7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Bottle: Deep brown with a small, off-white head. Huge root beer aroma....sassafras, licorice.... Taste is thick and sweet fountain-sticky root beer.....not much fizz.... A slight alcohol bitter and presence..... Not quite as pleasant as the lower octane version.....just bigger.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Jul 2016
at 15:14
4.4/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 3.5
22oz bottle pours a murky brown with a ring of off white head. Nose has caramel and rootbeer and vanilla flavoring. Flavor has rootbeer with a shot of vanilla vodka. Sticky, cloying finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Jul 2016
at 16:13
4.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 3
Texture 4
Overall 4
Poured from bottle copper golden pour no head. Aromas of ginger. Taste is sickly sweet medicinal ginger sizzyurp. Awful.
Tried
from Bottle
on 23 Jul 2016
at 21:25
8/10
Tried
on 21 Jul 2016
at 18:11
7.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
12 ounce bottle into pint glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours clear lightly hazy/cloudy orange/copper color with a 2 finger fairly drense and fluffy off white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big vanilla, honey, ice cream, candi sugar, and light caramel/crackery malt. Very nice aromas with great balance of vanilla and pale malt sweetness; with great strength. Taste of big vanilla, honey, ice cream, candi sugar, and light caramel/crackery malt. Minimal herbal/earthy hop notes on the finish; with lingering notes of vanilla, honey, ice cream, candi sugar, and light caramel/crackery malt flavors of on the finish for a good bit. Very nice robustness and balance of vanilla and pale malt sweetness; with zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, creamy, fairly crisp, and lightly syrupy mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 4.1%. Overall this is a very nice vanilla cream ale. All around nice robustness and balance of vanilla and pale malt sweetness; very smooth and refreshing to drink with the low ABV. A very enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Jul 2016
at 20:29
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
22 ounce bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours crystal clear very dark brown color with a 1-2 finger dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of big caramel, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, wood, cola, mint, nutmeg, licorice, light cocoa, toasted bread, and herbal/spice earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark malt and spice notes; with great strength. Taste of huge caramel, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, wood, cola, mint, nutmeg, licorice, light cocoa, toasted bread, and herbal/spice earthiness. Light-moderate herbal bitterness and spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, wood, cola, mint, nutmeg, licorice, light cocoa/toast, and herbal/spice earthiness on the finish fora while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark malt and spice flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light dryness from bitter/spiciness as well. Medium carbonation and full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky, lightly slick/sticky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is well hidden with only a light warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this is an outstanding spiced beer. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of dark malt and spice flavors; very smooth and dangerously easy to sip on for the big ABV. A highly enjoyable offering.
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Jul 2016
at 21:13
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
22oz bottle at the July DC tasting. I figured this would be awful. This is what it is, and honestly - I like the regular 5.9% version of this. This one is a dialed up version of it. Sarsaparilla, birch, vanilla dominate the aroma. It even pours like a soda, though I would say this has a touch less carbonation than a typical root beer soda. Flavor retains the root beer essence, but plays up a little more vanilla with a touch more booze in it.
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Jul 2016
at 00:01
10/10
Tried
on 17 Jul 2016
at 19:12
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
22 oz bottle I brought to the Local DC Tasting. Dark brown with light tan head. Aromas of root beer and vanilla. Tastes of root beer, vanilla, root beer barrel candies. Medium-light body with a dry finish. Dangerously drinkable for the ABV.
Tried
from Bottle
on 15 Jul 2016
at 21:44
6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 4
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle from Total wine in Sacramento, CA. Pours coppery gold with an off-white head. Smells like vanilla in a cake/pastry way. Near med body. It’s like an old time cream soda with a touch of cinnamon or similar. Applesauce cake with white frosting. Certainly not dry, but there is a touch of bitterness. Interesting for what it is.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Jul 2016
at 18:53