12 ounce can into pint glass, canned on 2/24/2016. Pours hazy golden orange color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, lemon zest, orange peel, pine, cracker, bread, light honey, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Nice and and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/tropical/pine hops, grapefruit juice, and moderate pale malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, lemon zest, orange peel, citrus rind, pine, cracker, bread, light honey, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Good amount of pine/citrus rind/grassy bitterness and light fruit tartness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, peach, pineapple, lemon/orange rind, pine, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/tropical/pine hops, grapefruit juice, and moderate pale malt flavors; with a good malt/bitterness balance; with light hop/grapefruit astringency lingering after the finish. Good amount of dryness from hop/grapefruit bitterness as well. Medium carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, crisp, and sticky/resinous mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with zero warming present after the finish as expected of 5%. Overall this is a very good fruited IPA style. All around good complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/tropical/pine hops, grapefruit juice, and moderate pale malt flavors; and very smooth, crisp, and refreshing to drink; despite having some lingering flavor astringency. A very enjoyable offering.

Crowler pour thanks to rick. Pours out a dark brown almost black topped with a tan head. Nose is vanilla roast malts chocolate sweetness. Taste is more of the vanilla chocolate and light sweetness. The vanilla put off an odd taste make it feel artificial.

22 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled in Fall 2014. Pours fairly pitch black color with a 1 finger fairly dense tan head with decent retention, that reduces to a spotty lace cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings around the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big milk chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, and toasted oak; with light coconut, butterscotch, dark fruit, cocoa, coffee, and oak/toasted earthiness. Some light booziness shows up as it warms. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roasted malt and bourbon barrel notes; with good strength. Taste of big milk chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, and toasted oak; with light coconut, butterscotch, cocoa, coffee, and oak/toasted earthiness. Light-moderate bourbon/oak spiciness and slight roasted bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, toasted oak, light cocoa/coffee, and oak/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt and bourbon barrel flavors; with a great malt/oak spiciness balance and zero cloying sweetness after the finish. Light carbonation and medium-full bodied; with a smooth, moderately creamy/silky, and slightly sticky/chalky balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is fairly well hidden with a light-moderate warming lingering after the finish; with minimal booziness. Overall this is a very nice barrel aged Russian Imperial stout. All around good complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roasted malt and bourbon barrel flavors; and very smooth to sip on for the big ABV. This was not as roasty as most imperial stouts I’ve had; but still had a good amount, with a really great amount of balanced barrel flavors against the malt sweetness. A very enjoyable offering.

[1/30/16] Bottle sample at the Encomium bottle share, after RateBeer Best awards ceremony at Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel in Santa Rosa. Thanks everyone who shared bottles! Dark brown. Chocolate, nuts, sweet, some dark fruits.

Bottle - Boozy roast, sweet coconut and bourbon notes. Deep brown and a light brown head. nice sweetness, coffee and a touch of milky sweetness. Very sweet and nice.