9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 10
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 9
Cloudy amber-brown with a good foamy head. Strong, rich pear and peachy malt profile. Resiny and spicy hops are also present. Super rich and malty flavors, with plenty of fruit and caramel notes, with a strong spicy hop finish. Rich alcoholic warming finish, and even the fruity malts linger. Outstanding balance in a beer like this: as full a malt palate as I''ve tasted, yet plenty of hops.
Tried
on 09 Dec 2002
at 07:53
9.4/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 9
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 9.5
Very very dark black with a tinge of brown at the edges. No head, very lightly carbonated. Exceptionally well poured and served at the brewery. Aroma is rich with plenty of dark fruit (dates, plums), coffee, licorice and roastiness. Strong dark fruity flavors (more plums and dates) with a mild roastiness. Coffeeish but only mildly so. Strong alcohol finish, yet rather smooth and enjoyable. For all its malt, the finish is actually almost dry - good balancing effect from the hops. Just enough carbonation to carry the flavors and allow this to be a sipper. Actually, it drinks rather easily for its strength and richness - watch out or you may not walk away from this one.
Tried
on 09 Dec 2002
at 07:48
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 9
Dark ruby-amber, small thin layer of foam. Appearance immediately reminds of Salvator. Rich toasty and caramel aroma. Warming and toffeeish upon first sip. Rich toffee-caramel flavors. Alcohol warm finish, with just enough balancing hops to smooth out all that sweet Munich malt. Excellent doppelbock, and one of the top 5, if not 3, US-brewed doppelbocks.
Tried
on 09 Dec 2002
at 07:42
8.2/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 9
This is nice, I appreciate the traditional approach to this beer, and whenever I have beers such as this one (very infrequently) I like to think that this is how ales were in England and America in the early 1800's. I appreciate the ruby-tinted amber/brown color and large foaming natural looking head. Aroma is earthy with some herbal hops and earthy almost smoky malts. A touch of grapefruit is apparent in the early whiffs but subsides quickly. Flavor is very well balanced, with a woody and earthy note that seems to result from both malt and hops. This is a beer that makes it very difficult to pick out the ingredients, everything is so well melded. In fact, its so good that you're missing out if drink this any cooler than about 60 deg F (although it can go down to the low 50's, you'll be amazed at its drinkability in the low 60's).
Tried
from Can
on 09 Dec 2002
at 07:39
8.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Very dark brown, with a small dense creamy head. Clean, lightly roasty, coffeeish aroma. Rich malty profile. Lightly fruity with dates, smooth with a solid hoppy finish. Mild, lingering roastiness.
Tried
on 09 Dec 2002
at 07:35
6.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Fairly clean with a mild caramel sweetness and likable hop bite - slight grassy and resiny.
Tried
on 11 Feb 2002
at 16:31
5.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 2.5
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Tried
on 24 Nov 2000
at 00:11