Gpnterojd (132), Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Nov 11, 2007 Pours black with rich brown head. Aroma is quite sweet. Possibly some mint / menthol. Lightly toasted malts in the aroma as well. Taste is much different from what I expected. It is almost a stout. The sweetness in the aroma is absent, replaced by soft, toasted (and sour) malts. The hops provide a nice balance. Slight fruitiness is provided by elderberries. Beer is very creamy and smooth -- decent mouthfeel. Solid beer.
Fin (2164), Merton, Oxfordshire, England Aug 12, 2008 Bottle that had been passed onto me by Craig, cheers mate, consumed in a field at Cropredy Festival 08 Pours dark brown with light tan head. Tastes quite rich also little bit sticky, some nice dried dark fruits and the elderberries give this a nice slightly sour twist. Tasty beer, I also get some dark chutney and molasses. oteyj (313), Canterbury, New Hampshire, USA Jul 31, 2008 Pours dark brown, almost black with one finger tan head. Aroma is ripe fruit, roasted malt, and spices which I can’t exactly pinpoint. Flavor is quite roasty- along the lines of something you would find in a porter with the herbs and spices slightly noticable. Palate is of average body and not overly think or thin- just in the middle. Interesting, but not outstanding. lithy (118), Knoxville, Tennessee, USA Jul 31, 2008 Nice black pour with a creamy stout like light brown head that clings to the glass and sticks around for a while. Nice roasted aroma with some fruity sweetness that I can only guess are elderberries. Drinks nicely at room temperature. Has that distinctive taste of a very traditional style black ale much like New Belgium’s 1554. Slight roastiness, very smomoth with more nice sweetness in the middle. Not an overpowering berry flavor and the very dark fruit profile of the elderberries compliments the roasted malt nicely to create a smooth finish. TheGrandMaster (1432), Auckland, New Zealand Jul 25, 2008 Bottle (in NZ), pours black with a tringe of purple, with a thin bubbly beige head. The elderberry is there, but the aroma is mroe grape, with some toffee malt. Chocolate malt on the palate, licorice and grapes. The swallow is oily, before a pleasantly dry and ashy finish. IrishBoy (2111), Bakersfield, California, USA Jul 16, 2008 330ml bottle from Bottleworks BB Aug 09; Nose of coffee, locorice, berries, and a very slight background menthol note; extremely dark but transparent brown with a medium, glass-lacing tan head; flavor has locorice, slight berries, and coffee in the background; finish is very light menthol and bitterness. Unusual brew!
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