7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Cloudy, bright orange in color, with substantial head/lace - very piney hop aroma, with some other wood notes and background biscuity malt - this is one of the few MA beers I’ve had that isn’t overwhelmed by their "signature taste" - very lively, bright, juicy, woody hop character - semi sweet fruit flavors of apricot and peach - nice and full-bodied - a semi-toasty, bready malt finish to balance the hops - really quite a nice effort by this otherwise ho-hum brewery.
Tried
on 30 Mar 2006
at 21:10
6.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Not the greatest of imperials - much like magic hat, which uses similar yeast strains, much of middle ages beers taste alike, with minor differences - this beer is no exception - it has that strong "middle ages taste" that overpowers the already thin cocoa and plum flavor - some aromatic, flower/hop thing happening, but not enough to make me get past that taste...that friggin’ taste! - some might call it distinctive (something that MA uses as a sort of calling card), I call it distracting.
Tried
on 20 Mar 2006
at 20:17
6.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 5.5
A pretty standard scotch ale, with a kind of artificial sweetness and a homebrew-like quality that makes it less enjoyable - kind of dry despite the sweetness, with a smoked malt and chocolate finish that is probably the most enjoyable part.
Tried
on 18 Mar 2006
at 21:25
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Black with a tan head. Coffee , chocolate and some licorice make up the aroma. Starts with a chalky dry bitterness that covers most of the sweetness. The bitterness goes right to the finish.
Tried
on 18 Mar 2006
at 06:24
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Pours deep golden amber into a shaker. Cottage cheese aromas. Active head. Fairly well-balanced and starts fizzy with a slightly creamy/dairy bitter finish.
Tried
on 12 Mar 2006
at 18:57
7.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Deep black with a light moka head. Smokey malt aroma with roasted coffee beans. Dry sharp bitter chocolate lingering and classy, burned toast, light alcohol, pleasant and nurseable, rich and resilient. On Tap at Blue Tusk, Feb.3, 2006.
Tried
from Draft
on 13 Feb 2006
at 21:19
7.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Lightly hazed golden ale with a thin white head. very sweet malt caramel aroma, light and restrained, a bit buttery. In mouth, rich pinhous hops come out well, with smokey malts, like a fine scotch, long in mouth, warming, and smooth. Rich bodied. On Tap at Blue Tusk, Feb.3, 2006.
Tried
from Draft
on 13 Feb 2006
at 21:15
5.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5
Dark amber ale with a thin off white head. Sweet fruity aroma with notes of berries and wet dough. In mouth, sweet malt with caramel and light scotch notes, on tap Kelly Cole’s Improper in Syracuse, NY, on February 4, 2006 with the Cap!
Tried
from Draft
on 13 Feb 2006
at 20:53
8.2/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 10
Overall 8
Bottle Pours an inky black with a very tall brown head. Very thick heavy lacing. Aroma of prunes, sweet dark roasted malts and milk chocolate. Flavor is mostly smokey and dark pitted fruits again. The abv is evident. A bit fumey on the aftertaste. Extremely soft and slick feel on the tounge. PLenty of hops balance it nicely. Tasty.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Feb 2006
at 20:17
4.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 3
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 4.5
2005 bottle consumed on 12/15/2005. So this one is an American brewed English-style Belgian trippel? Ok. . . .
Pours a deep brass and copper with light rust tints and a bright golden gleam to it. The head is beige/off-white and like all other Middle ages beers, it is rapidly dissipating to a ring, with little spots of lace and then nothing. Quite clear, though inspecting the bottom (and the mouthfeel confirms) it is not as highly filtered as their other beers. Sweet! There’s actually some light sediment on the bottom.
However, from the first look at the nose, the problems begin. A musty, yet pungent and sharp cider-vinegar-meets-ethanol aroma rises quickly to meet me, with light powdered sugar, diacetyl, hints of dry nectarine and peach and just a bit of orange zest. Pale malt-like sugars are quite apparent. The subtleties (or shall I say, non-alcoholic qualities) of the aroma, are quickly passing, though. Unfortunately, about a minute or two after pouring, the only thing left in the nose is alcohol, strong, sharp, dominant alcohol. If I closed my eyes and someone put this glass up to my nose, I would guess it to be a glass of ethanol, no joke.
The flavor begins with a strong alcoholic note, followed by light cidery notes that are sharp, musty and very phenolic. Sweet candied peaches, apples, nectarines and oranges are noted, and the mouthfeel, wow! Simply put, this is what all Middle ages beers should strive for. Comforting, even lightly syrupy in texture, with that extra oomph that high filtration removes. Plenty of sugars on the end, and then fade to alcohol. Not quite as persistent/apparent as the nose, but still very strong and bullying. Touches of dry, bitter grassy hops only exacerbate the problem. If they could just get this alcohol under control. As is, this has to be in the top 3 most alcoholic tasting/smelling beers I’ve ever had.
Pours a deep brass and copper with light rust tints and a bright golden gleam to it. The head is beige/off-white and like all other Middle ages beers, it is rapidly dissipating to a ring, with little spots of lace and then nothing. Quite clear, though inspecting the bottom (and the mouthfeel confirms) it is not as highly filtered as their other beers. Sweet! There’s actually some light sediment on the bottom.
However, from the first look at the nose, the problems begin. A musty, yet pungent and sharp cider-vinegar-meets-ethanol aroma rises quickly to meet me, with light powdered sugar, diacetyl, hints of dry nectarine and peach and just a bit of orange zest. Pale malt-like sugars are quite apparent. The subtleties (or shall I say, non-alcoholic qualities) of the aroma, are quickly passing, though. Unfortunately, about a minute or two after pouring, the only thing left in the nose is alcohol, strong, sharp, dominant alcohol. If I closed my eyes and someone put this glass up to my nose, I would guess it to be a glass of ethanol, no joke.
The flavor begins with a strong alcoholic note, followed by light cidery notes that are sharp, musty and very phenolic. Sweet candied peaches, apples, nectarines and oranges are noted, and the mouthfeel, wow! Simply put, this is what all Middle ages beers should strive for. Comforting, even lightly syrupy in texture, with that extra oomph that high filtration removes. Plenty of sugars on the end, and then fade to alcohol. Not quite as persistent/apparent as the nose, but still very strong and bullying. Touches of dry, bitter grassy hops only exacerbate the problem. If they could just get this alcohol under control. As is, this has to be in the top 3 most alcoholic tasting/smelling beers I’ve ever had.
Tried
from Bottle
on 16 Dec 2005
at 10:54