Bottle: Poures a light brown yellow with a lacy white head. The aroma is spicy and very hoppy. Taste is fruit with loads of hops, probably one of the best hop style Belgiums I have had. Finish is dry and tingly.

Labeled as 8% abv, Equinox dark belgian winter - fizzy, dark ruby beer, with a well-sustained, foamy off-white head - aroma of dark fruits, strong belgian fruity esters, cocoa, light cookie dough, some subtle earthy, leathery components, and a mild, stale hoppy character - very slight sweetness, much drier than expected - moderate cocoa presence, and a very strong mix of wintery spices, along with a nearly intense peppery flavor - the fruity esters try to assert dominance after this, but the spices remain strong, and a nearly tannic, woody character helps to maintain the beer’s balance - a bit yeasty in the finish, but a mild tartness and dry red wine tannins keep things interesting, as the peppery quality slowly fades, leaving behind a hint of warming alcohol - between this and the taras boulba, I’m very impressed with this brewer.

This bottle was very damp around the cork, and the cork fell apart when I drove the corkscrew into it, so it was a bit of a struggle to keep cork particles out of my beer - hazy golden beer, with a frothy head that leaves a sheet of lace on the sides of the glass - nice earthy aroma, with bright floral notes, mild yeasty aromas, subtle citrus sweetness, orange peels, apricots, and light tangy quality - high carbonation in the mouth, but it is rather soft - nice dry bitterness, with some mineral flavors - very strong herbs and wildflowers - a pale malt and light honey sweetness develops to balance the bitterness - the floral aspect of the beer is phenomenal, reminding me of some of the best saisons and biere de gardes I’ve had - a gentle apricot and peach flavor combines with the honey flavor, and then the hops linger into the finish, ending dry and herbal, getting the salivary glands working - insanely drinkable - I could drink this beer all day long - great stuff.