7.2/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
2003 Vintage:
Dark brown in colour with a nice lighter brown head. Although, when held up to the light, the beer looks like a very strong violet colour-dark ruby highlights dominate the appearance. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, slight vanilla and sour lactic quality. Medium to Light-bodied; Strong bittering malt with large cofee overtones. Some canella is present, but not much. A bit of the sour quality arises in the taste, but pretty much a straight malt-shot. Aftertaste bittered from the coffee and the roasted malt, but nice for the style. Overall, a good spiced porter, definately good to try! Many thanks to Jeremy (jercraigs) for hand-delivering this twelve ounce bottle! I sampled this beer on 07-December-2003.
Dark brown in colour with a nice lighter brown head. Although, when held up to the light, the beer looks like a very strong violet colour-dark ruby highlights dominate the appearance. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee, slight vanilla and sour lactic quality. Medium to Light-bodied; Strong bittering malt with large cofee overtones. Some canella is present, but not much. A bit of the sour quality arises in the taste, but pretty much a straight malt-shot. Aftertaste bittered from the coffee and the roasted malt, but nice for the style. Overall, a good spiced porter, definately good to try! Many thanks to Jeremy (jercraigs) for hand-delivering this twelve ounce bottle! I sampled this beer on 07-December-2003.
Tried
from Can
on 07 Dec 2003
at 22:55
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 5.5
Clear light amber in colour with a decent large-bubbled off-white head. Smell of hops, sweetness and even a bit of soap. Medium-bodied; Strong assertive hoppiness with very sweet tastes and a superb malt background. Aftertaste bittered very minutely from the hops, but very sweet! Overall, a bit better than average for the style! I was lucky enough to get this beer in-person from JerCraigs in Ontario, Canada and sampled it on 2-October-2003, Thanks Jeremy!
Tried
from Can
on 03 Oct 2003
at 23:44
3.2/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 2
Texture 2
Overall 2
Light amber in colour with a very thin white head. Smells of sugar, stale hops and a bit of malt--nothing too terribly offensive. Medium-bodied; Strong corn flavour --just like muching on a tortilla chip! A bit of metal and sweetness in the taste as well, but not much. Overall, not a great beer and one that shouldn't be sampled if possible to avoid! I was still lucky to sample this! Thanks to Jeremy (jercraigs) for bringing this bottle!
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Sep 2003
at 02:04
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
The brewery says it shipped its first kegs in January, 2000. That's why I was drinking this in November 1999, right? Say what you want about the Winking Judge, but they get the new beers first. Anyway, this is quite hoppy, but quite lacking in malt balance. They should put it on cask, too.
Tried
from Cask
on 17 Jan 2002
at 00:05
6.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Deep golden coloured. Sweetish, medium bodied, bitter. Good beer, but perhaps unexciting.
Tried
on 09 Jan 2002
at 09:07
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Dark brown. Medium to full bodied, nutty, dry, big roasty flavour. .........
Tried
on 09 Jan 2002
at 08:57
7/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Dark brown; Aroma of dark chocolate, hazelnuts, rich coffee; the palate combines rich cappucino with pralines, leaf hops, a hint of cinnamon and an old woodiness that reminded me of those dilapidated wooden fences you see around farmer's fields. The finish is long, roasty and quite dry (I think I would have preferred the finish to be a little sweeter myself). All in all, an impressive seasonal offereing, and a good replacement for the departed Taylor & Bate Porter (RIP).
Tried
on 08 Dec 2001
at 11:59
3/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 2
Flavor 3
Texture 4
Overall 3
This really isn't made for Black Oak fans I don't think. Some crispness, and perhaps a little more flavour and body than I originally gave it credit for, but I'm not going to pass up the Nut Brown for this.
Tried
on 20 Oct 2001
at 21:33
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Quenching, full body. Subtle spiciness. Refreshing. At first it was quite bitter but five or six months later this has really ’rounded’ into form.
2004: Not ready yet, but I got some anyway. I’ll ignore the flatness and yeastiness, not bother with numbers and just say that it seems very refined and fruity, only lightly spicy, and definitely sweeter than the 2001 edition. Too bad I won’t be around to try it when it’s ready...or will I? I got a couple bottles in the mail and it’s a totally different animal after nine months. Very dry, yeasty, a little funky...proper saison.
2004: Not ready yet, but I got some anyway. I’ll ignore the flatness and yeastiness, not bother with numbers and just say that it seems very refined and fruity, only lightly spicy, and definitely sweeter than the 2001 edition. Too bad I won’t be around to try it when it’s ready...or will I? I got a couple bottles in the mail and it’s a totally different animal after nine months. Very dry, yeasty, a little funky...proper saison.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Oct 2001
at 21:31
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
I used to say that this beer had potential if they would get the malt extracted properly. Well, Ken from the brewery told me to try it again. Yup, they've got it right now. There is a lot more chocolate and toasted malt flavour now. A subtle nuttiness as well, and it really plays off the hops well (previously I felt it was overhopped). The finish is dry, almost smokey, and with good length. Well worth a pint or two.
Tried
on 13 Oct 2001
at 11:05