7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottle. Appearance is a dirty strawish gold color with lots of haze and a fairly large fluffy head that has died down after a couple of minutes waiting for Microsoft to get its act together and let me on to the site here. In the meantime I’ve been enjoying subtle aromas of banana cloves and yeast with an underlying sugary sweetness. First impression is that the flavor is OK. I’m not doing cartwheels, but I’m not making funny faces either. There is a bit of a tart quality that I didn’t see coming. Other than that, the alcohol is definitely present, but not too obnoxious. The sweet sugars and clove flavorings are all there. Sadly this just doesn’t finish out quite as nicely as I would have liked. I’ts not bad, but neither is it great.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 May 2007
at 23:38
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle courtesy of Sammy: Poured a dark brown color ale with a medium bubbly head with minimal retention. Aroma of bitter hops with some citrus characteristic is dominating. Taste is a well balance mix between some caramel malt and some citrusy and bitter hops. There might have been some English hops in there since the bitterness was more dry then usual. I thought this was relatively well done and slightly different then most IPA out there.
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Feb 2007
at 12:52
6.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Hazy light amber body with a small white head. Aroma of spice with some banana hints. Light spiced flavor with a touch of banana in the end.
Tried
on 04 Sep 2006
at 02:11
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
bottle sample from the Hampton tasting, thanks guys - Pours the typical for the style black with a lasting tan head. It smells of coffee and chocolate. The flavor is mainly the dark roasted malt with coffee notes. It’s not very sweet. The mouthfeel is moderate and the finish fairly dry. It could use some more hops and body though. It’s good. Like most here I just have high expectations of this style.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 May 2006
at 22:31
6.2/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
On tap at Crunchy’s. Dark brown body, thin/medium off-white head. A rather nondescript porter with chocolate notes and an interesting musty, sweet nectary characteristic provided by the honey. Hints of butterscotch. Lacks complexity and punch.
Tried
from Draft
on 26 Feb 2006
at 15:53
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Deep coppery red body, medium tan head. Strong buttery diacetyl aroma, bready but with an emphasis on buttered popcorn. This characteristic dominated the flavor profile, too, which was otherwise cerealy and quite sweet, with an interestingly light emphasis on hops for this style. Lacks bitterness. The diacetyl was way too strong but this wasn’t a drainpour. However, for the diacetyl-phobic among us...
Tried
on 22 Feb 2006
at 21:17
6.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Hazy deep copper/orange-brown body, medium tan head. Earthy aroma with floral hops and toast. Chocolate biscuit flavor, perfumey, and earthy, maltier than most ESBs with a strong toasted character. Sharp prickly carbonation. Appropriate complexity. Not a bad ESB.
Tried
on 22 Feb 2006
at 21:14
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
On tap at Dragonmead. This stout is not extremely big. That said, taken for what it is, I enjoyed it. Dark brown body, mostly opaque, with a medium-thick tan head. Big roasty aroma with coffee, dry chocolate, and a hint of molasses. Surprisingly thinnish flavor profile, toasty, with chocolate, a touch of molasses, and alcohol notes. Inky, lasting finish. Roastier and less sweet than most Imperial Stouts, in addition to the more subtle hops bill. Light relative to other Imperial Stouts, but not bad by any means.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Oct 2005
at 20:48
6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
On tap at Dragonmead. Light copper body, thin off-white head. Butterscotchy aroma, vinous, candylike, with caramel notes. Very sweet body with banana, a touch of clove, bready with hints of honey and caramel. Alcohol light but detectable. Reminded me of a strong hefeweizen fermented with a Belgian yeast strain. Again, my rating may be a bit generous.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Oct 2005
at 20:46
6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
On tap at Dragonmead. Deep red-brown body, thin light buff head. Sweet candy aroma with cherry and caramel, not big on the toasts, spices, and plums I usually pick up in this style. Generic, sweet body with caramel and bread, toffee, fermented melon, honey, and a touch of alcohol. Medium-bodied but too sweet. This was OK but my rating my even be a bit generous, as I was celebrating a White Sox victory.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Oct 2005
at 20:41