 BigBeer45 (521), Troy, Michigan, USA
Aug 7, 2008
Bottle from Wegmans in Canandaigua, NY, Batch# E!006, poured into a tulip and a Watou trappist glass, I like the trappist glass for a better presentation, pours a clear brown rust red with off-white and tan bubbles (pour turns cloudy as you get to the bottom of the bottle from sediment), nice varied bubbled head and creamy lacing on the glass, very efferevescent, this stuff just oozes a thick head, a generous amount of dark sediment covered the bottom of the bottle, so, I guess this stuff is not filtered, has a big caramel aroma, chocolate and this chocolate aroma reminds me of the Great Divide ‘Hibernation Ale’, roasted malt, citrus, floral and pine hop aromas, faint dark fruit fragrances, my oral cavaties were filled with flavors of roasted and toasted malt, caramel and citrus fruit biting hops, faint alcohol felt on the palate which mixes well with the hop bitterness, hop bite gains strength at the finish, alcohol grows some with warming but the hop bitterness is right there to parade along, and the mix is pretty good, hop bitterness lingers afterwards, mouth feel is pretty full and creamy, has a chewy feel to it on the palate, this is a big malt flavored and hoppy beer and you know it with each sip taken, I picked this up while visiting Canandaigua, glad I did, what a pick, if you like a big malt flavored, hoppy beers buy it, you will not be disappointed.
markwise (450), Just North of Tampa, Florida, USA
Jan 5, 2009 Share courtesy of friends at Oldsmar Tap House. Pours hazy red with a nose of malt, grapefruit, hops, some pine, and a mellowness all its own. Flavor is similar with caramel malt and lingering piney citrus hops. Some bite to it, but very mellow.
GAManiac (527), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Jan 2, 2009 750mL bottle, batch E!009 acquired from sholland119 a while back, poured into a snifter.
Top pops off with some force and pours out a deep reddish amber, only slightly hazy, with a massive cream-colored head. The head lingers for a long time and leaves sheets of lacing down the side.
The first thing I noticed in the nose was a surprisingly big hop profile for the age of the bottle. Massive citrus presence with grapefruit, oranges, lemons, but very well balanced with a big bready malt aroma with hints of caramel sweetness.
The taste is also good, though the hops don’t hit quite as hard up front as I imagine it did fresh. It’s dominated more by the caramel and bready malts with the hops coming in stronger in the finish leaving a pretty impressive bitterness on top of some alcohol heat.
The mouthfeel is wonderfully sticky with hops and a hefty malt sweetness that sticks to the mouth between sips. The finish is actually slightly dry with some wood hints.
I was impressed with this beer, a big amped-up imperial red with more hops than I expected. Very good.
Naka (496), Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA
Dec 29, 2008 Courtesy of Nate. Pours dark amber brown w/ some reddish hues. 2-finger eggshell colored head with a little lacing. Aroma is a huge brown sugar cube soaked in bourbon and raisins. Flavor is a deep sweet malt. Caramel and rum. A rich body that leaves a nice and creamy feel on the tongue.
brewblackhole (1260), Muskego, Wisconsin, USA
Dec 27, 2008 Caramel cake aroma with tinges of hopping, taste is rich caramel and toffee malting,hops are evident and not as much as others were getting. A lively bitter finish alcohol not aggresive,tasty malt treat
boto (1256), Granby, Connecticut, USA
Dec 26, 2008 750ml bottle, Batch E!009: This one pours a very murky coppery color. It had a small white head on it. This had a complex aroma. Hops were up front, but not overpowering. Pine was the main characteristic, but there were also some citrus and grassy notes. Definitely malts to the nose also. The taste is fairly well balanced. A fair amount of bitterness with a decent malt body. Some other fruits in the finish. Quite nice!
|
