4.8 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 19/20UPDATED: OCT 16, 2009 This rating relates to all batches OTHER than XH.8.11, xh.8.11 is a bad batch and should be destroyed.
Murky orangish-brown color w/ thin, somewhat lacey head. Sweet candyish nose, with floating waves of fruit and creeping sour woodiness. Big wood flavors abound with nice wood-borne microorganism tartness. It feels but does not taste like it has more alcohol than it does. There’s sweet maltiness behind the flavors..it actually tastes quite similar to one of my favorite beers "Burton Bridge Old Expensive" at least the good bottles of that beer. This beer, however, is <almost> ALWAYS superb. <almost>ALWAYS. There’s some solid bitterness keeping the fort up and some desirable nut-skin like astringency. another gem from asia’s best brewery. re-rate: That’s it, this beer is beautiful and it replaces what Old Expensive used to be like for me, except its readily available and more expensive. re-rate again: this is now my default beer and at over $5 for a 12 oz bottle, thats a problem. financially.
4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
A - Hazy amber-brown with a finger of frothy tannish-khaki head. Fades normal.
S - Sweet caramel malts, Belgian yeast,. spices, sake, oak, vanilla, and a bit of booze.
T - Sweet dark caramel malts, Belgian yeast, oak, sake, Belgian yeast, some spices, bit of vanilla and booze.
M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a sweet warming finish.
D - Nicely balanced and the sake flavors are a nice touch.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
March 2010. Bottle. Dried fruit aromas with malt and yeasty notes. Poured hazy copper color with a white head. Flavor shows candied sugar, raisins, plums.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Pours a cloudy copper colour with a consistent 1/4 inch head that lasts. Aroma is sweet dark dried fruits, mild alcohol, candied sugar and overall has good Belgian yeast characteristics. Flavour is spicy from the Belgian yeast, caramel, sweet malts, candied sugar, toasted malts, and a mild bitterness. Well balanced beer and an impressive offering from Japan!
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Pours a clear medium amber with a small frothy off white head. Aroma of caramel, sweet dried fruits, candy sugar and slight belgian yeast. Taste is caramel, dark dried fruits and some nice spicy belgian yeast notes along with some spicy hops due to moderate carbonation. Nice belgian dark strong.
3.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 13/20
Chilled 11.2 oz brown bottle poured into a trappist glass. Pours translucent amber with off-white head which dissapates fast. No lacing, low carbonation, and fruity aroma. Taste is floral, fruit, some oak, and slight bitter finish, and slight alcohol burn throughout. Okay, but too many better beers for the style for me.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 14/20
Poured from a 11.2 ounce bottle. Pours a murky amber with a beige head of foam. Good retention and spotty lacing. Aroma has spicy Belgian sweetness. That spice was a little unexpected. Taste has a little bit of spicy zip with a burn from beginning to end. Thick, full mouthfeel. Thanks for the bottle lukaduke!
3.4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
Bottle shared at a tasting at Ariel’s place. Thanks Excellent Little Brother for the delivery! Murky dark amber-light brown, white wave. Sake, grape, summer fruit aroma. Sweetish, dessert wine taste that’s rather pleasing. Light body yet satisfying, delicate fizz.
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
UPDATED: FEB 6, 2013
Cloudy dark brown colour with dusty sediments; Small head and off-white foams with faded quickly; Minimal lacing and slight carbonation; Aroma of banana, sake, brown sugar and toffee; Medium to light body; Potent sweet taste of sake, sugar, burnt toffee and caramel. Alcohol taste is definitely sake style, quite subdued at first but with a warming - boiling sensation with repeated tasting; Pronounced hop bitterness and astringency as finish. Dry after taste. Fairly easy to mouth.
Comments: this Japanese take on BSA is quite unique. Overall, its taste is somewhat reminiscent of Leffe Brune, but with a much stronger presence of sugar and sake tastiness. It is also comparable to Hoegaarden Grand Cru, but it’s darker, sweeter and even drier than the latter. As a BSA, its minuses being a deflating head, smell and taste are overtly sugar, burnt toffee and too hoppy. On the plus side, its sake character really gives it an interesting twist. So I think it’s a brew all by its own. Not a true BSA, but worth having it again for what it is.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Murky brown with a one finger off white head. Sweet sugars, overripe banana, candy, bubblegum, mint, banana candy. Taste: sugars, some caramel, raisins, toasty, bubblegum. I can not put my finger on this beer. Strange brew...
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Bottle at the MSP airport
Appearance: Cloudy amber with a big beige head and good lacing
Aroma: Toasted malts, brown sugar and toffee
Taste: Malty, grainy, toffee, woody and leather
Very nice, I liked this one.
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