Thank the bartender for giving me a pour instead of buying a full pour!

8.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

750 ml bottle into stone tulip glass, 2019 vintage. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy medium orange/amber/light copper color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy light khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to nice cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of huge licorice, anise, poppy seed, ginger, saffron, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, juniper berry, ginseng, orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, caramel, brown sugar/bread, toasted biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of spices, citrus/earthy hops, and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of huge licorice, anise, poppy seed, ginger, saffron, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, juniper berry, ginseng, orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, caramel, brown sugar/bread, toasted biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, minty, peppery bitterness; and Jägermeister spiciness on the finish. Lingering notes of licorice, anise, poppy seed, ginger, saffron, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, juniper berry, ginseng, orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, caramel, brown sugar/bread, toasted biscuit, herbal, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of spices, citrus/earthy hops, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance; and no astringent hop/spice flavors after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitter/spiciness. Medium-plus carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, and sticky/resinous/rindy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Mild increasing warmth of 8.5% and spice heat after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic spiced American strong ale. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of spices, citrus/earthy hops, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the ABV with the modestly bitter/spicy/resinous/drying finish. Not overly aggressively bitter/spicy. Perfectly balanced between Jägermeister spices and Arrogant Bastard Chinook hop complexity; with a nice sized bready malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding experimental style example. They nailed this one, not overwhelming on any aspect.

7.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

750 c&c from Total Wine in Folsom, CA. Pours clear bright copper with a transient near-white head. Aroma is heavy on anise. Med + body. Flavor does have anise, but there's more. Maybe cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Fruit. Floral. Malt that's slightly roasty. Fairly dry. Not hoppy bitter, but the herb/spice components fill in for hop. An interesting and tasty thing.

8.5

Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 8

Bomber from Total Wine & More in Reston, VA Aroma: licorice, juniper, ginger, citrus, caramel Appearance: clear amber with an off-whitehead Taste: medium sweetness, medium bitterness Mouthfeel: average carbonation, medium body, creamy feel, long finish