Subsidiaries
8.1/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
2004 bottle. Blind IPA tasting Well, it wasnt by a long shot, but I picked this one as my favorite over Arcadia Batch 999, Bear Repub. Racer 5, Stone IPA, and Victory Hop Devil. Smuttynose IPA struck me as just an all-around flawless IPA. It didnt do anything particularly unique, but it seemed to have a perfect balance, a nice juicy hops bite to start, plenty of malt (typical of Smuttynose) and just an overall balance and flavorfulness. The body seemed right on for a bottled American IPA. Medium-full with a lightly creamy, lightly bubbly texture. Drinking it, no problems arise. There are no strange sour/alcohol/stale/metallic notes, no unbalanced bitterness and it’s not too sweet. This brewery dosent get as much credit because their beers are not as flashy and they do not market barrel-aged, corked, fancy-named, single-batch beers. That’s ok because they do everything right with the beers they do make. Lightly floral aroma, slighty herbal with some light toasted and caramel notes. Good bright orange color with some sediment and a solid white head.
On draught Feb, 2005, Redbones There’s some strange spice to the aroma and even the flavor. Kind of like cumin/celery seed and a sharp/sour off alcohol flavor. Yikes. It’s got a great body and good carbonation, and still has a hazy unfiltered appearance, but this is definitely not the beer I remembered from the bottle. Will have to try it some more to really nail down a rating in which I am confident.
On cask, 4/27/2005 at NERAX Having now had the bottle, draught and cask, I can easily say I prefer the cask. Huge malt backbone, alive with fresh oranges, honey, dough, herbs, and just a lovely, flavorful hops kick that is big but not overdone. Full body, creamy to the last drop. Wow.
On draught Feb, 2005, Redbones There’s some strange spice to the aroma and even the flavor. Kind of like cumin/celery seed and a sharp/sour off alcohol flavor. Yikes. It’s got a great body and good carbonation, and still has a hazy unfiltered appearance, but this is definitely not the beer I remembered from the bottle. Will have to try it some more to really nail down a rating in which I am confident.
On cask, 4/27/2005 at NERAX Having now had the bottle, draught and cask, I can easily say I prefer the cask. Huge malt backbone, alive with fresh oranges, honey, dough, herbs, and just a lovely, flavorful hops kick that is big but not overdone. Full body, creamy to the last drop. Wow.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Dec 2004
at 12:44
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
2 year old bottle:
Hazy brown coloured body with a muddy red coloured tint. Nice dense tan head tops the beer. Aroma of bubble gum, malt, prunes, peat and some light nuts. Full-bodied; Prunes and peat dominate the taste with some other spices and lighter tastes running throughout the palate. Nuts, malt and some sugars are noticeable in the aftertaste. Overall, a good scotch ale-really nice after these two years! I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased at Norm’s in Vienna, Virginia on 10-December-2004.
Hazy brown coloured body with a muddy red coloured tint. Nice dense tan head tops the beer. Aroma of bubble gum, malt, prunes, peat and some light nuts. Full-bodied; Prunes and peat dominate the taste with some other spices and lighter tastes running throughout the palate. Nuts, malt and some sugars are noticeable in the aftertaste. Overall, a good scotch ale-really nice after these two years! I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased at Norm’s in Vienna, Virginia on 10-December-2004.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Dec 2004
at 23:18
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Range copper ale with a spicey belgian pumpkin aroma. Intense pumpkin pi with smutty hops and sweet caramel. Good bodied. Again, very pleasant pumpkin. (October 2004).
Tried
on 12 Dec 2004
at 20:42
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Smells and tastes of chocolately coffee, but mostly coffee. Roasted, tasty malts all throughout. Finishes dry. Very nice.
Tried
on 25 Nov 2004
at 00:55
6.9/10
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Appearance 10
Aroma 8
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6.5
A black beer with a chocolate brown head. The aroma is of chocolate and coffee. While the flavor is sour with notes of coffee leading up to a dry end. But the body is unfortunately thin. Thanks Mike for trading this one with Jeppe.
Tried
on 23 Nov 2004
at 18:34
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Pours an inviting tall head over a clear amber body that gives off a well balanced bouquet of caramel malt and hops. Dry without being overly bitter, this is a little different, an intangible complexity where no component pushes to the front, letting you explore the tastes and body at will. Very nice.
Tried
on 16 Nov 2004
at 18:02
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6
2003 bottle. Pours a light yellow, mostly clear with a small white head. Nose of light malt grains and a bit of hay. Some yeast and corn flour. Flavor is very balanced, having light clove, honey, grains and a bit of toasted grains. Light citrus on the end, faintly sweet. This is not really a stylistic german hefe, but it’s good and drinkable. Medium body, no thinning.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Nov 2004
at 15:57
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Hazy light gold ale with a light white head. Good hops and citrusy aroma, followed by a intense hoppy sweet malt tatste, lots of grapefruits, and nice sustained bitterness. Medium bodied, well balanced, with little animalcules dancing around. (Bottle, from CJs in Potsdam, NY 1.40$)
Tried
from Bottle
on 12 Nov 2004
at 17:33
7.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Deep amber color, slight haze, creamy sticky off white head. Malty, yeasty, clean aroma. Smooth, medium bodied, very well balanced. The malt really carries this one. Easy drinking beer.
Tried
on 08 Nov 2004
at 17:46
5.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 6
Paid $1.50 for a 12-oz single. Golden in color with a gigantic head. Slightly fruity and yeasty in the nose, but not much there. Sweet, slightly chocolate malty, believe it or not. Also very wheaty.
Tried
on 07 Nov 2004
at 17:22