasant. There are some chocolate-milk like notes in this. Smells soooo good. Very muddy, murkey sludge-like brown-amber body with a nice off-yellow head. Wow...this is like cigar tobacco. A bit smoky, too. This is actually very similar to the cigar I had last night, as a matter of fact. Some dry, roasty, lightly astringent notes are present in the middle with plenty of roastiness in the finish. This is like a liquid cigar. 9/3/7/4/15/3.8 ..... Beer #2 (2004) - Sweet, caramel, vinous, fruity aroma with a little chocolate, too. Pretty quaffable, but not as good as the first beer. Mildly hazy garnet body with a nice, frothy light tan head and nice lacing. A very attractive brew. This brew also has a bit of cigar tobacco flavor with some peaty malts and chewy, caramel flavors in the middle. Ethanol is not detectable. Very mellow brew with some lightly bitter hops in the finish. I also get some chocolate flavors late. Really good brew. 7/5/9/5/17/4.3
Jblauvs (171), Manchester, New Hampshire, USA
Sep 16, 2008 2007 bottle. Watching southpark and waiting for a pretty girl to come over to my apt. Tasted Dales Pale ale before this and it was Very good. Im really excited about this brew.
Hazy golden pour, dissipating fizzy white head. Dark sticky malt aromas, sweet and hoppy. a little bit of burnt sugar and or caramel. Intense Malt and tobacco. Almost like a sweet bourbon, the mouthfeel is relatively creamy. Alcohol is present in the mouht but mostly comes out in the finish as a woody alcohol finish. Very enjoyable, a great sipper.
gotohelunc (390), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
Sep 4, 2008 Bottle. Huh....this is one unique brew from start to finish. Garnet colored with just a hint of a soapy head, nearly flat. Massive nose of oiled leather, scotch, rich fruits, and a few notes of red wine. Really sweet flavors of syrup, honey, tobacco, and a lovely warming sweet bourbon filling the mouth at the end. It’s really impressive how there is zero alcohol burn or heat left in the mouth with a beer this strong and this flat. Typically it takes carbonation to hide this burn, but not here. Weird, unique, almost more like a super sweet bourbon than a beer, but really enjoyable.
BOLTZ7555 (531), Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Aug 29, 2008 2006 bottle acquired via trade with kegbear...thanks Craig!!! This brew poured a rich ruby red/garnet with absolutely no head and only minimal carbonation bubbling up from the bottom of the glass. Aroma is dark candied fruit, toffee, caramel, and brown sugar. Nice natural sweetness, the hops have all but melted away with aging as has the alcohol burn. A very nice beer...would love a fresher bottle for comparison.
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