Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 3 | Overall - 14
Draft at Ginger Man, NYC. No one aroma or flavor dominates this beer, though its sweetness comes close. There is a blend of smokiness, which is slight, roasted malts, slight bitterness and sweetness. If it wasn’t labeled a smoked porter, you could mistake it for a sweet stout. Dark, dark brown-black body below a tan head. The nose presents roasted malts, caramel, chocolate. The flavor is moderately sweet, lightly bitter and moderately acidic. Very little smoke shows up in the flavor — with only a hint of burnt wood in the finish. Medium body with a dry finish. Low carbonation. Nicely done.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
The beer pours brown with ruby highlights and a strong medium head. Aroma is empty macro-corn, lager like with a faint toastiness behind that, the only redeeming part of the aroma. The taste is water-y weird grainy and light dark biscuit beneath that. I see an underlying layer that may be a good beer but it surrounded by empty, bad beer.
Growler from Bowery Whole Foods, St Paul snifter/tulip glass.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Bottle courtesy of John_Adam2002: Poured a clear deep brown color ale with a medium off-white foamy head with good retention and lacing. Aroma is dominated by some bourbon notes with limited alcohol appearance and some sweet malt notes. Taste is also dominated by some malt with some light toffee notes with some bourbon and vanilla dominating but not going overboard. Body is full with some great carbonation and alcohol is mildly noticeable. I could not detect the elderberries but overall I thought this was complex without being too one-dimensional or too bourbon dominated.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Rating #1600 2006 750 ml bottle (old label) from beastiefan2K; Nose of apple, caramel, and spices; cloudy brown with a medium, glass-lacing beige head; flavor of caramel, brown sugar, peppery spices, and light raisins. Good but not great!
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
Cloudy, blonde. Wow...gooseberries...impressive sour fruitiness. Killer citrus - grapefruit & dalandan. Way sour, kind of grapefruit juice-like, and also quite spicy. Big citrus, crazy subtle nuances that don’t quite get at what they’re getting at. Very good brew - unique, complex and challenging.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
From bottle, no 24 at Papsoes blindtasting. Pours hazy red towards brown and with lacing white head. Aroma is fruity, dried and slight wineous. Flavour is slight berry fruity, wineous and caramel malty. Solid flavour. Finish holds a canesugarish and towards dry woody note, finally a slight bitterness.
yespr (55501) reviewed Xtra Gold from Captain Lawrence Brewing Company 18 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
From bottle, no 20 at Papsoes blindtasting. Pours hazy yellow to orange and with a diminished white head. Hoppy pineapple fruity. Flavour is sweet fruity towards slight soapy hoppy. Has a soft sweetness leading into the finish. Not much caramel malt but rather more clean sugarish finish.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Dark reddish-amber. Dark malt - toffee, cherry, plum, earth and alcohol. Fairly straightforward dubbel. Dryish, slightly peppery finish.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
Bottled. A hazy golden beer with a thick off-white head. The aroma is sweet with citrusy and spicy notes. The flavor is sweet with notes of citrus and spices - especially coriander, but also with a light alcohol burn, leading to a dry bitter and spicy finish. Thanks to Papsoe for sharing.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5
Bottled. An unclear brown beer with a lazing beige head. The aroma is sweet with notes of over ripe fruits, prunes, and metal - somewhat oxidiced. The flavor is sweet with notes of prunes, oxidation, metal, and over ripe fruit as well as a light notes of alcohol, leading to a dry alcoholic finish. Thanks Papsoe for sharing.