12oz bottle 2005 Vintage: Poured a dark dirty brown color, with almost no head. It had a pleasant aroma and a verysweet flavor that consists of caramel, maple, malts, and fruits. This is a much better BW than the rating shows, of course this was aged for 2-3 yrs.

2005: Orange amber with a thin white head. Sweet malt, hops and orange peels. Rye malt with sweet candi sugar and intense warm alcohol. Lingering bitterness and licorice finish. May 2005, Capflu’s BW tasting.

<b>Bottle</b> pours muddy brown, small white fizzly head that quickly diminishes, spotty lacing, with subtle carbonation.   Dark pitted fruit and alcohol on the nose.   Caramel, dates, figs, and raisins on the tongue.   This seems a bit more spritzy and more flavorful than the earlier version.   Some dark cherry flavors as well.   Rather smooth for being 12.9%.   Medium body, lively mouthfeel but somewhat thin for the style.   Finishes rather quick, clean, with a soft dark pitted fruit flavor.   Not as syrupy or hot as I would have thought for a 12.9% brew.   Otherwise, its one of the lightest high ABV beers I have had in a long while.   Slightly sweet, but not cloying.   This seems almost too easy to drink?!?!   More enjoyable than prior years. <br /><br />

<b>Bottle</b> Pours a dark muddy redish brown. Small off-white head and thin silky lacing. Aromas of apple-butter, sweet dark pitted fruits, and caramel. Flavors are similar, more woody and not as sweet as the smell hinted. Carbonation is soft and the feel is smooth and cloudy. Deep soft bitternes at the end. Doesnt taste like 12.9% though Im sure it will fell like it later.

<b>2004 Vintage.</b> Cloudy brown w/ wispy light brown foam. Relatively complex sweet, malty, slightly roasty aroma of maple, caramel, prunes, raisins, dates & flowery hops. Full bodied-chewy feel. Rich, complex malty flavour of caramel, brown sugar maple, & dark fruit. Mildly roasty w/ some woody/brady-ish notes. Warm, slow finish. Good bitterness.