Huge thanks to hopscotch for truckin’ this monstrous 3L bottle to bobo’s event. Pours brown-ish copper with thin tan head. The aroma gets different with each tug. It goes from sweet caramelized malts to smokiness to sweetness to bacon (what?!?!). More whiffs bring up only sweet caramelized maltiness. Nice aroma. The flavor is nice and thick with rich caramelized maltiness to figs and plums and other dark fruity flavors. The midway point the caramel becomes smooth and candy sweet and just grows in strength toward the finish. Very smooth and rich brew. I loved it.

Courtesy of Hopscotch. The aroma is a massive concentration of raisins, pumpernickel, fruitcake, brown sugar, spice and malt. Red tinted brown body with a diminishing, thumb thick, tan head. The fore tastes of raisin liquer, black breads, spice, pumpernickel, dark sugar laden fruit syrups, caramel and toffee with a hint of mild spices int he finish. This doesn’t really work as a Quad I suppose, but as a Belgian inspired strong Christmas Ale this would rock. Point blank it tastes very good if you like that sort of flavor profile and I’d love to have some of this again. One of the standouts, for me, of a night of very good beers. It actually reminded me a lot of a Madeira I have been drinking lately and would be a great alternative to a dessert wine.

Pours with a deep red-brown body topped by a medium thick head with some lacing. It’s sweet and full of malt and dark fruits. Full bodied, warming and smooth.

<b>Date:</b> 12/02/2006<br /> <b>Mode:</b> Draft<br /> <b>Source:</b> Brewfest, Strong Ale Fest<br /> <br /> clear dark red, wispy off white head, nice lace, light sweet malt aroma, big sweet malt flavor, lots of candy sweetness, touch of fruity character, nice light bitterness in the finish but not enough to counteract the sweetness, still a good sipper even with the sweetness<br /> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /> <b>Date:</b> 07/14/2007<br /> <b>Mode:</b> bottle<br /> <b>Source:</b> tasting<br /> <b>Score:</b> 3.4 to 3.8<br /> <br /> opaque dark rusty red, sweet dark fruit and raison aroma, sweet candied fruit flavor, gritty brown sugar character, sweetness has mellowed nicely and better balanced even though there is no more apparent bitterness, nice chocolate blends well with the fruit, <br /> <br /> <b>Aroma:</b> 7/10; <b>Appearance:</b> 7/10; <b>Flavor:</b> 8/10; <b>Palate:</b> 7/10; <b>Overall:</b> 15/20<br /> <b>Rating:</b> 3.8/5.0<br /><b>Drinkability:</b> 7/10<br /> <b>Score:</b> **4<br />

Poured from a 3L bottle courtesy of Hopscotch. Pours a beautiful copper color with a small lacing head that clinged to the edge of the glass. Aroma was cnady sweet. Flavor fullon with the dark fruits and candy sugar and caramel.The alcohol had a smal presence.A nice sweet, slight alcohol finish.