 valpoaj (283), Valparaiso, Indiana, USA
May 12, 2008
Bottle courtesy Hopdog - thanks Steve! Opens with only a little pop, so worried up front this may be a bit past its prime. Pours a very dark (at least for a PA) brown with a moderate cream colored head. Aroma is very nice...there’s some citrusy hops in there, but a lot of thick, roasted malt aromas and a conglomerate of dark fruits... and some yeast as well...very ’luxurious’. Flavor is mostly malt, with some citrus hop flavors up front, and a fair bit of alcohol throughout. There is a fair share of metallic flavor throughout that I doubt was there earlier in its life. This is definitely a sipper still as of this time. Very creamy on the palate. Would have loved to tried this a year ago, but glad to have had the opportunity nowadays, as I doubt the nose on this was nearly this developed in its youth!
Ibrew2or3 (1648), Safety Harbor, Florida, USA
Aug 14, 2008 Courtesy of lb4lb. Pours hazy orange-brown with thin off white head. The aroma is a bit different and gives forth mild amounts of muted pine hops, chewy sticky malts and alcohol heat. From time to time I get a whiff of cherry, prune and plum like fruity esters. The aroma comes across too light for the style. The taste seems smooth and mellow as a result of a few years on the shelf. I imagine it must have been pretty punchy while fresh. But now I get muted rolled over pine hops that still have some bitterness left along with brown sugar sweetness and some chewy malts. By midway cherry and plum hard candy surface along with small amounts of alcohol and a faint sense of pepper. Toward the finish it takes on an almost grainy to nutty maltiness as the pine hop bitterness builds to a tepid level. Although mellowed with age it still has bold flavors creating a sipper beer like experience. I think I’ll nurse this for a while. I say, YUM!
shadey (1318), Rochester, New York, USA
Jul 27, 2008 12oz bottle from July 2006. Almost 2 years old. Pour is a candy-apple red. The head is a thin layer of white cream. I can smell it from several feet away. Its strong and unpleasant. When I stick my nose in the glass, the smell isn’t much better. Sticky acidic hops that almost smell rotten. After the first sip I knew this is a drainpour. I was afraid to drink it fresh, buts still gross.
SQNfan (424), Wheaton, Illinois, USA
Jul 7, 2008 12 oz. bonus bottle from JB175. This poured cloudy and deep amber in color with some copper running through and a minimal head. The aromas were of burnt caramel, raisin, plum and a slight amount of citrus and spiciness. In the mouth it was full-bodied and concentrated with dark fruit and dark caramel flavors. The finish is long and lingering but does show some alcohol. This is an unctous beer that is almost too much.
after4ever (1696), Brier, Washington, USA
Jun 13, 2008 22. Thanks, Colin! This held up amazingly well. Cloudy dark amber with creamy tan head. Dense rings of lace. Huge candied oranges and blue cheese nose. Without a doubt the oddest nose I’ve come across anywhere in the ipa family. Rich, creamy body on the high side of medium. Sharp carb, but not overly much of it. Candied oranges, apricots, and mangos on the mid-palate. Malt balance under all this hop madness. Orange pith/bitter apricot on the finish. Offbeat and quite powerful, but still fun to drink.
pint_size (1004), Austin, Texas, USA
Jun 2, 2008 5-18-08 bottle shared with lb4lb thanks to DrJay and The_Epeeist
Super dense thick unfiltered mud with a thin ivory colored head. One of the thickest, densest beers I’ve seen. Smell is straight nail polish remover - big ammonia. Flavor is heavy cough syrup. It is super thick and has a heavy alcohol boozy flavor. Really thick and hard to swallow. Looks a little like poo water. Too much alcohol and weight for me. Unique but it is somewhat of a bipolar beer.
|
