bfeldmann (1042), Wilmington, Delaware, USA Aug 23, 2007 Poured a brown color with small head. Aroma was dark fruits, raisins yeast and some floral hops. Flavor was much the same with plums and cherries coming out. Was a good beer just nothing amazing.
tupalev (2605), Toronto, Ontario, Canada Aug 19, 2007 Bottle shared with Blankboy, GregClow, Mds, and Hogtown Harry, courtesy of blankboy. Hazy reddish brown, small head. Slightly smoky, strong dark fruit, sweet aroma - very nice. Good taste - sweet and spicy. Decent carbonation. Some spiciness mid to end. Complex and solid. StewardofGondor (1934), Washington Heights - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA Aug 19, 2007 Translucent cherry cola in color with pinpoint bubbles hugging the glass and popping on top. Aromatic assurances abound from prunes and black fruited figs, graced by brown sugar. Broiled dates and chocolate soot on slabs of black currant further caress the olfactory. A rig of caramelized and slightly burnt rhubarb sings scentimatically as well. Flavor comes in as ripe for the picking. Black cherries meet a burnt raspberry chocolate underbelly while figs and dates droll up more dark fruited wonderment. Ash crusted pecans create a burnt, woodsy backdrop and the currant and dried concord jam on cocoa rye balances the aggression of the ale. Raw, piney bitterness is kept in check by the singed chocolate bricks. Fuller bodied and bountiful at every angle. It builds momentum through the night. Burnt caramel and blackened - yet caramelized - prune-laden and cocoa-nip accentuated - figgy pudding lays into the finish. Many thanks for the bottle, tpkenned! GregClow (2493), Toronto, Ontario, Canada Aug 18, 2007 Bottle shared with blankboy, HogTownHarry, mds and tupalev - courtesy of blankboy. Reddish-amber colour with a wispy head. Aroma is quite sweet and spicy, with notes of roast malt and coffee. Mouthfeel is soft, very nice. Flavour is sweet off the top, with dark fruit and sugar notes, and a dry yeastiness towards the finish. GG (1613), NorCal, California, USA Aug 17, 2007 I think that I would have enjoyed this one a bit better if the alcohol wasn’t so damned prominant. I really reminded me of drinking some kind of fortified wine at times. An aroma of dark fruit, brown sugar, cherries, and plums. Appearance was a rusty brown, cloudy with no head. Mouthfeel was hot with alcohol. Flavor was an interesting contrast between sweet, dark fruits, candi sugar, some spicyness, and the high alcohol content that’s not hidden in the least. A good beer but one that I think will be even better in a few more years."
HogTownHarry (3922), Toronto (Harbourfront), Ontario, Canada Aug 16, 2007 Bottle (750ml - corked and caged). Shared with blankboy, GregClow, mds and tupalev, blankboy’s bottle. Deep hazy mahogany, small off-white head. Aroma reminds me a bit of Traquair Jacobite - strong sweet spice, yeast, very sweet roast malt - smooth and elegant. The taste follows, a little sour, the pungency of the yeast detracts a bit. Solid body, very bitter and almost astringent (yeast/spice), mild carbonation, long malty/pungent finish. Excellent NorAm attempt at a quad. Sassenach (59), USA Aug 16, 2007 Pours a deep raspberry with little head. Smells of of deep plum, raisin, and grape, with ripe tropical tones (banana). Tastes of slight malt with grape, sweet plum, vanilla, and ripened banana. Very little carbonation, with a sweet finish. Pailhead (2572), Allen Park, Michigan, USA Aug 16, 2007 Courtesy of Styles and Secret Santa July ’07.
Bottle: The aroma consists of raisins, alcohol, chocolate, faint plum, grapes, and a hint of smoke. It pours a muddy reddish-brown with a small beige head. The flavor starts with chocolate and caramel with a light raisin backbone. The finish has notes of plum, chocolate, and light alcohol flavor and burn. Full bodied with soft carbonation.
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