 Fin (2454), Merton, Oxfordshire, England
May 20, 2007
Bottle picked this up from Beers of Europe late April. Mmmhh maybe I shoulda’ had this for the 1000th, what an incredible beer. This beer poured like a slightly watered down treacle with only a small tan head, the aroma was quite strange that I can only describe as being a bit fishlike. As a child I always loved the smell of creosote and always wondered what it would be ike to lick it off the fence, how strange then at 38 I finally get to try a beer that on first taste made me think I was sucking a creosoted fence panel, guess what? It tasted great, the neighbours better watch out for a strange man with splinters in on black tongue, creeping around their fencing panels. The second taste released bitter chocolate that morphed into a creamy chocolate finish, such an intense and complicated flavour the roof of my mouth now feeling that it was coated with a layer of pitch. Another sip revealed a sour tang with chocolate and roasted flavours. I took 45mins to an hour to drink this it just demanded to be savoured, such an amazing beer that shouldn’t really work and yet it does, it’s fantastic, great accompnement to Craig Charles funk and soul show on Radio 6 on a Saturday night.
stoutlover72 (1342), NorCal, California, USA
Nov 30, 2008 Enjoyable beer, and one that I shared with some family members while enjoying Thankgiving 2008. The beer has a perfect pour, deep black in color, a rich, creamy, thick 2-finger head which stayed the entire length of the drink. Aroma was roasted malts, dark chocolate, and slightly musty. Flavors had the same characteristics as in the aroma, with a bit of earthy anise and alcohol thrown in. Decent beer.
BelgiskOlklub (260), Viby J, Denmark
Nov 21, 2008 Bottle at The Warf, Aalborg. Average size creamy dark lasting head with good lacing. Hazy black body. Aroma of coffee and roasted and toasted malt, tar and licorice. Full body with a sticky texture and a soft carbonation. Heavy sweet and light/moderate bitter. Powerfull.
illidurit (492), Santa Cruz, California, USA
Nov 20, 2008 Odd little bottle purchased at Ledger’s in Berkeley. Dated 2003. Poured into a snifter. Deep viscous black with browned edges. No head whatsoever. Coats the glass with a swirl.
Aroma is unusual, more along the lines of a Flanders red than a RIS. Deep winey berries and grapes drizzled with chocolate. Portlike and very alluring.
Flavor is nothing like the aroma, really. Still acidic like wine but the flavor is leathery and woody. Vinous quality like chewing on grape seeds. Regains some white wine fruitiness with warmth, but not much.
I have to dock this beer’s mouthfeel and drinkability for the lack of carbonation. Body isn’t really all that thick, and the wine-like qualities help create a dry finish.
Really interesting beer. Something you should try even if you end up not liking it.
CaryTheDude (489), Ripon, Wisconsin, USA
Nov 19, 2008 Kinda crushed with Jakebra. Really thought I was drinking Sam Adams Triple Bock. Soy sauce like a motherfucker. Not AS offensive as the tripele bock, but still. What the fuck. Finishes surprisingly clean. Damn.
lithy (385), Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Nov 17, 2008 2000 vintage. Expecting either a religious experience or a gag-inducing soy sauce. Broke the cork from this terrible bottle type. Slight sour whiff when opened. Pitch black pour with absolutely no head. Biting nose, soy sauce, tobacco, slight chocolate. Taste is horrendous. Burned toast, soy sauce, earthy tobacco, pitch, cheap chocolate and watery pine tar finish. I really would like to get a ’good’ bottle of this beer to rerate but I’m in no hurry.
|
