4.6/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 4
Texture 6
Overall 3.5
Draft. I didnj't like this beer. A light colors beer with little head, the flavor has too much orange/coriander and comes across as too fruity. It doesn't have enough of a Belgian tang and I wish the malt presence was a little higher. Disapointing.
Tried
from Draft
on 21 Sep 2003
at 21:42
9.1/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 8.5
Thanks to BeerLimey for the trade. This definitely fits the bill as a Big Beer. Pours almost sludge-like out of the champagne bottle. Thick and black with a miniscule beige head. Next to no lacing. The aroma is all roasted coffee. The body is big and bold and the flavors of coffee, bitter chocolate and warming alcohol really pack a whollop. It never becomes too much though. The beer remains smooth throughout. This is one of those beers that you wouldn't know was 12% by the flavor, only by the effect. The finish is dry and slightly bitter. Superb.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Sep 2003
at 21:15
7.5/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
2002 22 ounce Bottle:
Rating #600, what could be better: The highest IPA (my favourite style) that I haven’t sampled yet! Dark amber colour with a very dense (3 centimetre) tan head. Strong hoppyness in the aroma...citrus and pine are the most evident, but i’m sure they are all very high a.a. hops. A big maltiness i n the aroma to provide balance. Medium to Full-bodied; Assertive hoppiness but the malt background isn’t too strong. Aftertaste just a bit bittered from the grapefruity hops, but not much so. Overall, I was expecting much more, but I’m sure the hops died down significantly over the months. Definately worth trying...perhaps you’ll end up with a better beer. After letting it sit out, more complexity and balance take front stage and the beer ’opens up’. I really want to thank rodolito for trading this to me in a recent trade, i’m lucky to have had this bottle! Thanks again Dave :-) After Thirteen (yes, 13) years, I’ve come back to sample this again. Nice rich red and copper coloured body with a super thick, five centimetre tall tan head that coats the beer nicely. Aroma of liquor, alcohol, malt, copper, metal and bunches of hops. Full-bodied; Super strong malt and hop flavours with a lot of alcohol warmth and tons of pungency. Aftertaste is nice, but super strong and a bit too malty. Overall, still a good beer, but not great not superb. Nice to sample again after all these years, but a bit too strong on malt, hops and especially alcohol. I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased from Total Wine in Alexandria, Virginia on 22-January-2016 for US$10,99 sampled at home in Washington on 03-July-2016. Rating for this sample: 8,5,7,3,14 - EXACTLY the same as my first crack at this beer for rating #600, when this rating was at more than 5k!
Rating #600, what could be better: The highest IPA (my favourite style) that I haven’t sampled yet! Dark amber colour with a very dense (3 centimetre) tan head. Strong hoppyness in the aroma...citrus and pine are the most evident, but i’m sure they are all very high a.a. hops. A big maltiness i n the aroma to provide balance. Medium to Full-bodied; Assertive hoppiness but the malt background isn’t too strong. Aftertaste just a bit bittered from the grapefruity hops, but not much so. Overall, I was expecting much more, but I’m sure the hops died down significantly over the months. Definately worth trying...perhaps you’ll end up with a better beer. After letting it sit out, more complexity and balance take front stage and the beer ’opens up’. I really want to thank rodolito for trading this to me in a recent trade, i’m lucky to have had this bottle! Thanks again Dave :-) After Thirteen (yes, 13) years, I’ve come back to sample this again. Nice rich red and copper coloured body with a super thick, five centimetre tall tan head that coats the beer nicely. Aroma of liquor, alcohol, malt, copper, metal and bunches of hops. Full-bodied; Super strong malt and hop flavours with a lot of alcohol warmth and tons of pungency. Aftertaste is nice, but super strong and a bit too malty. Overall, still a good beer, but not great not superb. Nice to sample again after all these years, but a bit too strong on malt, hops and especially alcohol. I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased from Total Wine in Alexandria, Virginia on 22-January-2016 for US$10,99 sampled at home in Washington on 03-July-2016. Rating for this sample: 8,5,7,3,14 - EXACTLY the same as my first crack at this beer for rating #600, when this rating was at more than 5k!
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Sep 2003
at 01:26
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Mmmmm...a Ratebeer date beer! Poured a cloudy orange with a white head. Aroma of vinous notes, belgian sugar, and alcohol. By far the sweetest Belgian I've tried, with belgian sugar, vinous notes, light banana esters, and spices dominating the palate. The alcohol was hidden nicely. The fruit fly that, within seconds, landed in this brew's frothy head let me know I was dealing with a superior product. I'll purchase this again for special occasions, as mentioned.
Tried
on 11 Jul 2003
at 22:50
9/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Rating #200
Here it is! The infamous Speedway Stout. This was the smoothest Imperial I've had the pleasure to sip. Poured dark, molasses-like, with a thin tan head. Aroma was potent coffee, dark, roasted malts and alcohol. Flavor, like the aroma, was an astounding blend of coffee, chocolatey sweet roasted malts, molasses, licorice and warming alcohol. This is one of those beers that requires constant sipping to ascertain its complexity. My only complaint is that the alcohol was a bit harsh, especially after the first few sips. I would have preferred that element to be toned down, but this is an exquisite stout regardless.
Here it is! The infamous Speedway Stout. This was the smoothest Imperial I've had the pleasure to sip. Poured dark, molasses-like, with a thin tan head. Aroma was potent coffee, dark, roasted malts and alcohol. Flavor, like the aroma, was an astounding blend of coffee, chocolatey sweet roasted malts, molasses, licorice and warming alcohol. This is one of those beers that requires constant sipping to ascertain its complexity. My only complaint is that the alcohol was a bit harsh, especially after the first few sips. I would have preferred that element to be toned down, but this is an exquisite stout regardless.
Tried
on 11 Jul 2003
at 14:40
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
The carbonation in this IPA is borderline ridiculous! Upon the pour, a frothy, very thick white head develops, and active carbonation is visible in the clear amber body. Aroma is floral, spicy hops. Flavor has a distinct hops bite, but sweet malts provide the backbone, and I must admit the overall package is one smooth drink. Looking over my ratings, I am surprised to find so many good IPAs, and this one stacks up with Stone's IPA, slightly below Bells Two-Hearted Ale, and doesn't quite reach the levels attained by my two favorites, Dogfish Head 90 Minute and Three Floyds Dreadnaught. Here's to cracking that Speedway Stout...rating 200 can't come fast enough!
Tried
from Can
on 30 Jun 2003
at 20:33
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Light brown,lasting off white head.Piney nose. Light smooth malt foretaste finishing with huge hops.
Tried
on 16 Dec 2002
at 09:42
7.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Earthy, fuggley, quality brew - nice restrained English-style brew. Surprisingly unassertive for AleSmith.
Tried
on 24 Jul 2002
at 16:48
8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bronze; big cascade nose; very citrusy (grapefruit) - pure hop juice with a dry finish. A pleasing drink.
Tried
on 24 Jul 2002
at 16:40
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Black as night; rich, coffeeish aroma with a little bit of other roastiness; quality beans used, thankfully; slight fruitiness in the palate helps to offset what is a very big, very roasty beer. Moderately full body. Nice brew, bit overrated.
Tried
on 24 Jul 2002
at 16:38