Tap at Blind Tiger - turbid dark purplish beer, with pretty much no head - a bit of earthy, peat-like character in the aroma, high sweetness, some floral notes - the flavor is fairly sweet, too, and lacking a lot of complexity - there is some peat/smoke, strong vegetal/root vegetable flavors, and high sweetness - beyond that, there isn’t much happening here - a disappointment, but a drinkable one.

Pours deep amber into a snifter. Sickly head quickly subsides with no lacing. Sour smoke aromas. Thin caramel with an alcohol bite. Lasting sour finish.

2005 bomber shared with Muzzlehatch on 11/4/05. Summery orange colors mix with chestnut browns in a hazy, well-carbonated body. Half a finger of off-white head is well-retained and provides for ample lacing. Smells of light buttercream, nuts, lightly toasted grains. First flavor notes are of a dry, nutty and floral bitterness, quickly moving to a lightly sweet toffee with buttercream and a strong hops bite. A bit astringent/dry sourness, but a moderately expansive carbonation and unfiltered mouthfeel provide a solid vessel for flavor expression here. Light licorice and nuttiness on the finish, with light earthy/dry yeast notes that are, again, sour. Body is medium for the style, with no alcohol apparency and significantly less fruitiness than I was expecting.