4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Dark pour with some ruby, an off white head that leaves behind nice lacing. Dough, yeast, bitter orange, some citrus and grape to the aroma. Spicy flavors of clove and some hints of cinnamon. Malts, bananas and citrus hops are present as well. Spice filled tangy palate, full body that finishs with alcohol and hops. Nice.
3.1 AROMA 3/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
Cloudy brown; Thick head; unremarkable nose. Really nice mouthfeel. Grapey, vinous. Burnt roast, crsytal malt and banana with big alcohol.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Taster on tap at Stone brewery after aged beer tasting. No head. Deep amber color. Taste is a bit young and unrefined. Smell is too mild to rate. A little background harshness. Possibly the tiniest bit of background sourness that rises off the back of the tongue as a finish. Alchohol is prominent, reducing the drinkability of the beer.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Dark pour with a fluffy head. Aroma has spice, sweet candied fruit and some caramel. Flavor has more rich fruit, plums and some sherry with some more caramel and mellow spice. Nice.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Serving: 750 ml. bottle from State Line Liquors. It pours a hazy, reddish brown with a decent sized, light tan head. The nose is spiced and Belgian with nice yeast notes, some dark fruit, port, and candy sugar. The flavor leans towards the sweet side for the style, but that combined with the spices add for a festive touch. The dried fruit is definitely there along with the Belgian yeast. Perhaps a little plum as well. Medium bodied with medium to high carbonation leading to a medium, sweet finish. Tasty holiday fare! Dangerously drinkable at 10%.
4.1 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 17/20
750ml shared... Pours a deep amber with an average tan head that fades... very pleasant aroma filled spices, apples, raisins, candi sugar and Belgian yeast... light to medium body with more of the same... smooth and pleasing finish... there is a nice holiday sweetness... great.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
75cl bottle from Sheps Deli, Tampa, FL. Pours a dark caramel brown with a one finger tan foamy head that settles quickly but laces the glass. Aroma is rich and malty with notes of ripe dark fruit, dark candy sugar, caramel, toffee, raisins, slight hint of dark chocolate. Flavor is a burst of flavors from caramel and toffee to sweet malt, spice, and molasses. A complex beer. Some notes of phenol, dark ripe fruit, sugar plums and candy sugar are present as well. Generally medium to full body with a sweet and malty finish.
4.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 17/20
UPDATED: JAN 12, 2008 1/12/08: Re-rate. Draught at Blue Nile, Minneapolis. Virtually identical rating as the one I did 3 years ago. Aroma was docked 1 point. Dusty and yeasty aroma. Huge! tan head. Had to wait to drink it. Dark, murky body. Decent lace. Very sweet and very good. Not too strong. Distinctive flavoring. Not too heavy. I prefer this slightly to the Bell’s Old Coast b-wine I had just before it. That’s saying something. A very nice brew. 1/23/05: A very rich, sweet and malty nose. Lots of visible particalia. No visible carbonation. A still brew. Nice rich, dark amber color. Highly carbonated. Ar 8, Ap 5, Fl 8, Pal 5, Ov 17
|
