6.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
2003 edition. This is a classic Christmas ale, with the requisite spices (ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon). Pours deep red with a minimal off-white head. Ginger dominates the aroma. The flavor is strongly spiced with ginger and nutmeg dominating, and cinnamon and brown sugar notes. Not sure why this spice combination is so popular, as I find it masks any malt or hops character otherwise present. On the other hand, this example has a nice mouthfeel and is certainly at least the equal of most other similar offerings. Thanks Dan (jah noth) for the bottle!
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Mar 2004
at 19:22
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
My bottle reads "Ithaca Finger Lakes Stout." This stout poured dark brown with red highlights and a thin off-white head. Light didn't penetrate this beer through my St. Bernardus glass but I imagine it would have done so if I poured this in a pint glass. Roasted malt and dry chocolate aroma. I wasn't expecting too much flavor considering how thin the body was but I was nicely surprised. This stout has layers of roasted malt, toast, and chocolate. At first this beer had a tangy quality but it reverted to sweetness over the course of the bottle. A hint of caramel finishes the flavor profile. Surprisingly good for such a light-colored, thin-bodied beer. I doubt this version is 7% ABV, however. Thanks Dan (jah noth)!
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Mar 2004
at 18:49
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 9
Flavor 7
Texture 4
Overall 6.5
Amber in colour with strong ruby highlights and a dense tan head. Very nice appearance! Strong candy sweet aroma of cherries, grapes, pears, caster sugar and spices. Heavy-bodied; Coats the mouth; Great malty flavour with lots of the sugar and a bit of the bitterness showing through. Aftertaste shows bitter nuttiness, spice and a slight fruity quality. Overall, really good and definately worth trying! I had this pint on draught at MacGregor's in Rochester, New York on 13-November-2003.
Tried
from Can
on 15 Nov 2003
at 22:21
5.4/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5.5
Copper colour with absolutely no head. Mild hop aroma with balanced malt. Decent english hop taste mixed with a citrus/lemony taste. Aftertaste a bit metallic, not half bad though. Overall, a decent EPA, not too great though. I had this on draught at MacGregor's in Rochester, New York on 28-October-2003.
Tried
on 02 Nov 2003
at 22:00
6.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Ruby tinted brown colour with a nice dense light-brown head. Very malty aroma, slight grape in the aroma as well with some subtle spice characteristics as well. Decent malty flavour with some slight acidity. Aftertaste bittered from the malt, but some fruity tastes complete the palate. Overall, a good representation of the style however. I had this on draught at MacGregor's in Rochester, New York on 28-October-2003.
Tried
on 02 Nov 2003
at 21:51
6.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6
Fairly dark amber colour with a perfect sized light tan head - spot on for the style! Aroma consists of hop pellets, mushrooms and a bit of yeast - ODD! Medium-bodied; Hoppy taste with some astringent characteristics and a strong malt background. Aftertaste shows almost nothing but a mild hop and malt taste. Overall, about average for the style. Not great, nor bad! I bought this twelve ounce bottle from Beers of the World in Rochester, New York and sampled it on 2-October-2003.
Tried
from Bottle
on 03 Oct 2003
at 23:44
5.2/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5
Strong beer, with mainly a burnt malt flavor that rounds out well enough but needs more spice or something to add variety. It is a boring beer, the taste lingers on, and my friends and I have trouble finishing this pitcher whenever it is on special. Plenty of things can nourish and warm you, but the trick is in how they do it, not just doing it!
Tried
from Can
on 03 Jun 2003
at 20:10
5.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6.5
This is a decent, easy-drinking pale ale. The balance of malt and hops is pretty good, but the finish is somewhat like cough medecine. There are so many pale ales on the market, that, unless something strikes me as being particularly wonderful (which this isn't), I can't justify a rave review.
Tried
from Can
on 12 Feb 2003
at 19:17
6.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Black in colour, tan head which fades, but not too quickly. A nice roasted and burnt aroma. A medium-full bodied beer with spicy and burnt characteristics with a very full malt flavour. A bit stong, but a great overall beer!
Tried
on 25 Jan 2003
at 21:09
7.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 9
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Slightly hazy orange colour, and a fantastic apricot aroma. Very wheaty and very apricoty...if you buy the beer, because it sounds great, you'll love it! It handles its job as being an apricot wheat tremendously!
Tried
on 24 Jan 2003
at 20:23