Sample at Culmination Fest: Poured a dark brown with a light brown colored head. Aroma was strong coffee bean/espresso. Taste was sweet smooth for its bold aroma with hints of chocolate, there was nice coffee bean balance.

Draught at EBF, 3/22/14
Moderate amount of white head tops the lemon-lime colored, slightly chill-hazed body. Moderate to strong retention.
Hop fruit salad in the nose provides lots of tangy pineapple and mango. Free of pine, for the most part, which their IPAs all seem to be, thankfully. Some sugars are inescapable to balance this monster and light alcohol and hop resin do build up. Still preserves the lighthearted tangerine/nectarine/mandarin fruitiness of Julius, but it’s not as clearly presented, thanks to so much acid and malt. Still, this is one of the best of the ultra IPAs, though still no match for Pliny the Younger (or at least what Pliny the Younger was 5 years ago, having not had it in a long time).
Amazingly light palate for such a huge beer. Grapefruit, candied orange, leafy, citrus tea-like flavors and light vanilla sweetness. Everywhere from peppery, herbal bitterness to tropical fruit juiciness with some very light aspirin/resin and just a touch of alcohol burn on the end. Soft, supple, engaging carbonation as always from these guys. Pretty successful beer. Glad to see Mass. finely has a world class IPA brewer. That being said, all the additional heft seems a little excessive; Julius and Torndao seem wonderfully hoppy and absolutely delicious. What’s the need for all of this extra malt, acid and resulting heat?

Growler shared by Joel. Pours orange gold with white head. Nose and taste of melon, citrus, lemon, malt and pineapple. Lighter medium body.