@CBC–12oz bottle-pours a light tan head and gold color. Aroma is resin/herbal hops, secondary medium malt. Taste is resin/herbal hops bite, secondary medium malt. OK carbonation.

@CBC–on tap-pours an off white head and cloudy amber color. Aroma is resin, secondary medium malt. Taste is resin hops bite, secondary medium malt-caramel. Alcohol. Good carbonation.

@CBC–on tap-pours an off white head and amber color. Aroma is resin hops, some medium malt. Taste is resin hops bite, rye, some medium malt.

Nitro draft at Downers Grove only, 12/18/2010. I confirmed with the brewer that this is a new batch of their American IPA served on nitro, with 7.1% abv. Though I suspect the recipe is different, I’m following the RB rules and re-rating under this listing. Pillowy nitro head suggests some oatmeal in the grist. A bronze beer body, brilliantly clear in the Emmett’s style. Good resiny hop smell leads to a big hop burst in the mouth, mostly of pine needles and resin, backed with some slight caramel and toast malts. The foam remains through the whole draught, keeping a nice creamy texture in the beer. Sides of the glass are sticky just from the foam overspill, and the sticky malts become more obvious as I finish the glass. Quite tasty.

Draft at the Downer’s Grove restaurant, 5/17/10. Original rating: 7-3-6-3-14: 3.3 Don’t know why $5 a beer seems pricey here, especially when it comes in a 20 oz. "true pint" glass. Bright penny copper color, clear with no trialing bubbles. Lightly colored IPA head. Pine and citrus hop nose. Taste is pretty closely balanced. Slightly sticky malts with caramel hints at the tip of my tongue, citrusy and resiny pale ale hops at the back. Also a hint of earthy English hop bittering. This does not have the bit of yeast I’ve tasted with other Emmett’s beers, maybe this has had a chance to settle out in the serving tank. Tasty and well-tuned american style beer.

Draft @ FoBAB 2009, Chicago, IL. Pours a dark brown almost black color with a small tan head. Has a roasted malty dark chocolate and bourbon aroma. Sweetish roasted malty chocolate and coffee flavor with some hints of bourbon. Has a sweetish roasted malty dark chocolate finish with hints of bourbon and vanilla in the aftertaste.

Bottle with thanks to DrnkMcDermott. Pours a hazy orange with little head and a near complete lack of carbonation. Aromas are boozy with a little bit of oranges. First sip has a white lightning like astringent alcoholic bite, but as it warms (or my taste buds become disabused to this presence) a little bit of an orange and honey flavor starts to peek through. It’s not bad, but like many Imperial Pilsners it just seems very boozy.

Sample at the Palatine brewpub. The beer pours a flat black color with a medium creamy khaki head that diminishes slowly. Rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted malt and cocoa. Medium, smooth body with flavors of malt, roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolate. The finish is sweet chocolate at first with a mildly bitter coffee aftertaste. Straightforward and an alright Stout overall.

Sample at the Palatine brewpub. This beer is a clear copper color with a compact white head that diminishes slowly. Thin rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted malt, sweet fruit and a bit of spice. Medium, clean body with a sweet caramel malt flavor underscored by wheat and hops. The finish is malty with a lingering sweetness left over. Slightly above average overall.

Sample at the Palatine brewpub. The beer pours a hazy reddish-brown color with a medium thin beige head that dissipates steadily. Clingy patches of lacing. Sweet caramel malt aroma with a bit of hops. Light body with flavors of bready malt, caramel and citrusy hops. The finish is sweet malt and does not last long. Slightly above average overall.

Sample at the Palatine brewpub. This beer is a clear copper-orange color with a medium off-white head that recedes steadily. Stringy lacing on the glass. Hoppy nose with touches of malt. Medium body with a moderately hoppy flavor with notes of toffee and malt underneath. The finish is evenly hoppy and malty with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Decent overall.