Poured up on tap at the brewpub, Carlsbad, where it exhibits a clear deep copper colored body that supports a thin near white head of foam. The aroma offers up spicy hops and thin clouds of base malts and crystal malts. The taste delivers a pleasing semi vague spicy hop bite flowing into both mild sweet malts and crystal malts. Off in the background are thin murmurs of sweet dark fruity esters. This comes across as a tasty American barleywine.