(12oz bottle) Small off-white atop crystal clear dark amber body. Aroma is moderately sweet, caramel, some plum/raisin, peat, toffee/butterscotch, light spice. Taste is moderately sweet, plum, caramel, Cognac, light earthy, spice. Light alcohol warming. Smooth medium body.

Date: 02/10/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Brewfest, Extreme Beer

Appearance: clear amber, frothy off white head,
Aroma: sweet caramel malt aroma with earthy hops,
Flavor: flavor has lots of candy sweetness, lots of fruity character, a nice sipper,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***/4

Bottle sampled on 6/30/07: Pours a transparent copper amber with a thin-lacing white head. Aroma of lightly sweet caramel and grainy malt with a hint of light fruit. Body starts fairly full and caramely sugary sweet with some lightly bitter earthy hops and mild warmth toward the finish. Fairly authentic and balanced, but could use some aging.

Encore 12 ounce bottle and served in my Ommegang Anniversary glass: Deep amber almost brown hue with a small but lasting head and okay lace. The aroma has notes of caramel and toffee, biscuity and cashew, fig and pine nuts, herbal and aromatic classic English hops as well. The taste starts sweet and vinous with a caramel forefront supported by fruity backbone. Some woody and doughy notes as well before leading off towards a restrained bitter finish. The mouth feel is medium-bodied and a touch oily, earthy dryness upon the finish. Not too shabby and I would love to see how this ages.

Deep amber beer with a thin white head. Slightly dusty aroma, sweet maltiness with a touch of sweet fruit, some bubble gum and a bit of spicy yeastiness. Some sweet cardamom flavour and an earthy bitterness that backs up the spiciness quite nicely. Not really an old ale, but it’s still a pretty tasty brew.