7/10
Mostly clear amber body med foam whit head. Tart funk fruit aroma. Tart fruit funk flav. Light bod mod high carb. 7/2/8/4/16 3.7
Tried
from Draft
on 25 Jan 2025
at 17:00
8.6/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 9
Overall 8.5
Armsby draught, 1/24/25.
Dark, undetermined clarity. Small, tan head, moderate retention (very good for its size).
Rich bourbon and chocolate-molasses comfort the nose with a well-aged mellowness. Moderate bourbon spice, moderate oak tannin, maybe a hint of alcohol warmth, but not heat/sharpness.
Yeah, there is a bit of alcohol here, which is a recurring thing with this brewery's mega stouts. That said, it's far from hot or sharp. Just a bit dull and warming, but noticeable. Rich, thick, lightly syrupy textures with excellent malt depth and good attenuation. Lingering cherry, vanilla, heavy bourbon spice and barrel tannin with aforementioned light alcohol. Other than that fairly minor issue, this is spectacularly well-done, as usual.
Dark, undetermined clarity. Small, tan head, moderate retention (very good for its size).
Rich bourbon and chocolate-molasses comfort the nose with a well-aged mellowness. Moderate bourbon spice, moderate oak tannin, maybe a hint of alcohol warmth, but not heat/sharpness.
Yeah, there is a bit of alcohol here, which is a recurring thing with this brewery's mega stouts. That said, it's far from hot or sharp. Just a bit dull and warming, but noticeable. Rich, thick, lightly syrupy textures with excellent malt depth and good attenuation. Lingering cherry, vanilla, heavy bourbon spice and barrel tannin with aforementioned light alcohol. Other than that fairly minor issue, this is spectacularly well-done, as usual.
Tried
from Draft
at
Armsby Abbey
on 24 Jan 2025
at 19:57
8.8/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Armsby lukr, 1/24/25.
Clear. Deep, dark amber with garnet highlights. Large, creamy, beige head.
Heavy mineral and rich chocolate with mild roast and not-overdone dark malt. Very clean and bright. Really can tell this thing is going to be nicely malty.
And so it is. Rich base malt interacting with the light amount of dark malt to produce a rich honey-and-milk chocolate. Soft and with excellent depth. Dryness comes on the end with lots of fruitiness, but of dry cocoa and mild hop bitterness. Satisfying, clean, very flavorful and incredibly drinkable. Would expect nothing less from a lager from these masters. Only nitpick I can find is wanting it to be a bit more dry, crisp and snappy on the finish.
Clear. Deep, dark amber with garnet highlights. Large, creamy, beige head.
Heavy mineral and rich chocolate with mild roast and not-overdone dark malt. Very clean and bright. Really can tell this thing is going to be nicely malty.
And so it is. Rich base malt interacting with the light amount of dark malt to produce a rich honey-and-milk chocolate. Soft and with excellent depth. Dryness comes on the end with lots of fruitiness, but of dry cocoa and mild hop bitterness. Satisfying, clean, very flavorful and incredibly drinkable. Would expect nothing less from a lager from these masters. Only nitpick I can find is wanting it to be a bit more dry, crisp and snappy on the finish.
Tried
from Draft
at
Armsby Abbey
on 24 Jan 2025
at 18:46
6.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Stemware at Torst, December 2024. Dark, opaque brown on black pour. Chimney, chary, burnt peanut nose. Sooty, dusty charred, very light notion of lactose & burnt nuts. Astringent finish, near but not dry. Meh.
Tried
on 15 Jan 2025
at 23:55
6.9/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle (1/17/23) pour shared by ClarkVV--thanks, Clark! Cloudy dark yellow, no lacing. Aroma is strong musty, funky, tart fruit along with milder bright sweet fruit. Taste is strong tart fruit--not quite sour, but close! Thick (can feel particulates) texture, soft carbonation, finish as taste. Good strength, well made but not my bag.
Tried
on 14 Jan 2025
at 03:13
8.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
375mL bottled Jan 17, 2023, drunk Jan 11, 2025.
Burnished bronze, clear. Little head.
Citrus and Brett with light vanilla and mild oak. Very easygoing and well-aged with nothing aggressive going on.
Oak flavor is big, but not biting. Vanilla and light toasted wood. Mild lactic acidity and moderate Brett with no acetic element. Citrusy, very fruity, round, easygoing and well-aged. Love that round, lightly sweet vanilla element that seems to be an interplay of honey-like base malt and oak. Just enough lactic acidity to keep it balanced and tart, but never sour or biting.
Burnished bronze, clear. Little head.
Citrus and Brett with light vanilla and mild oak. Very easygoing and well-aged with nothing aggressive going on.
Oak flavor is big, but not biting. Vanilla and light toasted wood. Mild lactic acidity and moderate Brett with no acetic element. Citrusy, very fruity, round, easygoing and well-aged. Love that round, lightly sweet vanilla element that seems to be an interplay of honey-like base malt and oak. Just enough lactic acidity to keep it balanced and tart, but never sour or biting.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jan 2025
at 18:57
7.8/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
375 ml bottle. Thanks to Clarkvv. Aroma is musty basement mixed with soft funky yeast. Flavor has musty / dusty yeast upfront, and subtle oak. Not sour at all just a ton of funk. Nice!!
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jan 2025
at 18:55
8/10
Thanks Clark, nice aroma. Light fruit, tart, light oak.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jan 2025
at 13:48
8.3/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
Armsby draught, 12/30/24.
Dark with some deep chestnut-mahogany tints. Clear. Small, dark beige head.
Big, fruity cherry and bourbon with a mix of round and spicy apple brandy. Vanilla, chocolate, light oxidation...no alcohol noted.
Soft, malty, rich with big apple brandy and more moderate, spicy bourbon notes. A bit of chewiness to the texture, but quite high attenuation with no alcohol though maybe a touch of warming on the finish. Tons of chocolate, cherry and vanilla notes lingering with mild roast.
Dark with some deep chestnut-mahogany tints. Clear. Small, dark beige head.
Big, fruity cherry and bourbon with a mix of round and spicy apple brandy. Vanilla, chocolate, light oxidation...no alcohol noted.
Soft, malty, rich with big apple brandy and more moderate, spicy bourbon notes. A bit of chewiness to the texture, but quite high attenuation with no alcohol though maybe a touch of warming on the finish. Tons of chocolate, cherry and vanilla notes lingering with mild roast.
Tried
from Draft
at
Armsby Abbey
on 31 Dec 2024
at 16:22
7.8/10
—
Appearance 9
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Armsby draught, 12/30/24.
Moderately-to-heavily hazy, blonde-brass-golden. Large, creamy, white head.
Earthy with heavy mineral (fairly prominent sulfur) and unripe tropical fruit skins. Very Riwaka-redolent, though not as much pure matchstick or overall intensity as that. Light honey and cracker from the easygoing, seemingly well-attenuated malts.
Soft, smooth, almost wheat-like texture with high attenuation but good suppleness to the body. Earthy, mineral/sulfur character with moderate tropical fruit, light pine-like acidity and lingering unripe tropical fruit/pineapple notes. Just a touch bitter/twangy at points, with the sulfury character and bone dry attenuation somewhat exacerbating this.
Moderately-to-heavily hazy, blonde-brass-golden. Large, creamy, white head.
Earthy with heavy mineral (fairly prominent sulfur) and unripe tropical fruit skins. Very Riwaka-redolent, though not as much pure matchstick or overall intensity as that. Light honey and cracker from the easygoing, seemingly well-attenuated malts.
Soft, smooth, almost wheat-like texture with high attenuation but good suppleness to the body. Earthy, mineral/sulfur character with moderate tropical fruit, light pine-like acidity and lingering unripe tropical fruit/pineapple notes. Just a touch bitter/twangy at points, with the sulfury character and bone dry attenuation somewhat exacerbating this.
Tried
from Draft
at
Armsby Abbey
on 31 Dec 2024
at 15:51