8.9/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
750ml bottle - Poured dark, reddish brown with a creamy, moderate sized head that left excellent lacing. The assertive aroma is a wonderful blend of yeast and malts with dark fruit notes. The intense flavor matches the aroma and throws in some coffee and chocolate notes in the dry finish. This ale has a big, full mouthfeel and little alcohol presence given the high ABV. It’s a truly excellent ale. The smiths have done it again.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 May 2006
at 15:32
5.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6.5
(Bottle 65 cl) Pours a hazy orangey golden with a creamy, off-white head. Surprisingly subdued hop aroma. Very full body with lots of caramel malt and a high residual sweetness. Marked hoppy finish, but it’s a somewhat muddy hop profile leaving a somewhat confusing impression. Some alcohol in the finish, herbal cough syrup like. Honestly this was a disappointment, but thanks heaps to sk8viking for sharing nonetheless. 220406
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 May 2006
at 16:57
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle provided by WillBlake @ Dickinsonbeer’s Pre-TAP gathering, thanks. 2004 bottle, 220/240. Deep copper color. Heavy, heavy malt aroma. Flavor is a lot more subdued. Still malty with just a bit of oak coming through. Just a bit of bitterness at the end. I don’t see what all the hubub is about. Its a malt heavy, aggressive, west coast barleywine. The flavors have been subdued a bit by the barrel aging. Fine brew but not the craziness it seems to attract.
Re-rate: Blind at Cornboy’s 2nd Annual BW tasting, not sure of vintage. Aroma is aged, strong, and full of alcohol. Taste has a nice alcohol touch to it with strong thick biscuit flavor. 7/3/8/3/15.
Re-rate: I can’t believe I am trying this again, keeps coming back to me. This may be the best experience though. 2004 bottle, 5 years old now, shared by Indra, thanks Eric. Bottle number 159/240. Completely murky dark ruby brown pour. Small but strong and sticky head. Aroma is very oaky but bot bad, no barrel sugar. This blends well with the raisin-sugar-alcoholic characteristic. Usually I dislike this bit Alesmith makes it work. The flavor is sweet raisin with alcohol mixed together. The oak has died down a bit and some caramel sweetness at the end. No heat or burn at the end. 8/4/8/4/16
Re-rate: Blind at Cornboy’s 2nd Annual BW tasting, not sure of vintage. Aroma is aged, strong, and full of alcohol. Taste has a nice alcohol touch to it with strong thick biscuit flavor. 7/3/8/3/15.
Re-rate: I can’t believe I am trying this again, keeps coming back to me. This may be the best experience though. 2004 bottle, 5 years old now, shared by Indra, thanks Eric. Bottle number 159/240. Completely murky dark ruby brown pour. Small but strong and sticky head. Aroma is very oaky but bot bad, no barrel sugar. This blends well with the raisin-sugar-alcoholic characteristic. Usually I dislike this bit Alesmith makes it work. The flavor is sweet raisin with alcohol mixed together. The oak has died down a bit and some caramel sweetness at the end. No heat or burn at the end. 8/4/8/4/16
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Apr 2006
at 20:04
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Orange-red beer, small yellowish head. RIch vinous & brandy-like nose, with lots of C-hops and cake-like malts sustaining. Orangezest aroma. Cakelike malts, drenched in brandy are here again, seriously checking the USA hops onslaught. Some laurel, cinnamon and other spices. Terribly perfumey. Very liqueurish MF, fiery MF but not aggressive. Good one, "Big" in any sense, but making up for a pleasantly sipping beer. Vintage Old Numbskull Amber-copper colour, small rim. Brandy nose, hops, caramel or toffee. Brandy-chocolate bar, more coffee. Very oily and slick, alcoholblast. Very chocolatey beer with lots of alcohol. 7/4/8/4/16 3.9/5
Tried
on 17 Apr 2006
at 14:42
7.8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
@Freakin’ Frog, Las Vegas
Hazy light amber color; creamy head. Fruity aroma (mango). Medium-weak body, not much malty, hop aromatic, not extremely bitter (final not too long), some hop resins.
Hazy light amber color; creamy head. Fruity aroma (mango). Medium-weak body, not much malty, hop aromatic, not extremely bitter (final not too long), some hop resins.
Tried
on 14 Apr 2006
at 20:00
8.6/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
2010-05-06, blind tasting at Yespr, vintage 2005, 7-4-8-4-16=39
Cloudy amber color; sparse bubbles. Sweet caramel and toffee aroma, light butter and vanilla, light earthy hops. Sweet caramel and fudge flavor; it may be a bit buttery (therefore suspect); a soft nutty edge too; correct bitterness. The final is just lightly astringent. Good.
2006-03-29, at Freakin’ Frog, Las Vegas, 8-5-8-5-17=43
Hazy dark amber color. Extremely malty aroma. Strong mouthfeel, a bit oily, sirupy malty, with an English level of bitterness, quite similar to a Fuller’s Vintage, thicker and more warming.
Cloudy amber color; sparse bubbles. Sweet caramel and toffee aroma, light butter and vanilla, light earthy hops. Sweet caramel and fudge flavor; it may be a bit buttery (therefore suspect); a soft nutty edge too; correct bitterness. The final is just lightly astringent. Good.
2006-03-29, at Freakin’ Frog, Las Vegas, 8-5-8-5-17=43
Hazy dark amber color. Extremely malty aroma. Strong mouthfeel, a bit oily, sirupy malty, with an English level of bitterness, quite similar to a Fuller’s Vintage, thicker and more warming.
Tried
on 14 Apr 2006
at 19:58
8.2/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 10
Overall 8
2009-10-30, bottle at Ølbaren, Copenhagen, 9-5-7-4-16=41
Hazy deep blond color. The aroma is very citrusy. It has a lean body, with a strong bitterness, resiny and fruity; I miss some sweetness, but it’s a great IPA.
2009-06-20, 8-5-7-5-16=41
Copper color: big frothy head. Sharp spicy aroma, coriander, peppercorns, cloves; then some fruity hop too. Lean body, with dry toffee flavor and hazelnuts; the hopping is good, oily, nutty, a bit resiny, not much fruity. Less than I remembered, but very good.
2006-03-28, at Freakin’ Frog, Las Vegas, 9-5-8-5-17=44
Hazy amber color. Nice hoppy aroma, very fruity (apricots, persimmon, oranges…). Good malty body, very strong, excellent hopping, aromatic sweet fruity and resiny. Well blended.
Hazy deep blond color. The aroma is very citrusy. It has a lean body, with a strong bitterness, resiny and fruity; I miss some sweetness, but it’s a great IPA.
2009-06-20, 8-5-7-5-16=41
Copper color: big frothy head. Sharp spicy aroma, coriander, peppercorns, cloves; then some fruity hop too. Lean body, with dry toffee flavor and hazelnuts; the hopping is good, oily, nutty, a bit resiny, not much fruity. Less than I remembered, but very good.
2006-03-28, at Freakin’ Frog, Las Vegas, 9-5-8-5-17=44
Hazy amber color. Nice hoppy aroma, very fruity (apricots, persimmon, oranges…). Good malty body, very strong, excellent hopping, aromatic sweet fruity and resiny. Well blended.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Apr 2006
at 19:56
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
2007-09-14, 7-4-7-3-14=35
Cloudy light amber color. The aroma is very sweet, with yeast, fruitness, very pure yeast, too much for me. Good body strength, very sweet, the warmth shows me it must be quite alcoholic, good fruity malt flavor, good bitterness. Overall a good beer, but the yeast is just too much.
2006-01-27, 8-4-8-4-15=39
Hazy gold color. Malty (both aroma and taste), strong, warming, sweet, balancing bitterness, light aroma of dried fruits. Good; no thrill.
Cloudy light amber color. The aroma is very sweet, with yeast, fruitness, very pure yeast, too much for me. Good body strength, very sweet, the warmth shows me it must be quite alcoholic, good fruity malt flavor, good bitterness. Overall a good beer, but the yeast is just too much.
2006-01-27, 8-4-8-4-15=39
Hazy gold color. Malty (both aroma and taste), strong, warming, sweet, balancing bitterness, light aroma of dried fruits. Good; no thrill.
Tried
on 11 Apr 2006
at 16:06
9.1/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
bottle - Pours jet black with a dark, moderately sized head that really hangs around, leaving nice lacing. The aroma is of heavily roasted malts and coffee. The flavor is of course primarily the roasted malt and coffee, but is quite complex as well. The palate is huge and the 12% alcohol well masked and very warming. Then there’s a smooth, lingering finish. This brew is altogether excellent. I can see why it’s so highly rated. Certainly the Russian Imperial Stout style is highly regarded in general, but more importantly this is an exsquisite example of the style. Get it and enjoy.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 Apr 2006
at 15:57
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
This is the most malty Grande Cru I have ever had. Its almost like a Scotch Ale combined with a Belgian. Very thick looking, lots of sediment. Lots of malt in the taste with some belgian flavors breaking through.
Tried
on 04 Apr 2006
at 21:05