Sampled on draft at Hou Thou this beer poured an orange-brown color with a small foamy white head that left minimal lacing. The aroma was malty molasses, maple and orange. The flavor was malty molasses, orange, maple, butterscotch and fruity hops. Moderate alcohol presence at first. The finish was long with maple, molasses and orange. The booziness grows and starts to distract. Moderately full bodied. Interesting.

Draught. Honeyish golden colour, small slightly off-white head. Aroma is caramel, toffee and then a bunch of fruitiness and sweet floral notes to it as well. Flavour is very similar, but also has some resin and herbal notes to it. A bit too much hops for my taste.

Draft at Anthony’s in Harrisburg. Beautiful clear ruby amber color, white edge head. Nice floral aroma. Taste has bittersweet herbs. Definitely a sipper.

Thought this was a Belgian ale, so I poured it into a tulip.
The appearance was a hazy burnt orange to bronzed copper color. Slim quarter finger of white foamy head graced gently on the glass.
The smell had a sweet brown sugar to delicate spice - ginger, cinnamon and clove.
The taste started off mainly sweet and bled into the spices nicely. Light spicy sweet aftertaste led to a sticky sweet finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a medium on the body with a fairly decent sipping quality about it. Alcohol not felt but then again I’m not worried since it’s from Christmas of 2014.
Overall, for what it is now, I like it as a Belgian ale or a Christmas spiced ale. It works.

Cask

Got in a BIF from JNForsyth. 750 ml bottle into snifter, no bottle dating. Cork did not pop upon opening, extremely low carbonation. Pours fairly pitch black color with a minimal tan lace cap that reduces to nothing pretty quickly. Some very slight spotty lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toast, dark bread, molasses, light char, raisin, plum, light licorice, herbal, and roasted earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt and light-moderate dark fruit notes; with good strength. Taste of big dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toast, dark bread, molasses, light char, raisin, plum, light licorice, herbal, and roasted earthiness. Fair amount of herbal/roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, toast, dark bread, molasses, light char, raisin, plum, light licorice, and herbal/roasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt and light-moderate dark fruit flavors; with a good roasted bitterness/sweetness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Minimal carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a very smooth, creamy, and lightly slick/chalky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with only a small warming present after the finish. Overall this is a very nice Imperial stout. All around good complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt and light-moderate dark fruit flavors; and very smooth to sip on even with the lacking carbonation. A very enjoyable offering.