3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
UPDATED: JAN 15, 2011 Rerate Good wallop of hops, nice sprucer aroma, thickish mouthfeel. Solid still, just not 4.3 worthy. Original 4.3 Crisp piney, hoppy aroma upon opening. Deep copper colored pour with a cream colored head - that lasts a good while with a good bit of lacing. Very hoppy - like all Rogue’s - tends to overwhelm the malt flavor that most English Strong Ales have - but Rogue is famous for going over the top and this is a good example of that. Not somehting that I would partake often - but good for a once a year celebration like Christmas.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Cherrywood stain colored with a big foamy head that lasts. Big giant maple syrup aromas surrounded by hops, hops and hops. Gorgeous taste. Mine is warm, full of maple, pine, sugars, spices and a dry nutty aftertaste. Merry Xmas 2002 Version. Whew....650ml...... good to the last drop!
3.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
UPDATED: DEC 16, 2012 Bottle. Head is initially average sized, frothy, off-white to light brown, mostly diminishing. Body is dark amber. Aroma is lightly to moderately malty (toasted grain, caramel/cookie/cake), moderately hoppy (grapefruit, resin, apricot), lightly yeasty (dough). Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, moderately to heavily bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. A fairly ordinary IPA-ish beer.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
22 02 bottle, cloudy bright amber color, floral hoppy aroma, huge creamy off white head that clings to my glass. Starts sweet and malty caremel flavor, then finishes with a spicy dryness, the hops really stand out. Medium body, full soft mouthfeel, very tasty and drinkable, a great winter brew.
3.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
(18Dec2002--22oz bottle) Very good beer. Quite similar to Sierra Celebration.
Coarse, creamy, (surprisingly) non-lacy, but persistent head and effervescence.
Aromatic hops are the strong point of the beer, IMO.
It just smells....kinda piney, but not cloyingly so. Heavily malty, lots of
residual sweetness, and heavily bittered.
Surprised to see only 6% ABV--this is a punchy beer.
Not terribly subtle.
3.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 15/20
UPDATED: NOV 23, 2003 Well balanced holiday ale, slightly thin looking with nothing much in the texture and understated, 'just right' clove and pine flavors.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Georgeous bright red color. Thick creamy off-white head that left thick lace all the way down the glass. Nice grapefruit, sour apple, sweet malt, and pine tones present. My only complaint is that the beer is just too bitter. I really think the wonderful malty tones would have a chance to come forward and round out this beer if there were not so much hops bitterness present.
3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
When they say sprucy finish, they aren’t kidding!
3.7 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Very sweet aroma. Lots of malty sweetness up the nose. Very very smooth hop bitterness in the body and the finish. I did not find the bitterness to be at all strong though, there was still enough sweetness to keep a caramelly malt flavor cruising over my tongue. Fairly full bodied beer. made for a great lunch today. now to decide on the dinner beer.
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Wonderful hop aroma. Body has a hint of malt but is overwelmed by the abundance of bitterness. This is why I use Chinook in my IPAs I brew. Good Stuff!!!!
|
